The homebound program is a special education instructional
arrangement for students who are unable to attend school and who have been
determined to have a disability. The students are provided special
education instruction and related services in the home. The purpose of the
homebound program is to provide a continuation of educational programs for
pupils who cannot attend a regular or special class. Students who are
provided this service are expected to be confined to the home for a minimum
of four weeks as documented by a physician licensed to practice in the
United States.
A homebound teacher is one who carries out the instructional
program in the home of a pupil. The amount of time a student is served is
determined by the student’s admission, review, and dismissal (ARD)
committee. Homebound teachers will obtain lesson plans and any other
appropriate instructional materials from the student’s general education
teacher. Because of the varied courses a student may be taking, a great
deal of cooperation between the general educator and the special educator is
required. At times, the general educator may need to provide instruction to
the student. Any teacher providing services must keep a log of the amount
of time spent with a student.
To determine medical eligibility, the school district must secure a
diagnosis and recommendation from the student’s physician. The
recommendation must state that the child is unable to attend a regular or
special class; give a diagnosis of the disability; give recommendations that
the physician wants observed in the home, such as amount of restricted
activity and amount of rest required; and, indicate that homebound service
will be needed for at least four weeks. Students who are eligible for the
homebound program are not carried on regular rolls. For this reason, there
will be occasions when a teacher will be asked to drop a student from the
roll.
