Administrative Procedure

I.    Initial Service Need Is Determined By:

• Verification of the physical condition, including drug and alcohol dependency, by a licensed physician, or verification of emotional condition by a certified school, licensed psychologist, or licensed psychiatrist; and
• A statement by the physician or psychologist verifying that the current physical or emotional condition prevents the student from participating in the student's school of enrollment. The statement should include the projected date of the student's return to school.  Generally, home teaching is not offered unless the student is receiving home teaching for at least fifteen school days.
• In the case of pregnancy, the student is expected to remain in school until the physician certifies that the student can no longer attend. Under ordinary circumstances, home and hospital teaching will be provided for six (6) weeks after birth.
• Concurrent delivery of instructional services and enrollment in a public school shall be provided for a student whose physical condition requires the student to be absent from school on an intermittent basis.  These conditions include, but are not limited to, kidney failure, cancer, asthma, cystic fibrosis, and sickle cell anemia.

II.    Attendance

• A student identified for home and hospital teaching shall remain on the roll of the school the student attends.
• The student shall be counted as present, except when the student is not available for the scheduled instructional service.  In this instance, the student is counted absent.

III.    Delivery of service

• A request for home and hospital teaching, along with the verification of physical or emotional condition and approximate duration, must be forwarded to the Student Services Department.  The Student Services Department will forward the request to the appropriate PPW/IEP Team Chairperson.
• If the student requesting home and hospital teaching is an identified student with disabilities, the IEP Team:
  • reviews and revises the student's IEP, as appropriate, for implementation in the home or hospital-based on an individualized determination of the student's needs including the goals and objectives to be implemented, as well as the number of hours of instruction required to provide the student with a free appropriate public education (FAPE),
  • determines the instructional services to be provided to the student and develops a plan for returning the student to a school-based program, and
  • reviews and revises the IEP and determines the appropriate placement in the LRE when the period of treatment or convalescence ends.
• The Office of Student Services will assign a home and hospital teacher and determine how instructional services will be delivered to the student.
• The length of instruction for students in a full-day program is a minimum of six (6) hours a week.  The length of instruction for students in half-day programs is a minimum of three (3) hours a week.
• Instructional service shall begin as soon as possible, but no later than ten (10) calendar days following the verification of the need for services based on the student's inability to attend school.
• Home and hospital instruction is subject to review sixty (60) calendar days after the initial determination of eligibility or sooner at the request of either the parent, guardian, or Garrett County Public Schools.  Continuation of this service beyond sixty (60) calendar days requires re-verification of service need.
• A student with a disability may not receive home and hospital teaching for more than sixty (60) consecutive days based on an emotional condition.

IV. Hospital Bound Students

• Garrett County Public Schools is responsible for providing continued educational services to its students who may be placed in hospitals outside the county's local jurisdiction.  The following procedures should be implemented upon this occurrence.
• The hospital will notify Garrett County Public Schools or the child's school promptly upon admittance of a student, along with the diagnosis and expected length of confinement.  It shall be the responsibility of the child's parents to ensure our school system has been notified of the hospitalization.
• Garrett County Public Schools (Office of Student Services) shall determine whether it can provide services directly or indirectly, depending upon whether the hospital has an education component or whether the hospital's local school system will take over the child's education program.
• The student's special education IEP or the student's schedule will be forwarded to the school system where the hospital is located if it is determined that the school system can provide for the continuation of services.  A meeting with members of both school systems may be scheduled to determine if any additional services will be required for the hospitalized student.
• Garrett County Public Schools will be responsible for providing home and hospital teaching, textbooks, curriculum materials, and/or funding as deemed necessary for the continuation of the student's school program when the hospital does not provide educational service.
• Upon discharge, or just before discharge, input will be sought from the child's parent(s)/guardian(s) and the physician to determine if any special services or modifications need to be implemented in the Garrett County Public School System.

Home & Hospital Teaching Form for Emotional Behavioral Health Condition

Home & Hospital Teaching Form for Physical Health Condition

Sources:    COMAR 13A.03.05.01-.05
                  COMAR 13A.05.01.10C(6)

For more information on Home & Hospital Teaching contact:
Lindsey Strubin, Pupil Personnel Worker
Telephone:  301.334.8915
Fax:  301.334.7642