HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
Office of Special Education Services
Procedures for Special Education Homebound Instruction
1. All students referred for homebound instruction must be residents of the Houston Independent School District (HISD) and enrolled in their school of attendance. Students will remain enrolled on the campus of attendance and continue to receive instructional services from the school until eligibility is determined.
2. The school nurse or principal’s designee is the initial contact person in the referral process.
3. The school nurse or principal’s designee will:
a. Conduct a brief interview with the parent.
b. Obtain the signed medical consent form.
c. Fax to the Treating Physician:
(1) Physician Statement of Medical Information.
(2) Letter to the Treating Physician as listed by the parent on the Consent to Communicate Medical Information Related to Hospital / Homebound Services form. The physician’s office should return the Physician Statement of Medical Information form directly to the nurse/principal designee at the student’s school of attendance. In the event there are questions or inconsistencies that may affect the eligibility determination, the nurse should consult directly with the physician’s office to clarify the information.
4. Holly Ortego, Special Education Senior Manager for Alternative and Charter Schools will work with Community Services to arrange for a Community Services Homebound teacher to participate in the ARD/IEP meeting.
5. The Admission Review and Dismissal (ARD) /IEP committee must consider the physician's information as one of the factors in the committee's decision making process when determining home-bound instructional services; however, the licensed physician’s information is not the sole consideration in the committee’s decision‐making process. The ARD/IEP team will meet to determine the need for Homebound Instruction. If eligible, a placement IEP meeting will be held to establish beginning/end dates for homebound services and a plan for reintegration of the student to the school. Homebound instruction is a temporary service and is discontinued in consultation with the physician, or upon the expiration of the documented need for homebound services.
6. If the ARD/IEP committee determines the need for Homebound Instruction, Holly Ortego, Special Education Senior Manager for Alternative and Charter Schools, will work with Community Services to identify a Homebound Instruction Teacher to provide services.