Last modified: December 5, 2023

Policy 3410 P1 Services for Homebound Students

• Download Policy 3410 P1 Services for Homebound Students

Hospital/Homebound instruction is a service of the Provo City Board of Education in accordance with requirements of the State Office of Education that provides for the continuance of academic progress to those students who are defined as homebound and/or hospitalized.

The Provo City School District provides instruction for convalescing students in grades 1st-12th to alleviate concern over academic work/credit, to maintain the skills necessary for returning to the classroom, and to assure ongoing school/home contact during the term of illness or injury.

The Administration of the Hospital/Homebound program includes the following guidelines:

Qualification for Services

1. The student lives within the boundaries of the Provo City School District and is currently enrolled in a District school.
2. The student is confined in a home or hospital setting due to physical illness, psychological or emotional illness, injury, disability or other short-term medical necessity. 
3. The student has missed or expects to miss ten (10) or more consecutive days of school.
4. The student is consistently unable to attend school on a regular daily basis or is unable to attend at least four (4) school periods per day because of a verified chronic illness or serious medical condition.
5. Hospital/Homebound Services are generally considered to be short-term and must be requested by a parent or guardian.
6. A written request for services is required from the attending physician. The request must include the exam date, diagnosis, medication(s) that may limit or affect learning, expected duration of confinement, and any other pertinent information. The Hospital/Homebound Coordinator will contact the physician for further verification and information as needed. Parents must make a request to the attending physician that appropriate information pertaining to the student’s medical condition be shared with the Coordinator so that determination of eligibility for services can be made.
7. If the length of confinement is more than six (6) weeks, a physician’s update will be required in order to continue homebound services. While the input from social workers and other medical professionals may be helpful in determining eligibility for services, their request for service must be accompanied by the medical doctor’s formal request for services and diagnosis.
8. Students who are pregnant do not qualify for Homebound services. The only exception would be for students who experience documented serious medical complications. If a student has received Hospital/Homebound services for serious medical complications, after delivery, the student is expected to return to school within three (3) weeks and will be released from Hospital/Homebound instruction.
9. The student is not eligible for Hospital/Homebound instruction if the identified illness pertains to another family member.
10. The student is ineligible for Hospital/Homebound services if he/she is employed and is attending work.

Providing for Services

The request for Hospital/Homebound services is made to the District Coordinator by a school administrator.

1. Parents must make their request to the physician who will provide written verification of the illness, the need for services and a diagnosis. The parent or physician should submit this information to the school administrator as quickly as possible.
2. Assessment of the need and eligibility for services will be determined by the Executive Director of Student Services who will then notify the school and the homebound instructor of the decision.
3. Students who are placed on Hospital/Homebound will remain enrolled within the local school and are not counted as “absent.”
4. The Coordinator will assign a homebound instructor to the student. The homebound instructor will coordinate the instructional schedule with the parent/guardian/teachers. Instruction will be provided after regular school hours for a period of two (2) hours per week.
5. Curriculum will be based on the current core standards for students in grades 1-6. Students in grades 7-12 may be limited to instruction in core academic subjects, as coordinated with the student’s counselor.
6. Homebound/Hospital services may be discontinued for the following reasons:
   • Lack of family cooperation with an instruction schedule.
   • Lack of medical verification as to current confinement need.
   • Determination that continued Hospital/Homebound services is not in the best interest of the student.
   • Increased or prolonged school phobia.

Level of Services Provided

1. If the student is homebound for a period between 1-10 days, the parent will coordinate with the school administration for homework and assignments.
2. If the student is homebound for a period between 11-44 days, a homebound instructor will coordinate with parents, teachers, and school administration regarding the student’s homework and assignments.
3. If the student is homebound for 45 days or more, the parent will be referred to eSchool, the district online school.

Grades and Credit for School Attendance

1. Substitute assignments may be provided if the regular class activities cannot be completed outside the classroom. Grades earned during confinement will be averaged into the student’s grades earned after returning to school to compute the student’s final grade.
2. Secondary teachers will prepare assignments and materials for students in their classes who are receiving Hospital/Homebound instruction. Substitute assignments may be provided if the regular class activities cannot be completed outside the classroom. If the subject cannot be appropriately taught through Hospital/Homebound instruction, the teacher should give the student an “incomplete” for the course and provide an opportunity for the student to make-up the missed credit through an alternative class or program.
3. Grades earned during confinement will be averaged into the secondary student’s grades earned prior to leaving or after returning to school to compute the student’s final grade. Because of limited instructional time, the Hospital/Homebound Program will help a student maintain credit in some classes. However, because of time constraints, limits on curriculum content that can be covered (especially in AP and other advanced courses), and the duration and severity of the illness, students may not be able to earn sufficient credits to stay on track for graduation and the overall grade point average may change. 
4. Secondary Hospital/Homebound students will not receive more credit than could be earned at school during the concurrent grading period.
5. Hospital/Homebound instructors are not expected to tutor students for “make-up” work for previous absences before the student was enrolled in the Hospital/Homebound Program.

Selection and Responsibility of Instructors

1. A homebound instructor must be currently employed by the Provo City School District. There are no exceptions to this rule.
2. Once the homebound instructor has been assigned, he/she will contact the parent/guardian as soon as possible to arrange for the homebound visits.
3. The homebound instructor will coordinate teaching materials and assignments with the regular classroom teacher(s). 
4. If problems arise in the teaching process, the District Coordinator should be contacted for immediate consultation.

Legal References

R277-483-1.G

Definition of Homebound/hospitalized services

R277-419-5.A(1)(f)(ii)

Physically excused due to injury, illness, etc.

R277-483-1.G(3)

Period of absence must be estimated

Adopted

October 8, 2013

Policy

Policy No. 3410 Services for Homebound Students