Homebound Overview

Students who are chronically ill, or who have other medical conditions, which result in the student being confined to their home for at leas four consecutive or cummulitive weeks during the school year, may be eligible to receive instruction at home. This placement requires documentation from a physician indicating the type and severity of the condition as well as the anticipated length of confinement to the home. (Please refer to the Eligibility for Homebound Services process for the steps in considering a homebound placement.)

Homebound services for all students are considered short-term solutions. Campuses, including 504 and IEP Committees, need to periodically review the homebound services for each student and, if appropriate, develop a plan to transition the student back to his/her home campus as soon as possible.

Homebound placement only covers a specific span of time during one school year. If services are to continue from school year to school year, new documentation is required and a homebound meeting is required to be held for all general education homebound students. (Documentation for homebound special education students would be noted at the student’s ARD/IEP meeting.) Once again, Homebound is considered a short-term placement. Our goal is to get students to return to the school setting as soon as possible.

While homebound, students are not to come on campus without permission from their physician and a campus administrator. Likewise, a student being served in the Homebound Program may not participate in school athletics or extra-curricular activities.

1. Students are not eligible without a completed Homebound Needs Assessment form signed by a certified physician in the state of Texas. On the form, the physician should explain why the student will need to be confined to their home for a minimum of four weeks and the specific reason the student cannot attend school for this length of time. (Please note that absences accumulated before the placement meetings are not considered as part of the four week confinement time.) Once this form is completed, homebound services will be considered. (The Homebound Needs Assessment form is not a prescription or the final determination for a homebound placement.)
2. Homebound is intended to be a temporary placement and is not an alternative placement for students who are habitually absent or simply refuse to attend school.
3. If a 504 or special education student qualifies for homebound, a 504 or ARD meeting must be held and the committee must document this placement.
4. The student’s campus teacher(s) will remain the teacher(s) of record, will provide lesson plans, materials, student books and tests in a timely manner, and will assign grades. (Clear and effective communication between the teacher(s) of record and the homebound teacher(s) is vital.)
5. Courses to be continued during homebound instruction for general education homebound students are determined by the general education homebound committee.
6. For Homebound Services, one hour of instruction is equivalent to one full day present.
7. Dismissal from Homebound requires documentation from a physician.
   *Please note that campuses will be required to exhaust all options (accommodations, modifications, etc.) prior to considering each homebound placement. If you have any questions about homebound services or have a student you may feel would qualify for homebound, please see your campus counselor or call Daniel Terrazas at 830-914-2803 ext. 1110.