Homebound & Hospital Instruction Information

For Hospitalized students:
● Parents should contact both the attendance administrative assistant for the building and the student’s counselor (mental health) or nurse (physical health) to report the hospitalization as soon as possible.
● Parents will need to arrange for the hospital or physician to provide Medical Certification for hospitalized instruction.
● If the student will be receiving hospital-based tutoring services during his/her stay, the hospital or institution must first gain permission from the school district, or the cost of services may not be covered. Parents, or the building counselor, can share this letter with the hospital or institution to help guide the process of permission-seeking.
● The parent will also need to sign consent for releasing information to a 3rd party, in order for the school and hospital to share educational and therapeutic information between institutions. This may be done on a form provided by the hospital, or on the form linked here.
● The parent and/or hospital should inform the school counselor/nurse/attendance office of the date of release from the hospital, so that a plan for transition back to school can be established.

For Students Seeking Permission for Homebound Instruction: Moline-Coal Valley School District 40 believes that in-person instruction and peer socialization are essential for appropriate growth, development, and academic progress. Therefore, our philosophy regarding homebound services is below.

We believe:
● Homebound instruction should be used only under exceptional circumstances, and in most cases should be precluded by school and community-based interventions that attempt to keep the student in an in-person setting. The district strongly encourages implementing interventions and accommodations prior to removing the student from in-person attendance, and we have a process in place for accommodating these needs in lieu of homebound instruction.
● Homebound instruction should only be used as a temporary solution to learning while a student is adjusting to medical or therapeutic treatment, but it is not a permanent school replacement.
● Homebound instruction does not replicate in-person learning, nor is it intended to do so. Students will have minimal contact with school staff and limited course selection.
● Parents and students are responsible for maintaining an adequate pace of learning in core subjects.
● The district’s homebound instruction model requires students to complete online learning independently and without instruction from Moline-Coal Valley teachers. Often, students do not keep up with the pace required for course completion and are at greater risk of falling behind academically compared to their in-person peers.
● Those granted permission for homebound instruction must re-apply quarterly to extend instruction beyond 9 weeks.
● Student care is optimal when communication is shared among the parent, physician, and school health personnel, so that progress in one area of life may positively impact other areas of life.

If a parent wishes to apply for homebound instruction, first contact the school counselor for a review of family expectations associated with homebound instruction. Then, the parent is responsible for providing the student’s physician with this district form, as both the application & Medical Certification required to apply.

The parent must complete the remaining portions of the district application for homebound instruction (linked above) and submit the fully completed application to the student’s counselor.

In collaboration with the student’s counselor, the Student Services department will review the application for homebound instruction and contact the family with acceptance or denial and further information. Permission for homebound instruction will be granted for a maximum of 9 weeks (one quarter of the school year) without additional doctor certification.