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Home and Hospital Instruction

Home and Hospital Instruction

  • Mountain View-Los Altos High School District Home and Hospital Instruction Program provides on-going academic instruction to students with a TEMPORARY disability which makes school attendance impossible or inadvisable.  "A student with a temporary disability, which makes school attendance in regular day classes or alternative education program in which the student is enrolled impossible or inadvisable shall receive individual instruction in the student's home or in a hospital or other residential health facility, excluding state hospitals.  Temproary disability applies to a physical, mental or emotional disability incurred while a pupil is enrolled in regular day classes or an alternative education program and after which they can reasonably be expected to return to regular day classes or an alternative education program without special intervention" (MVLA AR 6183).
     
    The program does not operate over the summer.  The program may not be able to support students who are taking certain elective classes, such as world language, lab sciences, physical education, auto shop, or any other subjects requiring hands-on instruction.
     
    Home and Hospital Instruction is, by definition, a temporary program and is not provided for extended periods of time or in lieu of school attendance.  The Associate Superintendent of Educational Services oversees the program by receiving requests from the student's comprehensive high school, monitors the appropriateness of the requests, and works with the Home and Hospital Instruction Tutor and comprehensive high school sites to provide attendance information.
     
    Eligibility:
    • Student must be a Mountain View-Los Altos High School District resident.
    • Student has an anticipated absence from regular school of from 3-9 weeks from the date the Request for Home and Hospital Instruction is received due to a temporary, short-term disability.
    • The licensed medical professional verifies, in writing, the student’s diagnosis and need for Home and Hospital Instruction.  Please note, though the medical professional recommends and/or requests Home and Hospital Instruction, Home and Hospital Instruction is at the discretion of the district.
    • The referring licensed medical professional must be responsible for continuing treatment and service while the student is out of regular school.
     
    Facts for Parents, Counselors, Administrators, and Staff about Home Hospital:
     
    What it is:
    • Home and Hospital Instruction allows students who are severely restricted and unable to attend school to receive temporary, short-term instruction due to a temporary disability.  Home and Hospital Instruction is a 3 - 9 week program from the date the request is received to help support a student academically.
    • The student will receive one hour of Home and Hospital Instruction for each day school is in session, for a maximum of five hours per week.  The schedule of visits is arranged between the parent/guardian, the student, and the Home and Hospital Instruction Tutor.
    • The Home and Hospital Instruction Tutor will work to continue, as much as possible, the regular teacher class assignments.
     
    What it is NOT:
    • Home and Hospital Instruction is not an alternative education program for your student.  The purpose of Home and Hospital Instruction is to minimize the loss of instruction while a student is recovering from a temporary disability.  The severity of disability is determined through a medical professional's diagnosis and educational alternatives are considered before Home and Hospital Instruction is authorized.  The student will return to their regular school program or an alternative education program as soon as the student is healthy enough to do so, as determined by the medical professional.
    • Within Home and Hospital, instruction is not the same as instruction at the regular school program.  The Home and Hospital Instruction Tutor is credentialed, but will not be teaching all subjects. Home and Hospital Instruction Tutors cannot be experts in all subjects such as math, English, world languages, science, etc.  The Home and Hospital Instruction Tutor acts as a liaison between the student and the school (teachers and counselors) regarding homework, tests, questions the student has, etc.  Students and parents/guardians are expected to keep up with homework assignments on Canvas.  The student could be behind schedule with completing assignments and tests when the student returns to regular school. 
    • A medical professional does not authorize Home and Hospital Instruction.  Only the Home and Hospital Instruction Office can authorize service.  In completing the Request for Home and Hospital Instruction, a medical professional must provide medical information so a valid and proper student placement can be considered.
    • Home and Hospital Instruction does not apply to students identified as individuals with exceptional needs pursuant to Education Code 56026 (Education Code 48206.3).
     
    Additional Information:
    • The Request for Home and Hospital Instruction completed by parents/guardian and the medical professional must clearly state that the student requires Home and Hospital Instruction and must have a return to school date of between 3 - 9 weeks from the date of the request being received.
    • Once the Home and Hospital Instruction Office has received and reviewed the Home and Hospital Instruction request, an email will be sent to the parents/guardians, school site attendance, school site administrator, the Home and Hospital Instruction Tutor, the Counselor, and all of the student's teachers. This email lists the beginning date of service and the date of the student's return to the regular school program.
    • Counselors and Administrators may be asked to assist Home and Hospital Instruction Tutors and students when teachers are reluctant to give assignments.
     
    For information on how to apply for Home and Hospital Instruction, please speak with your student's counselor and/or Assistant Principal.  Continuation of Home and Hospital Instruction is always subject to review by the district and must be authorized by the student's medical professional.