Policy 6183 - Home and Hospital Instructional

Rule 6183

Home and Hospital Instruction

A student with a temporary disability which makes school attendance impossible or inadvisable shall receive individual instruction in the student's home or in a hospital or other residential health facility, excluding state hospitals. This instruction applies to students incurring a physical, mental or emotional disability after which they can reasonably be expected to return to regular day classes or an alternative education program without special intervention.

If it is expected that a pupil will be absent ten (10) consecutive school days or longer, the parent/guardian should be encouraged to immediately have a physician complete the authorization for home instruction. Pupils who have been identified as individuals with exceptional needs can also be placed on home instruction by an Individualized Education Program Team.

Home/Hospital instruction shall be provided only by teachers employed with Lodi Unified School District with a valid California teaching credential who agrees to the assignment.

The district shall offer at least one hour of instruction for every day of instruction offered by the district in the regular education program. No student shall be credited with more than five days of attendance per calendar week or credited with more than the total number of calendar days that regular classes are offered by the district in any fiscal year. (Education Code 48200, 48206.3).

When the pupil is placed on home instruction, the pupil must remain on all class registers or class lists.

Generally only courses that are textbook oriented are considered for home instruction. For classes that are not textbook oriented (shop, drama, band, etc.), other activities such as book reports on the subject matter, studying safety instructions, studying shop manuals, etc., should be explored by the site teacher and home instructor for short term absences. Insofar as possible, the teacher providing home or hospital instruction shall consult with the student's current classroom teacher(s) so as to provide a continuity of instruction that enables the student to stay abreast with the regular school program.

The teacher(s) of record and the home instructor shall collaborate and mutually agree upon a course of study, which will be as close as possible to match the content offered through the regular classroom. The teacher of record will be responsible for providing the assignments to the home instructor and providing a grade earned. The home instructor will only act as a liaison between the teacher(s) of record and the student by providing five (5) hours of instruction per full week of school. For pupils enrolled in physical education, the pupil will be given a “Pass” grade for the time spent on home instruction.

A student returning to school from home instruction shall have a reasonable time in which to complete makeup work for classes not offered under the home instruction program.

The Superintendent or designee may require verification through any reasonable means that the student requires home instruction. In addition, this verification shall also state that the disabling condition will not expose the teacher to a contagious disease that can be transmitted through casual contact. Home or hospital instruction shall not be denied to students with Hepatitis B, herpes or HIV/AIDS, as long as the home or hospital practices current preventive protocol as determined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.