Homebound Services

Students who are chronically ill or who have other medical conditions that result in the student being confined to their home for at least four consecutive or cumulative weeks during the school year may be eligible to receive instruction at home. This placement requires documentation from a physician indicating the type and severity of the condition, as well as the anticipated length of confinement to the home.

Criteria for Homebound Services

Any student who is served through the homebound program must meet the following criteria:

The student is expected to be confined at home or in a hospital for a minimum of 4 weeks. The weeks need not be consecutive.
The student is confined at home or a hospital for medical or psychological reasons only.
The student’s medical or psychological condition is documented by a physician licensed to practice in the United States.
Except in cases of medically fragile students, potential medical conditions or concerns that students may develop medical conditions do not constitute homebound eligibility.

Eligibility Procedures

Upon a request for homebound services by the parent/guardian or adult student, the District will request consent to release records to speak with the student’s physician to collaborate and coordinate services. Upon receipt of consent, the District will submit a Homebound Needs Assessment Form for the physician to complete.

Approval for Homebound Services

After receiving the completed Homebound Needs Assessment from the student’s physician, a Section 504 or ARD meeting will be scheduled. After reviewing the doctor's recommendation, the committee will determine the best plan for the student, keeping in mind the least restrictive environment. However, documentation from the licensed physician is not the sole determining factor in the committee’s decision-making process.

The following documentation must be included in the meeting:

The decision about eligibility for homebound services
The type(s) and amount of instruction to be provided to the student, including the designated amount of time per week instruction will be provided
Documentation from a licensed physician stating that the student has a medical or psychological condition that requires the student to be confined at home or hospital for a minimum of 4 weeks

Implications for Homebound Services

There are many implications that ARD/504 Committees must consider when determining eligibility for Homebound Services.

Homebound Services are the most restrictive learning environment. Students who qualify for homebound instruction would need a physician’s release to participate in any in-person school activities.
While the student is receiving homebound services, the student may not participate in or attend extracurricular school activities, including sports events, school dances, or work outside the home, unless specified by the physician and indicated on the Homebound Needs Assessment.
Homebound services are not intended as a long-term substitute for school attendance nor as an alternative route to graduation. An important part of the plan for providing homebound educational services should be a transition plan to return the student to the campus as soon as medically possible.
Homebound placement only covers a specific span of time during one school year. If services are to continue from school year to school year, new documentation is required, and an ARD or 504 homebound meeting is required.
Homebound services are not always effective in addressing the needs of students who are experiencing school phobia, school avoidance, or have a moderate condition such as chronic fatigue syndrome. Effective interventions should address the underlying issues affecting the student’s ability to participate in the general curriculum at school.

How Homebound Services Work

Homebound services are provided by an appropriately certified teacher (general education or special education). The student’s campus teachers remain the Teachers of Record. Students are expected to communicate with their campus teachers for subject-specific questions. The Homebound Teacher can facilitate this as well.

Homebound students are not exempt from assignments but are still responsible for completing work to show mastery of the curriculum. ARD and Section 504 Committees will determine appropriate modifications and accommodations to be provided during the Homebound placement.
For most students, the focus of homebound instruction is on maintaining the student’s progress in classes during a specific period of illness or recovery from injury, so when the student returns to school, they can rejoin the class with ease.
While the student is receiving homebound services, the student may not participate in or attend extracurricular school activities, including sports events, school dances, or work outside the home, unless specified by the physician and indicated on the Homebound Needs Assessment.
The Homebound Teacher and parent will work cooperatively to arrange a mutually agreeable schedule for homebound services. After 3 consecutive missed appointments or a pattern of canceled appointments, the committee will determine the ongoing course of action.
While receiving homebound services, support will be provided for all core academic subject area courses in which the student is enrolled. Other courses can be supported if possible. Courses to be continued during homebound instruction are determined by the ARD or Section 504 committee.
A student receiving homebound services who returns to his or her campus to take required state assessments must have a medical release from a licensed physician to do so. The time spent on campus taking required state assessments does not count as any part of the number of hours of homebound service for eligible days present.

Attendance

A full-time homebound student receives 100% attendance when the homebound teacher provides four (4) hours of instruction weekly. A student on Intermittent Homebound receives a day’s attendance credit for an hour of instruction (up to 4 hours per week). Attendance is necessary to meet state requirements for compulsory attendance, to obtain course credit, and to advance from grade to grade. An adult, age 18 or older, must be present at all times the Homebound Teacher is present.