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Pupil Services & Special Education » Homebound Instruction

Homebound Instruction

Eligibility

 

A homebound excuse or homebound instruction is a temporary excusal from school for urgent medical or other reasons, made pursuant to School Code Section 13-1329 and Pennsylvania Code Title 22 Section 11.25.[1][2]

 

East Pennsboro Area School District shall provide eligible students with homebound instruction when appropriate circumstances exist. To be eligible for homebound instruction, the district requires that the student meet the following criteria.

 

Criteria for Approval

 

It is the policy of the East Pennsboro Area School District to provide eligible students with homebound tutoring when a request for a homebound excuse is approved and the student can tolerate and benefit from some instruction. Unless circumstances require otherwise, five (5) hours of tutoring per week will be provided. To be eligible for homebound tutoring, the district requires that the student meet the following criteria:

  1. Student is unable to attend school and anticipates being absent from school ten (10) consecutive school days or more due to a temporary, serious medical reason such as a car accident, disabling surgery, serious illness, acute hospitalization (tutoring can be provided in hospital) or other serious, temporary health condition.
     
  2. Applications for individual instruction must be submitted to the Director of Pupil Services on EPASD form: Request For Homebound Instruction and include a copy of the physician’s medical request for homebound instruction certifying the nature of the illness or condition, and the probable duration of the confinement. The recommending physician must also verify, on a signed prescription paper that includes the physician’s ID number, a statement verifying that the student is unable to attend any part of the school day due to the student’s condition.

Conditions for Approval

 

Parents/Guardians and students are advised of the following conditions to the approval/provision of a homebound excuse:

  1. The district may contact the recommending physician for verification of information within the homebound form.
     
  2. If the district believes that additional information is needed, with legally required consent, the East Pennsboro Area School District may contact the recommending physician to seek additional information.
     
  3. Applications for individual instruction must include a copy of the doctor's medical request for homebound instruction certifying the nature of the illness or disability, and the probable duration of the confinement.
     
  4. In the event that the district chooses to refer a student to its own physician to determine the necessity for homebound services, and the district physician’s opinion is contrary to the family physician, or the recommending physician is unable to substantiate the recommendation, the administration will be authorized to honor the opinion of the district physician. The child will be requested to return to school. In such a case, the student shall be denied any further homebound services and the child would then fall under the mandatory school attendance regulations.
     
  5. The Board, upon recommendation of the Superintendent, may approve exceptions as deemed advisable and in the best interest of the student or district.

All applications for homebound instruction must be approved by the Superintendent or their designee.

 

Parents/Guardians and students are advised of the following conditions to the continuance of homebound instruction:

  1. The district reserves the right to seek a second opinion by a physician and/or psychiatrist of the district's choice (at district expense) if it so chooses.
     
  2. The assignment of a tutor/instructor will be at the district's discretion and that person shall be of the district's choice.
     
  3. The district requires a reassessment of the student's condition after forty-five (45) school days.
     
  4. The student receiving homebound instruction must remain in his/her residence during school hours during the homebound instruction period.
     
  5. Homebound instructors are permitted up to five (5) hours per week tutoring individual students.
     
  6. The homebound instruction student must complete the assignments and school work in a timely fashion. The tutor must administer tests.
     
  7. Each hour of homebound instruction provided is to be supported by, one (1) to three (3) hours of independent study depending on grade level, by the student.
     
  8. Lack of independent work on the part of the student or noncompletion of assignments may result in the loss of credit or failure of the course or the grade.
     
  9. Due to the nature of course content, it may not be possible for the homebound teacher to deliver or teach the course content. In this regard, the student will be required to reschedule this course(s) during the next available semester/trimester.
     
  10. The parent/guardian is required to provide the homebound teacher with an educational learning environment within the home or at a mutually agreed-upon location that is conducive to conducting the assigned coursework.

Any breach of the above conditions, in part or in whole, may result in the withdrawal of approval of homebound instruction. Homebound instruction is a temporary instructional program and should not be considered as a replacement to attendance and instruction in the regular school setting.

 

The Board reserves the right to withhold individual instruction: (1) when the instructor's presence in the place of a student's confinement presents a hazard to the health of the teacher, (2) a parent or other adult in authority is not at home with the student during the hours of instruction, and (3) the condition of the student is such as to preclude his/her benefit from such instruction.