special education guidelines

Education Support Services Revised 08/10

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Local Operating Guidelines

General Education Homebound Services

[Formerly Hospital/Homebound Regular Education (HHRE)]

Education Support Department Where:

We Listen We Act

We Solve

Dr. Marva Dixon – Executive Director Innovation and Support

Dorothea Gordon – Innovation and Support Coordinator

Kandice Cole – Administrative Assistant


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Definition General Education Homebound (GEH) services provide the services of a certified teacher to those students whose medical needs (physical or psychiatric) that prevent regular school attendance for an extended period of time, usually greater than four weeks. General Education Homebound Services (formerly known as Hospital-Homebound Services [HHRE} are provided through the Education Support Services Department under the direction of the Executive Director of Innovation and Support Services. Eligibility Guidelines:

Any student who is served through the General Education Homebound (GEH) program must meet the following criteria:

The student must currently be enrolled in a GPISD The student is expected to be confined at home or hospital bedside for a minimum of

4 weeks. The weeks need not be consecutive. The student is confined at home or hospital bedside for medical reasons only. A physician licensed to practice in the United States documents the student’s medical

condition.

Students served through GEH (formerly home/hospital Homebound) must be served by a certified general education teacher.

GEH Policy Requirements

Grand Prairie ISD – Policy: EEH (LOCAL)-A - DATE ISSUED: 11/29/2005 -UPDATE 77

GENERAL EDUCATION-INSTRUCTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS HOMEBOUND INSTRUCTION

A student to be confined for a minimum of four consecutive weeks to a hospital or homebound for medical reasons specifically documented by a physician licensed to practice in the U.S. may be eligible for general education homebound services. The parent’s request for services shall be made through the principal in accordance with TEA’s Student Attendance Accounting Handbook and administrative procedures. The principal or designee shall convene a placement committee composed of at least a campus administrator, a teacher of the student, and the parent or guardian of the student to consider the necessity of providing general education homebound instruction to the student. If the committee determines that such instruction is appropriate, the committee shall determine the type and amount of instruction to be provided and, when the student is able to return to the regular educational setting, the length of the transition period based on current medical information.


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GEH Committee

A designated campus committee must make decisions regarding GEH placement. Members of the committee should include the following:

Campus administrator Teacher of the student School Nurse GEH Campus Coordinator Parent/guardian of the student

The role of the GEH committee is to review and consider the necessity of providing instruction to a general education student via homebound services. If instruction is to be provided the GEH committee determines the type(s) and amount of instruction to be provided. In making these decisions, the GEH committee must consider information from the student's physician. However, the physician’s note/information is not the sole determining factor in the committee’s decision-making process.

The GEH committee meets to determine:

The necessity of providing general education homebound instruction to the student The type and length of the instruction to be provided Any accommodations/modifications needed by the student When the student will be able to return to the regular educational setting The length of transition period based on current medical information What will need to be provided to the school nurse for documentation purposes as well

as any student limitations upon return to school

Goals:

The goals for homebound instruction are to provide some continuity of instruction, and to facilitate the student's return to a regular school setting as quickly as possible. A prepared plan for returning the student to a regular school setting should be part of the homebound process. Homebound service is of a temporary nature with the realization that instruction is best received in a regular school setting


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Steps for Requesting General Education Homebound (GEH) Services Initiation of General Education Homebound (GEH) services: Any interested party, parent/guardian, student, teacher, or principal may make initial contact with a student's home campus counselor, administrator or diagnostician concerning homebound services. It is important that this contact be made as soon after it becomes apparent that the student’s absence from school is significant.

Step 1

When a parent/guardian makes a request for consideration of General Education Homebound (GEH), the Campus administrator/designee or GEH Coordinator provides the parent/guardian with the following GEH documents to be completed. General Education Homebound (GEH) Services Referral/Parent Information Form

o To be completed by the parent or GEH Coordinator (as appropriate) o Note: parent must sign this form.

Homebound Brochure Release/Sharing of Confidential Information (Medical Records)

Step 2

The parent fills out the General Education Homebound (GEH), Referral/Parent Information Form and returns it to the principal /designee or GEH Coordinator.

Homebound Is A “Keep-Up” - Not A “Catch-Up” Service

program.


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To Be Completed By Physician

Medical Referral Form/Need for Homebound Services Physician Information Letter

Note: 1. The doctor will fax this form back to the campus – attention: campus nurse 2. The nurse will review the information and confirm a possible medical condition that

warrants homebound services. (If questions arise or more clarification is needed the nurse will contact Pat Shull, nurse coordinator and/or contact the physician.)

3. If all questions are cleared up, then the nurse informs the principal /designee or GEH Coordinator. This initiates the steps that lead to a GEH Placement Committee meeting.

4. The GEH Placement Committee should be held within 3-5 days of confirmation of medical information.

5. Note: This should prevent delays in instructional services provided to the student.

Step 3

To Be Completed By the Principal or Designee

The principal /designee or GEH Coordinator o E-mails Dr. Dixon and Dorothea Gordon of an upcoming GEH Placement

committee. o Faxes: A copy of the General Education Homebound (GEH) Services

Referral/Parent Information Form to Kandice Cole at 972/237-5540. Step 4 The principal or designee convenes the GEH Placement committee meeting

composed of: Campus administrator Teacher of the student School Nurse GEH Campus Coordinator Parent/guardian of the student

The GEH Placement committee meets to determine:

The necessity of providing general education homebound instruction to the student.

The type and length of the instruction to be provided. Accommodations and/modifications needed by the student while receiving

homebound instruction. When the student will be able to return to the regular educational setting. The length of transition period based on current medical information.


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What will need to be provided to the school nurse for documentation purposes as well as any student limitations upon return to school.

Note: Homebound services provide instruction in core areas only. Inform the parent of the following attendance guidelines:

Homebound Services Attendance Guidelines

Amount of Time Served per Week:

Eligible Days Present Earned per Week:

1 hour 1 day present

2 hours 2 days present


4 or more hours 4 days present (4-day week) 5 days present (5-day week)

Source: TEA – Student Attendance Handbook – 2008-09 (3.7.3 GEH Funding Chart)

Important: Start date is determined once approval occurs and committee has met to determine the need.

Summary of meeting of the General Education Homebound (GEH) meeting must be taken and documented in the GEH Placement Committee form.

The General Education Homebound (GEH) Placement Meeting form must be

completed including signatures of all individuals present.

If the General Education Homebound placement is not approved by the GEHP Placement Committee, send the form indicating denial of placement for General Education Homebound (GEH) Services.

If the General Education Homebound placement is approved by the GEHP

Placement Committee, continue with Step 5.


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Step 5

The Campus Administrator or Designee selects the teacher who will deliver the services to the student in the home.

Note: Human Resources Department has worked with Dr. Dixon to secure a pool of homebound teachers that can be utilized if needed by campuses to provide GEH services.

Updates of the pool of teachers will be sent to the campus GEH Campus Coordinator on the first day of each month.

The Campus Administrator or GEH Campus Coordinator will schedule a meeting

with the core content teachers for the student who has been approved to receive instruction as well as the teacher who is the designated instructor.

The GEH Education plan form is completed by this team. The teacher(s) responsibilities:

Review classroom and homebound teachers’ responsibilities form and the student assignment sheet.

GEH Campus Coordinator will provide all other teachers with classroom teachers’ responsibilities information and address any other questions.

The Innovation and Support Coordinator will now complete “Pre- approval

for Supplemental Pay form” for approval as identified in the GEH Checklist. Assigned teacher will receive 4 hours of pay per week @ $25.00 per hour

plus one hour of planning per week and mileage. Kandice Cole, administrative assistant will provide the information on

payroll process.

Step 6 To Be Completed GEH Campus Coordinator

After GEH Placement Committee Meeting and selection of HB teacher, please submit a copy of the following documents to Innovation and Support Coordinator:

Summary of meeting of the General Education Homebound (GEH) meeting The General Education Homebound (GEH) Placement Meeting form The GEH Education plan form completed by this team


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Step 7 To Be Completed By GEH Homebound Teacher (Collaboration with GEH Campus Coordinator)

Once the General Education Homebound (GEH) Placement Meeting is held and the GEH Homebound Teacher is selected, the Homebound teacher will work closely with the GEH Campus Coordinator to address the following:

Contacts each teacher whose content area will be continued while the student is

out of school’ Provides each teacher whose content area will be continued a copy of:

o The Classroom Teachers’ Responsibilities Information Sheet o Classroom Teacher’s Notification of Homebound Services o Weekly Assignment Form o Student’s “Accommodations/Modifications from GEH placement meeting

Collaborates with the student’s GEH Campus Coordinator regarding procedures for picking up and returning student’s assignments.

Collaborates with the parent in scheduling the times for homebound Services. Picks up weekly assignments from general and/or special education teachers. Completes and sends appropriate Homebound Services–Student Data/Case

Loads forms to the Innovation and Support Coordinator in the Education Support Department.

Completes and sends appropriate GEH Homebound Services–Student Attendance forms to campus attendance clerk, GPISD PEIMS Clerk and to the Innovation and Support Coordinator in the Education Support Department.

Completes and sends appropriate travel and other related forms to the Innovation and Support Coordinator in the Education Support Department.

Note: The student is responsible for making up all assigned work before the General Education Homebound (GEH) Placement Meeting, which initiates homebound services. The homebound teacher is responsible for collecting the assignments thereafter.


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Step 8 – Follow-up and Continuation of GEH Services To Be Completed By GEH Campus Coordinator with Parent

A Physician’s Follow-up form should be given to the parent prior to the 4th week of

GEH instruction. This form should be completed by the physician indicating if there is a need to

continue or discontinue GEH.

Step 9 - Dismissal from Homebound Services

Near the end of the projected length of confinement, the parent will have the physician

complete the Physician’s Follow-up Report indicating weather homebound services are to be continued.

A copy of Physician’s Follow-up Report will be given to the campus principal or Campus GEH coordinator.

Another GEH Placement meeting will not be required for the continuation of homebound services.

If the doctor releases the student to return to school, the Campus GEH coordinator will be responsible for scheduling a dismissal GEH Placement Committee Meeting o All appropriate individuals including the homebound teacher should receive the notice of

meeting. o Meeting should discuss any accommodations/modifications needed in transitioning

and/or returning to the education setting. o In cases of students who are chronically ill, the dismissal GEH Placement meeting will be

held at the end of the school year. o Note: Homebound instruction is usually considered a temporary arrangement and cannot

be considered as equivalent to classroom instruction. It is imperative that students return to the classroom as soon as practical and the student’s physician usually dictate this occurrence.

o All students need to be dismissed from Homebound Services before the summer break. o If it appears that a student might require GEH Homebound services for the following fall,

the process will begin with step 1 prior to the start of school. o In some cases, it may be necessary to refer the student for additional services such as

504 placement and/or special education. Report GEH Homebound attendance and dismal notification should be submitted to the

campus attendance clerk and Innovation and Support Coordinator.


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Step 10: Procedures for Students Residing in the District Who Are Placed in a Hospital

When a student from the district is going to be admitted to a hospital for more that 5

consecutive days, the student’s principal/designee, Counselor or GEH Campus Coordinator will be notified.

Information regarding course work (subjects, grades and chapters completed before hospitalization) should be collected by the student’s counselor and given to the parent to take to the hospital.

The principal/designee will also give the parent the “Physician’s Release Form” at this time. The principal will collaborate with GEH coordinator and GPISD PEIMS Clerk to determine if

and when it may be necessary to withdraw the student. Note: A student may not be enrolled in a hospital school and a public school at the same

time. The “Physician’s Release Form” should be returned to the principal/designee, Counselor

or GEH Campus Coordinator when the student is ready to terminate their hospital instruction and return to their school of residence.

The hospital will send copies of grades and work completed during hospital instruction to the student’s home-campus counselor.

The principal/designee, Counselor or GEH Campus Coordinator will be responsible for reporting any change in the PEIMS to the PEIMS clerk.


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General Education Homebound (GEH) General Information

General Education Homebound (GEH) Course Offerings ♦ Elementary core subjects will be covered. Generally, the Homebound Teacher provides one

hour of instruction per subject each week with a maximum of four hours per week. ♦ Secondary core subject areas will be covered, including: Social Studies, Math, English, and

Reading and/or certain electives. Generally, the Homebound Teacher provides one hour of instruction per subject per week for a maximum of four hours.

♦ The Homebound Teacher will deliver work that the classroom teacher has assigned. ♦ The assignments are to be placed in the designated location outlined in the Classroom

Teacher’s Responsibilities Form. ♦ In order for a student to obtain regular education credit for courses, the pace and amount of

work assigned may be altered, but not the content of the curriculum or the mastery level. ♦ Homebound Teachers do not teach lab courses such as Foreign Language, Science,

Computer, and Homemaking because labs cannot be replicated in the home.

Special Note:

Program Description

♦ The primary objective of the General Education Homebound (GEH) Services is to provide instructional services so that the student can return to school with the knowledge and skills sufficient to resume her/his previous academic programming.


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Grading

♦ The responsibility for grading will be the student’s classroom teacher(s) – teacher of record. ♦ The Homebound Teacher will help pace assignments, instruct, and proctor tests. ♦ The student will be expected to meet the TAKS requirements in subject areas. ♦ Grades or student evaluation will be based on completion of assignments and tests, with at

least a 70% mastery level.

Procedures for Classroom Assignments

♦ The classroom teacher(s) will provide all assignments and materials to the homebound

teacher in a timely manner. This will allow the student to continue to make academic progress during the period of confinement.

Entrance/Exit Dates

♦ Entrance and exit dates will be considered. ♦ A projected date for withdrawal from Homebound Services will be determined from the

doctor's medical report. ♦ In any case, GEH Services will conclude at the end of the school year.

General Education Homebound (GEH) Requirements Form

♦ The Homebound Requirements Form will be reviewed and signed by the parent/guardian.

The Homebound Requirements Form emphasizes that behavior management is the parent's responsibility and that a responsible adult is to be in the home during homebound instruction.

A copy is given to the parent/guardian and copies are kept in the student's file at school.

The student will also sign a Student Contract Form (as appropriate) once Homebound Services have started.


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Attendance

♦ A student will generally be counted present in school while in the homebound program. ♦ The student is maintained on the role of his/her home campus. ♦ However, the homebound teacher may give unexcused absences. ♦ Some reasons for unexcused absences are:

The student fails to be at home when homebound class time is scheduled. The parent or student fails to contact the Homebound Teacher in order to rearrange

class time. The parent or student fails to answer the door when the Homebound Teacher arrives.

♦ Chronically ill students who are not homebound for four consecutive weeks will earn eligible

days present (for those days the student is absent and served at home) based on the number of hours the student is served at home by a certified teacher each week.

3.7.3 GEH Funding Chart – TEA – Student Attendance Handbook – 2008-09

♦ For GEH services to generate ADA, the services must be provided as follows: ♦ A general education student served at home earns eligible days present based on the

number of hours the student is served at home by a certified teacher each week.

♦ Use the following chart to calculate eligible days present:

Homebound Services Attendance Guidelines

Amount of Time Served per Week: Eligible Days Present - Earned per Week:

1 hour 1 day present



4 or more hours 4 days present (4-day week) 5 days present (5-day week)

Source: TEA – Student Attendance Handbook – 2008-09 (3.7.3 GEH Funding Chart)

♦ If a student who previously has been served in the Homebound Instructional Setting is

transitioning back to a school-based placement, the student may continue to be coded homebound during the transition period subject to the two-four hour per week requirement for homebound services.


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3.7.4 Transition from GEH to the Classroom

♦ A student transitioning back to a school-based setting may continue to generate ADA based on the GEH funding chart during the transition period. The GEH committee must determine the length of the transition period based on current medical information. ADA eligibility shifts back to the requirements of the 2-through-4-hour rule once the student has completed the transition period as determined by the GEH committee.

The length of the transition period must be determined by the GEH committee based on current medical information. ♦ NOTE: A GEH committee should not place a student not previously identified as a student

with a disability who has routinely delivered a baby in the homebound instructional setting. This student should be served through Compensatory Education Home Instruction (CEHI) during the six-week postpartum period.

♦ For documentation and accountability purposes, the GEH Homebound Teacher will also

maintain an informal attendance record of the student’s attendance. ♦ This informal attendance record will be maintained in the GEH Campus Coordinator’s files,

GEH homebound teacher’s files, and will be submitted to District Attendance personnel: GPISD PEIMS Clerk and Innovation and Support Coordinator at the end of each six-week period.

Test Accommodations

♦ A student may be utilizing accommodations/modifications for semester exams and/or other

standardized tests, depending on the decision of the GEH committee and in accordance with GPISD’s policies and standardize testing guidelines.

♦ The decision to take TAKS or End of Course Tests if a student receiving Homebound

Services is unable to attend school due to illness or injury will be made in accordance with the procedures and guidelines of Grand Prairie Independent School District and the Texas Education Agency Student Assessment procedures.

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The GEH committee will discuss, determine and document:

1. If there is a medical need for providing Homebound services as verified by the Physician’s referral

2. The subjects that will be continued on the homebound arrangement

3. The appropriate modifications to course content including assignments and tests for each

subject that will be continued on homebound

4. The learning competencies

5. Assignments, testing, and grading responsibilities

6. The amount of time the student will receive services (maximum of 4 hours a week)

7. Parent will review and sign a contract stating they will: a. Have a responsible adult at home during each homebound session. b. Provide a quiet place for lessons and for pupil study periods. c. Have the student ready for class at the scheduled time. d. Notify the homebound teacher if there are contagious diseases in the home. e. Keep the student at home during school hours. f. Notify the teacher when the pupil’s physician finds the student is ready to return to

regular school.

8. That the parent has been given a “physician’s Release Statement” to be completed when the student is ready to return to school

9. That it is understood that while the student is confined to home and not attending any

classes that he/she will not be permitted to attend any extra-curricular activities involving the district’s schools without written permission from the student’s physician and the principal.


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PLACEMENT FOR HOMEBOUND STUDENTS

A. Guidelines for recommending the courses to continue during homebound placement are as

follows:

1. For elementary and middle school students: Any course or subject may be continued. In

courses where experience or classroom participation make up the majority of the grade,

written assignments may be given in lieu of those activities or in the case of an elective,

the course may be dropped.

2. Homebound: Career and Technical Education Funding Requirements

For a homebound or hospital bedside student to earn career and technical contact hours,

the student must continue to receive the same amount and type of career and technical

service that he or she was receiving before being placed in the homebound instructional

setting. Career and technical education teachers must maintain a log to verify all contact

hours with homebound/hospital bedside students.

(Section 4.6.2.10 2008 attendance Handbook)

B. The homebound teacher will follow-up with teacher contacts if the need arises to clarify

student assignments.

C. The student’s principal will be responsible for program supervision and ensuring that regular

classroom teachers provide all necessary information at the campus level.

D. Students whose recuperation permits may return to school on a partial-day basis with

appropriate release by the student’s physician (transition period).


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DISMISSAL FOR HOMEBOUND STUDENTS

1. When the student is released from the doctor and ready to return to classes. The GEH

coordinator will send a notice of dismissal to all classroom teachers as well as a copy of

the dismissal form to the Innovation and Support Coordinator.

2. In case of students who are chronically ill, the dismissal from homebound services will

occur at the end of the school year.

Homebound instruction is usually considered a temporary arrangement

and cannot be considered as equivalent to classroom instruction.

It is imperative that students return to the classroom as soon as practical

and the student’s physician usually dictate this.


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RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE HOMEBOUND PROGRAM:

A. The parent is responsible for:

1. Contacting the school with a request for Homebound Services. 2. Returning all paper work necessary to complete the process of entry into the

Homebound Program. 3. Abide by the district Homebound Guidelines as stated in the homebound brochure. 4. Inform the Homebound Teacher and Campus GEH Coordinator of when the

student is about to be released from the doctor to return to school.

B. The campus GEH Coordinator is responsibility for:

1. Completing the overall process to get the student into Homebound. 2. Ensuring that the parent/guardian receives all the appropriate homebound

paperwork. 3. Conduct the GEH Committee Meeting. 4. Monitoring the homebound services provided to the student including progress or

lack of progress in academic areas. 5. Keeping the principal informed of students receiving homebound services. 6. Keeping the student’s teachers informed. 7. Providing the homebound teacher with the appropriate information related to the

student in order to provide effective homebound services. 8. Ensuring the attendance clerk is informed of the required attendance information. 9. Ensuring all required paperwork is submitted to the Innovation and Support

Coordinator once the GEH committee approves homebound services for a student.

10. Submitting to teachers and Innovation and Support Coordinator the dismissal form when a student is dismissed from homebound services.

C. The Classroom Teacher is responsible for:

1. Each week, sending the same curriculum the classroom is working on with modifications of allowing more time and shortening the assignments when needed or other accommodations identified in the GEH committee.

2. Communicating via telephone or e-mail as needed with the homebound teacher. 3. Keeping the student on their classroom roll. 4. Not counting the student absent. 5. Sending books and extra materials needed to complete the assignments. 6. Grading all work. 7. Preparation of Progress Reports and Report Cards.

D. The Homebound Teacher is responsible for:

1. Working with the parent of the student to schedule a time for homebound services that best meets the needs of the family and the homebound teacher’s schedule.


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2. Collecting the weekly assignments from the classroom teacher/designated location identified by the GEH Campus Coordinator.

3. Instructing the student in their home. 4. Returning the students work to the classroom teacher. 5. Maintaining an accurate accounting of the student’s attendance on the required

attendance form. Note: A parent or guardian must sign on each visit that the services are provided.

6. Submitting in a timely manner the required paperwork for payment of services. (See payment procedures).

7. Keeping the GEH Coordinator informed of the current health issues (as appropriate) of the student.

8. Informing the campus GEH Coordinator if the student is absent or unusual circumstances occur while providing homebound services.

9. Informing the campus GEH Coordinator when you become aware that the student will be dismissed from the doctor and may be able to return to school.

10. Informing the campus GEH Coordinator if you are unable to provide services to a student on the schedule day and time the services were to be scheduled.

E. The Student is responsible for:

1. Being available for scheduled instruction. 2. Being dressed appropriately. 3. Having all books and materials needed for instruction. 4. Completing homework assignments. 5. Remaining courteous and respectful behavior, complying with teacher requests,

and using appropriate language. 6. Dedicating instructional time for instruction only (no phone calls, visiting, radio or

television). 7. Having a quiet area suitable for instructional purposes and free of distractions. 8. Informing the homebound teacher as early as possible of future medical

appointments, if such appointments interfere with instructional time. 9. Keeping the learning environment smoke free. 10. Understanding and adhering to the homebound services guidelines that state the

student may not participate in extra-curricular activities, volunteer, or work while receiving homebound services.

F. The Campus principal is responsible for:

1. Monitoring the overall homebound services for students on his/hr campus. 2. Ensuring that identified staff members responsible for performing roles and

responsibilities related to homebound services do so in an efficient and effective manner.

special education guidelines

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