Homebound
My child’s placement has been changed to Homebound by the IEP Team. I was told he could only receive 5 hours of homebound instruction per week. Is this correct?
Students are entitled to receive a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) that allows them to make progress toward the general education curriculum as well as make progress toward meeting their IEP goals. A student with a disability who receives at least 5 hours of instruction per week can be counted for full attendance for funding purposes, but the amount of instruction a student receives is an IEP Team decision. Students with disabilities must receive sufficient homebound instruction to be provided with FAPE.
A student was placed on homebound but the district doesn’t have anyone available to provide services and states that it may take weeks, what happens in the mean time?
Homebound services should be started as soon as possible. The district should vigorously seek a qualified instructor and document the attempts. All delays should be explained to the parent/guardian.
A student with a disability has been suspended over 10 days cumulative this school year (no change of placement), what services should be provided?
A student who has been given multiple short term suspensions totaling more than 10 days in a school year is not long term suspended and has not had a change of placement so long as no “pattern” of suspension has been created.
A student with a disability has been suspended over 10 days consecutively (change of placement), what services should be provided?
The IEP team determines placement and changes in placement. Homebound placement may be an appropriate option to consider as well as other options including: alternative schools or contractual arrangements with other districts’ private agencies.
If an IEP student who has been long-term suspended or expelled is placed on homebound to receive continued services, does the school district have to award credit? Is this an IEP team decision?
This is NOT an IEP team decision, but rather is left up to the school district's administration. IDEA does not require or prohibit that credit be awarded in such a situation. IDEA only requires the continued services. Whether to award credit is a decision to be made by the district; it is recommended the school district consult with their lawyer on this issue as there has been at least one Missouri court decision on the awarding of credit to a student suspended (he was not special education).
A child with an IEP is receiving homebound services. Does the homebound teacher have to be a special education teacher?
No. The homebound teacher must have either teacher certification or a substitute certificate. It is expected that a homebound teacher who is not a special education teacher will be working with the child’s special education case manager who does have special education teacher certification.
When a child is receiving homebound instruction, is travel time calculated into the number of hours provided?
No. Travel time and prep time cannot be calculated as part of instructional homebound minutes. Homebound instruction is only the actual time that the student and the homebound teacher are working together.
Must homebound occur in the student’s home?
No. It is the school’s decision where homebound services will be provided. Sometimes districts provide what they refer to as “homebound” in a “neutral” site such as a library or other public location. It is best to clearly identify the location that the homebound instruction will take place in the IEP so that there is no confusion about what is meant by “homebound”.
If a child is placed on homebound, are they required to participate in state testing such as Grade-Level assessment including the MAP and MAP-A or The End Of Course Exam (EOC) testing?
Yes. Students who are receiving homebound services must take the Grade-Level Assessments (MAP, MAP-A) unless they have a medical waiver. Test examiners of homebound students must receive training in the administration of Grade-Level Assessments. Information on medical waivers can be obtained by contacting the Accountability Data Section in the office of Data System Management (573-526-4886). Requests for medical waivers are reviewed by a committee composed of Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) personnel from several DESE divisions.
My school district is considering placing my child in the Missouri State School for the Severely Disabled (MSSD), but my child’s educational placement is ‘home bound’. Does my child qualify?
Students who are otherwise eligible for the MSSD based on the severity of the disability will not be accepted if they require permanent homebound placement because such a restrictive placement requirement would not allow attendance at a separate day program such as MSSD. Students who would otherwise qualify and require only intermittent homebound placement would be accepted for placement. (DESE State Plan – Regulation X State Operated Programs).