Homebound IEPs
Writing Homebound Services Into the IEP
For instruction on case conference procedure and setting up homebound instruction, please refer to the Procedure manual page on Homebound Instruction.
Below are the requirements for the information which must be included in the Draft IEP. If the IEP is for Non-Medical needs (i.e. behavioral), that is indicated throughout the instructions.
All non medical Homebound services must be approved by a supervisor BEFORE the case conference.
If homebound instruction is due to medical needs for a student with an IEP, TOR will provide the parent with the Medical Referral for Homebound Instruction form so that it can be sent downtown.
It is recommended that the TOR obtain a signed Release of Information [Spanish] for the referring medical professional.
Present Level
Medical: Please update Present Level information to describe the medical situation which requires the homebound services.
Non Medical: Update each section of the Present level as follows:
General Introductory Statement
Eligibility and history of special education services:
What are the current primary and secondary disability(ies)?
How long has the student received services?
What is the nature of previous services (amount and location)?
Describe the current services-amount and location.
Has there been an evaluation for suspected Emotional Disability? If so, when? Are the results consistent with what you know of the student?
If there has not been an ED evaluation, there has to have been a staffing with a school psychologist to discuss this issue—indicate that this has occurred.
Pertinent Information
Describe how long the student has been in counseling and with whom (school and non-school), if applicable.
Indicate if the student is on medication/if student is prescribed medication but is not taking it. List names/dosages.
Describe any medical needs
School Skills/ Work Habits
In addition to the required components of this section, pay particular attention to attendance.
Describe the student’s attendance, tardy and/or truancy information.
Describe the student’s work and study habits, his/her ability to follow directions, and attend to task. Is his/her work being completed and turned in?
Social skills/ Behavior/Functional
Describe behavior(s) of concern—be specific.
Describe the student’s interaction with peers and adults.
Describe the student’s level of emotional control and his/her need for supervision.
Describe the behavioral strategies/research based interventions that have been tried, and the length of time implemented.
Using data, indicate how effective each accommodation, instructional strategy and research based intervention was for the student.
How many times has the FBA been revised?
How long has a BIP been implemented?
How many revisions have been made to the BIP? Describe the time frame.
What is the nature of the changes?
How frequently have the strategies to address the student’s lagging skills identified in the BIP been taught?
Indicate staffings (dates, specialists involved, issues discussed and outcomes).
Provide an update of the student’s progress on his/her specific behavioral goals/objectives. (Provide data from your data collection techniques.)
Indicate the parental contacts and conferences (dates, issues discussed and outcomes).
Describe the discipline referrals with specific data (ISS, OSS, at home isolations, etc).
Indicate the changes to the school day (e.g. shortened day) and the effectiveness.
Academic Progress
What is the student’s current reading level/what is the expected reading level?
What is the current math level/what is the expected math level?
What is the current level of written expression?
Provide current data, and history of data (if available) from m-class (K-2), MVRC, Read 180, NWEA (3-8), etc. for both reading and math.
Describe the academic instructional strategies/research based interventions that have been tried.
Indicate how effective each accommodation, instructional strategy and research based intervention was for the student.
In which type of Success (flexible) grouping is student typically involved (Ex: enrichment, maintenance, or remediation), if applicable?
Special Considerations and Behavior (non-medical only)
For a student who is recommended for homebound due to behavior, a full, SBCSC FBA/BIP must be completed and included in the IEP.
Goals (non-medical only)
A student who requires homebound typically has several needs and thus, requires both academic and behavioral goals. At least one behavioral/social skills goal/s must be included. (This goal should address the skill that the student is working to develop so that he/she is able to achieve the criteria that the committee identifies for his/her return to the school setting.)
Provisions (medical and non-medical)
Special Ed Services
Total the minimum number of minutes that will be provided through homebound instruction.
Example, if 8 hours per week will be provided, your total will be 480 minutes/week
Delete the current services.
In the provisions box, add direct service. You can put all the services in one box.
Provisions should be written for at least 5 hours /wk (300 minutes) of direct service.
Special Education Setting (100%)
In the text box type: Student will receive at least 5 hours and up to 10 hours of instruction (depending on the student’s needs in Language Arts, Math and Social Skills each week.
The actual schedule and location will be generated/identified through consultation between the homebound instructor and the parent, dependent on availability of the homebound instructor.
If the student receives speech, direct services are generally suspended during homebound instruction. The SLP may decide to add consultation services if this is decided at the case conference.
For example:
Related Services
In most cases, students will not direct receive related services (OT, PT), unless homebound is for long term physical needs.
Include transportation as a related service, if applicable
In the next section, select the reason that best describes the need for transportation.
Select Other as the criteria for determining services.
Accommodations
List any new academic and behavioral accommodations that will be used with the student.
Rationale
Add a statement to say why the student is being placed on homebound.
Use the following script to describe the rationale for needing homebound: “Due to (student’s) current behavioral needs, direct services are required in a very small, structured setting to support (student) in achieving the goals as outlined in this IEP. Less restrictive options have previously been attempted, and have been considered and rejected at this time because they would not provide the necessary supports for (student’s) success.”
LRE Placement (medical and non-medical)
Education Setting
In the textbox labeled “Total Instructional Minutes”, document the total number of minutes as 300, as the minimum number of minutes, if the specific number of minutes have not been previously identified.
LRE Placement Category
Select Option 57: Homebound/Hospital
Additional Descriptors
20XX/20XY Direct Services in General Ed Setting: 0 min/300 min = 0%
Direct Service in Special Ed Setting: 300 min/300 min =100%
Total Direct Services : 300/300 min =100 %
Please note: Student will receive at least 5 hours and up to 10 hours of instruction in Language Arts, Math and Social Skills each week as determined by the case conference committee. The actual schedule and location will be generated/identified through consultation between the homebound instructor and the parent.
Please note that you must also identify the criteria the committee has identified that the student must meet to return to the school setting.
(Ex: Xxx will comply with his identified cool down procedure/process for ___ number of instances that he is asked to do so over the course of ___ days. Yyy will demonstrate the use of her identified coping strategies in lieu of physical aggression after becoming frustrated in _____ out of _____ documented observations.)
Harmful Effects
Indicate and thoroughly discuss any potential harmful effects of the recommended Homebound placement (e.g. lack of appropriate peer models, exclusion from typical peers for most of the instructional day, possibility of slower pace of academic instruction, exclusion from some classes, etc).
For example "Due to homebound instruction, _____ will not have access to the rigor of the general education curriculum or peer interactions.
For Certificate Track: ____ will not have the opportunity to participate in school activities with their same age peers.
Describe the reasons for this decision (non-medical only)
Use this script in describing the reasons for placement:
Based on existing data, the committee considered and rejected lesser restrictive options. (Student) requires the structure and support provided in a very small setting with low student/staff ratio in order to remain safe and learn the skills to achieve (his/her) social/behavioral goals.
General Considerations
Due to shortened day all general considerations will typically be “no.”
Use this script for students placed in Homebound: “The Case Conference Committee has determined, based on (Student’s) current needs, that he/she is to be educated in a homebound setting instead of the home school.
Program Information
Home school and Educating School stays the same. Student is still considered to be receiving instruction from their assigned school.
Any other program information: Add a statement "The student has been placed on homebound instruction."
Schedule the Case Conference
Remember that all non medical Homebound services must be approved by a supervisor BEFORE the conference is held.
During the conference
Make sure the notes reflect all discussion and opinions of the case conference committee members.
If the parent does not agree to homebound instruction
Refer to the information on Dissenting Opinions.
Offer to have them write a letter of dissent
Notify the Director of Special Education of the intent to dissent immediately
PLEASE NOTE: If parent indicates they do not agree, but do not write a letter of dissension within 10 days of the conference, the IEP will be implemented. The student will remain in school during the 10 day waiting period.
There should be a documented plan in the IEP which outlines when/under what circumstances/criteria for the student to be transitioned back to school.
If the parent is not in attendance, homebound services can not begin until the Notice of Implementation is signed OR 11 school days after the parent has been provided the finalized IEP (unless the parent submits a dissenting opinion).
Under Article 7, a parent may challenge an IEP by requesting a meeting, mediation, or due process hearing, and the immediate effect of this challenge is that the proposed IEP may not be implemented and the student must remain in the current placement (under the last agreed upon IEP prior to the proposed IEP) until the matter is resolved by engaging in one of these processes pursuant to Article 7.
Parent must sign Notice of Implementation at the case conference for the Homebound to begin immediately.
However, please note that if the parent is not willing to transport in the interim, and the committee must wait for transportation to be established, the student will remain in the school until transportation has been established.
After the conference
Schedule a meeting no more than 60 school days out to review the progress toward the identified criteria, and consider return to school/continuation of homebound
Provide a copy of the IEP to the Support Team to send to the Special Education Department ASAP
TOR fills out the Transportation request
Refer to the SBCSC Homebound Procedures page for information on the following:
Who will provide services
Where will services be provided
When will services be offered
What will the student be taught
Responsibilities for TOR, GE teacher, other SBCSC staff
TOR fills out as much of the Homebound Instruction Worksheet as possible and sends to Special Education Services.