Homebound Instruction Guide

Clarence Central School District

Table of Contents
General Overview of Homebound Instruction Process.........1

Homebound Instruction Guidelines for Homebound Instructors

1.) Homebound instruction is provided on an interim basis by the Clarence Central School District when a student is unable to attend school due to physical or mental illness, injury, disability, or discipline. Students receiving homebound instruction as a result of disciplinary action are serviced through Erie1 BOCES. 2.) Homebound instruction is provided by the Clarence Central School District to any student who resides within the District. This includes students enrolled in public and nonpublic schools. 3.) In order to receive homebound instruction, an anticipated absence of two weeks or longer is required. Services can then be approved for up to two months. In the event that additional homebound instruction is necessary, additional medical documentation must be provided. 4.) Homebound instruction can only be provided when school is in session. Services must be scheduled between the hours of 8:00am and 6:00pm. Instruction on Saturday, Sunday, and holidays is prohibited by law. There is no additional time provided to make up missed sessions. 5.) An adult (21 years or older) must be present at all times during homebound instruction. If an adult is not available to supervise at home, homebound instruction may be provided at a neutral location such as the Clarence Public Library or other approved setting. The hours for the Clarence Public Library are as follows: M, T, TH: 10:00am 9:00pm, W: 10:00am-6:00pm, and F: 10:00am 5:00pm. 6.) If the parent/guardian or homebound instructor finds that it is absolutely necessary to cancel a session, it is expected they do so at least 24 hours in advance. The cancelled session may be made up during the week if time allows but no additional make-up time will be provided. 7.) The Department of Special Education will notify the building representative when homebound instruction has been approved. Elementary School (K-5) Building Principals Middle School (6-8) Guidance Counselors High School (9-12) Guidance Counselors 8.) Homebound Instruction is provided for a maximum of five hours per week at the elementary level and ten hours per week at the secondary level. Services typically include instruction in the core academic subjects (English, Math, Science, and Social Studies). For all other classes at the secondary level, contact the building representative to make arrangements.

9.) The building representative will begin the process of notifying teachers and gathering work for the student. Classroom teachers are responsible for providing the student with assignments, textbooks, and any other materials necessary. Although they do not have to assign the exact same work that students in class receive, it is expected that their assignments will reflect the same content and provide the student with an understanding of the main concepts being taught in school at that time. 10.)Assignment pick-up and drop-off will occur on a weekly basis. The home instructor will pick up all assignments on Friday afternoon and will return the completed assignments the following Friday afternoon. As a result, all assignments from classroom teachers should be given to the building representative no later than Friday morning to assure they are ready for pick-up. 11.)Although the home instructor is responsible for teaching the curriculum, all assignments (homework, projects, quizzes, tests, etc.) will be submitted to the classroom teacher for evaluation and grading. 12.)It is the responsibility of both the classroom teacher and the homebound instructor to maintain open lines of communication about the students progress. It is required that the homebound instructor give the classroom teacher a weekly progress report. This can be a written progress report submitted weekly with the students completed assignments. This can also be done via email, phone, or an informal meeting. 13.)Just as students are expected to be prepared in class, they are also expected to be prepared for their homebound instruction sessions. Staying on task, completing assignments, and maintaining appropriate behavior are expected to be the same at home as they would be in a classroom setting. 14.)It is essential that the homebound instructor remains in constant contact with the students parents concerning their academic progress, completion of assigned work, and attendance. If attendance becomes problematic, the home instructor should contact the building representative immediately, who will in turn contact the parents. If the problem is still not resolved, the building representative will contact the Director of Special Education for further action.

Homebound Instruction Guidelines for Classroom Teachers

1.) Homebound instruction is provided on an interim basis by the Clarence Central School District when a student is unable to attend school due to physical or mental illness, injury, disability, or discipline. Students receiving homebound instruction as a result of disciplinary action are serviced through Erie1 BOCES. 2.) Homebound instruction is provided by the Clarence Central School District to any student who resides within the District. This includes students enrolled in public and nonpublic schools. 3.) In order to receive homebound instruction, an anticipated absence of two weeks or longer is required. Services can then be approved for up to two months. In the event that additional homebound instruction is necessary, additional medical documentation must be provided. 4.) The Department of Special Education will notify the building representative when homebound instruction has been approved. Elementary School (K-5) Building Principals Middle School (6-8) Guidance Counselors High School (9-12) Guidance Counselors 5.) The building representative will begin the process of notifying teachers and gathering work for the student. Classroom teachers are responsible for providing the student with assignments, textbooks, and any other materials necessary. Although they do not have to assign the exact same work that students in class receive, it is expected that their assignments will reflect the same content and provide the student with an understanding of the main concepts being taught in school at that time. 6.) Assignment pick-up and drop-off will occur on a weekly basis. The home instructor will pick up all assignments on Friday afternoon and will return the completed assignments the following Friday afternoon. As a result, all assignments from classroom teachers should be given to the building representative no later than Friday morning to assure they are ready for pick-up. 7.) Although the home instructor is responsible for teaching the curriculum, all assignments (homework, projects, quizzes, tests, etc.) will be submitted to the classroom teacher for evaluation and grading. 8.) It is the responsibility of both the classroom teacher and the homebound instructor to maintain open lines of communication about the students progress. It is required that the homebound instructor give the classroom teacher a weekly progress report. This can be a written progress report submitted weekly with the students completed assignments. This can also be done via email, phone, or an informal meeting.

9.) It is recommended that classroom teachers keep their own log outlining the work they have assigned as well as the completed work they have received and graded. 10.)An incomplete grade cannot be given for two consecutive quarters. Therefore it is essential to provide deadlines for assignments and keep accurate records of the students work. This will prevent them from falling behind.

Homebound Instruction Guidelines for Parents/Guardians

1.) Homebound instruction is provided on an interim basis by the Clarence Central School District when a student is unable to attend school due to physical or mental illness, injury, disability, or discipline. Students receiving homebound instruction as a result of disciplinary action are serviced through Erie1 BOCES. 2.) Homebound instruction is provided by the Clarence Central School District to any student who resides within the District. This includes students enrolled in public and nonpublic schools. 3.) In order to receive homebound instruction, an anticipated absence of two weeks or longer is required. Services can then be approved for up to two months. In the event that additional homebound instruction is necessary, additional medical documentation must be provided. 4.) When requesting homebound instruction due to illness or injury, medical documentation must be provided. Documentation must include the reason/diagnosis and anticipated length of homebound instruction. All requests for homebound instruction should be submitted to the Office of Special Education. 5.) Once documentation has been received, eligibility will be determined and the process of assigning a homebound instructor will begin. This process takes approximately one week. 6.) Homebound instruction can only be provided when school is in session. Services must be scheduled between the hours of 8:00am and 6:00pm. Instruction on Saturday, Sunday, and holidays is prohibited by law. There is no additional time provided to make up missed sessions. 7.) An adult (21 years or older) must be present at all times during homebound instruction. If an adult is not available to supervise at home, homebound instruction may be provided at a neutral location such as the Clarence Public Library or other approved setting. 8.) If the parent/guardian or homebound instructor finds that it is absolutely necessary to cancel a session, it is expected they do so at least 24 hours in advance. The cancelled session may be made up during the week if time allows but no additional make-up time will be provided. 9.) The Department of Special Education will notify the building representative when homebound instruction has been approved. Elementary School (K-5) Building Principals Middle School (6-8) Guidance Counselors High School (9-12) Guidance Counselors

10.)Homebound Instruction is provided for a maximum of five hours per week at the elementary level and ten hours per week at the secondary level. Services typically include instruction in the core academic subjects (English, Math, Science, and Social Studies). For all other classes at the secondary level, contact the building representative to make arrangements. 11.)Although the home instructor is responsible for teaching the curriculum, all assignments (homework, projects, quizzes, tests, etc.) will be submitted to the classroom teacher for evaluation and grading. 12.)New York State Assessments are standardized tests given at the same time across the state (ex. Regents exams, Proficiency exmas etc.) Although students on home instruction do not attend regular class, they are expected to report to school for any NYS assessments. In the event that this is not possible, alternate arrangements will be made on a case by case basis. 13.)Just as students are expected to be prepared in class, they are also expected to be prepared for their homebound instruction sessions. Staying on task, completing assignments, and maintaining appropriate behavior are expected to be the same at home as they would be in a classroom setting. 14.)It is essential that the homebound instructor and parents remain in constant contact concerning the students academic progress, completion of assigned work, and attendance. If attendance becomes problematic, the home instructor should contact the building representative immediately, who will in turn contact the parents. If the problem is still not resolved, the building representative will contact the Director of Special Education for further action.

Homebound Instruction
(Checklist for Initiating Services) Please fill in the date each step of the initiation process was completed. 1.) ___________ Application for homebound instruction is submitted to the Office of Special Education. This form contains all the necessary medical documentation and has been signed by the students physician. (In the event parents submit the application to the building representative, please forward the original form to the Office of Special Education.) 2.) ___________ The Office of Special Education reviews the application for approval. Once approved, parents are notified that homebound instruction has been approved and that selection of the home instructor will begin. This may take as long as one week. At this time, the Office of Special Education will send the following information to parents. ~ Homebound Instruction Guidelines for Parents/Guardians ~ Parent Agreement Form for Homebound Instruction 3.) ___________ The Office of Special Education will also forward the approved application form to the building representative notifying them of start and end dates. Classroom teachers are given 24 hours to decide if theyd like to provide the homebound instruction. (Please note that a special education teacher must be involved with the planning of the homebound instruction if the child is a special education student.) 4.) ___________ The building representative notifies the Office of Special Education if a classroom teacher has accepted the responsibility of providing homebound instruction. If classroom teachers are not interested in providing instruction, the Office of Special Education will secure a home instructor through Erie1 BOCES. 5.) ___________ Once a home instructor has been assigned, the Office of Special Education will provide him/her with the contact information for the students parents. It is the home instructors responsibility to set up a schedule for instruction with the parents. The Office of Special Education will also provide the home instructor with the following forms.

~ Homebound Instruction Guidelines for Home Instructors ~ District Calendar ~ Student Attendance Form ~ Student Assignment Log ~ Payroll Form 6.) _________ The Office of Special Education will notify the building representative of the home instructor assigned to work with the student. The building representative will then provide classroom teachers with this information and give them two days to gather assignments for the home instructor. From this point forward, it is the responsibility of the classroom teacher and the home instructor to maintain constant communication. 7.) __________ Upon completion of homebound instruction, the Medical Clearance form must be submitted to the Office of Special Education. (In the event parents submit the Medical Clearance form to the building representative, please forward the original form to the Office of Special Education.)

Homebound Instruction Guidelines for Building Representatives

1.) Homebound instruction is provided on an interim basis by the Clarence Central School District when a student is unable to attend school due to physical or mental illness, injury, disability, or discipline. Students receiving homebound instruction as a result of disciplinary action are serviced through Erie1 BOCES. 2.) Homebound instruction is provided by the Clarence Central School District to any student who resides within the District. This includes students enrolled in public and nonpublic schools. 3.) In order to receive homebound instruction, an anticipated absence of two weeks or longer is required. Services can then be approved for up to two months. In the event that additional homebound instruction is necessary, additional medical documentation must be provided. 4.) Homebound instruction can only be provided when school is in session. Services must be scheduled between the hours of 8:00am and 6:00pm. Instruction on Saturday, Sunday, and holidays is prohibited by law. There is no additional time provided to make up missed sessions. 5.) An adult (21 years or older) must be present at all times during homebound instruction. If an adult is not available to supervise at home, homebound instruction may be provided at a neutral location such as the Clarence Public Library or other approved setting. The hours for the Clarence Public Library are as follows: M, T, TH: 10:00am 9:00pm, W: 10:00am-6:00pm, and F: 10:00am 5:00pm. 6.) If the parent/guardian or homebound instructor finds that it is absolutely necessary to cancel a session, it is expected they do so at least 24 hours in advance. The cancelled session may be made up during the week if time allows but no additional make-up time will be provided. 7.) The Department of Special Education will notify the building representative when homebound instruction has been approved. Elementary School (K-5) Building Principals Middle School (6-8) Guidance Counselors High School (9-12) Guidance Counselors 8.) Homebound Instruction is provided for a maximum of five hours per week at the elementary level and ten hours per week at the secondary level. Services typically include instruction in the core academic subjects (English, Math,

Science, and Social Studies). For all other classes at the secondary level, contact the building representative to make arrangements. 9.) The building representative will begin the process of notifying teachers and gathering work for the student. Classroom teachers are responsible for providing the student with assignments, textbooks, and any other materials necessary. Although they do not have to assign the exact same work that students in class receive, it is expected that their assignments will reflect the same content and provide the student with an understanding of the main concepts being taught in school at that time. 10.)Assignment pick-up and drop-off will occur on a weekly basis. The home instructor will pick up all assignments on Friday afternoon and will return the completed assignments the following Friday afternoon. As a result, all assignments from classroom teachers should be given to the building representative no later than Friday morning to assure they are ready for pick-up. 11.)Although the home instructor is responsible for teaching the curriculum, all assignments (homework, projects, quizzes, tests, etc.) will be submitted to the classroom teacher for evaluation and grading. 12.)It is the responsibility of both the classroom teacher and the homebound instructor to maintain open lines of communication about the students progress. It is required that the homebound instructor give the classroom teacher a weekly progress report. This can be a written progress report submitted weekly with the students completed assignments. This can also be done via email, phone, or an informal meeting. 13.)Just as students are expected to be prepared in class, they are also expected to be prepared for their homebound instruction sessions. Staying on task, completing assignments, and maintaining appropriate behavior are expected to be the same at home as they would be in a classroom setting. 14.)It is essential that the homebound instructor remains in constant contact with the students parents concerning their academic progress, completion of assigned work, and attendance. If attendance becomes problematic, the home instructor should contact the building representative immediately, who will in turn contact the parents. If the problem is still not resolved, the building representative will contact the Director of Special Education for further action.

Homebound Instruction
(Checklist for Gathering Assignments) Please fill in the date each step of the initiation process was completed. 1.) ___________ The building representative is notified that homebound instruction has been approved, when it will begin, and when it will end. At this time, classroom teachers are asked to gather assignments to provide to the home instructor. They are given two days to do this. 2.) ___________ The building representative gathers the following documents to provide to the home instructor. ~ a copy of the students schedule ~ a copy of the students IEP if applicable ~ student assignments 3.) ___________ At the high school level, it is the building representatives responsibility to ensure that students are receiving the required coursework considered a requirement for graduation. This includes but is not limited to science labs and physical education. 4.) ___________ The building representative determines a weekly schedule for the pick-up and drop-off of student assignments. This will most likely be Friday afternoons but may vary depending on the home instructors schedule. 5.) ___________ The building representative is responsible for reminding teachers two days prior to pick-up that they must have all assignments submitted to the main office (elementary) or guidance office (middle/high school). 6.) ___________ When completed assignments are returned, it is the building representatives responsibility to return it to the classroom teachers.