1 - Eligibility Information
Eligibility for Hospital/Homebound
All students considered for Hospital/Homebound must meet eligibility requirements following guidelines established by the Florida Department of Education rule: 6A-6.03020:
- Is expected to be absent from school due to a physical or psychiatric condition for at least fifteen (15) consecutive school days, or the equivalent on the block schedule, or due to a chronic condition, for at least fifteen (15) school days, or the equivalent on a block schedule, which need not run consecutively; and
- Is confined to home or hospital.
- Will be able to participates in and benefit from an instructional program.
- Is under medical care for illness or injury which is acute, catastrophic, or chronic in nature; and
- Can receive instructional services without endangering the health and safety of the instructor or other students with whom the instructor may come in contact.
Can parents choose to place their child on Hospital/Homebound?
Hospital/Homebound is a program under Exceptional Student Education and is considered the most restrictive setting in public education. Students must be found eligible following state and district guidelines before services can be initiated. Students will not be found eligible for Hospital/Homebound if the student’s zone school can provide appropriate health services to the student.
There are several parent-choice educational programs available to students. Please contact your child’s school counselor for additional information on parent choice educational programs or (choose this link: Volusia Online Learning).
How does the Hospital/Homebound program work?
Hospital/Homebound is intended to be a short-term program to assist students who have been diagnosed with an acute, catastrophic, or chronic in nature medical illness or injury. Hospital/Homebound does not replicate a traditional school day. Through a variety of service delivery models, the student remains connected to their brick and mortar school (known as the zone school); however, they will access the curriculum outside of the school setting. The most common way students access their instruction is through virtual education. Under certain conditions, an instructor may be assigned to work with the student in the home or hospital setting only.
Student course schedules will be developed with the guidance of the Volusia County Schools student progression plan. Consideration will be given to the student’s medical condition when developing this schedule of classes.
Grades earned while participating in the Hospital/Homebound program will be shared with the student’s zone school. Any academic credit received through Hospital/ Homebound will count toward the student progression and graduation criteria.
Students participating accessing general education curriculum while on Hospital/Homebound will still be required to demonstrate mastery of grade level standards. Standardized testing and required exams will not be exempted based upon participation in Hospital/Homebound.
Additional Information for your consideration:
- The Physician’s referral is considered by the committee when making the determination for eligibility for Hospital/Homebound, but final decision regarding Hospital/Homebound services is made by the IEP eligibility committee.
- Prior to eligibility for services, it is expected that all efforts are made by the zone school to provide accommodations to the student in order for him/her to attend school.
- Students participating in Hospital/Homebound are expected to access virtual coursework per schedule on a consistent basis. This includes meeting with assigned instructors for prescribed periods of time, completing assignments and participating in standardized testing following state guidelines.
- Students found eligibile for Hospital/Homebound must be currently enrolled in a Volusia County School in grades K – 12. Students age 3-5 (Pre K) must have an identified disability in order to be eligible for Hospital/Homebound services.
- Hospital/Homebound is not a “make-up program” when students get behind due to illness. Parents are expected to get missing assignments from the zone school when the student is absent. Hospital/Homebound classwork will only be assigned and graded beginning with the initiation of services after the eligibility staffing.
- School attendance is monitored while Hospital/Homebound services are in effect. Students and parents are provided attendance guidelines upon initiation of Hospital/Homebound services. Accumulated unexcused absences from Hospital/Homebound instruction will be referred to the School Social Worker for interventions.