Home Bound Schooling

When your child is discharged from the hospital but unable to return to school because of health, your child’s school district must provide a teacher to come to your home to teach your child regularly. Typically, a student must be out of school for 3 to 4 weeks to qualify for a home teacher.

Larger school districts often have designated teachers that work with homebound students. These teachers specialize in teaching children with health issues. Smaller school districts may recruit a teacher from their pool of regular or substitute teachers.

Home instruction usually occurs two or three times per week, with the teacher bringing work home to the student, then teaching and reviewing the material. The teacher will also collect homework and assign new homework. For continuity, a home teacher may sometimes continue to work with students during ongoing hospitalizations, especially if distance is not a factor.

Most school districts provide about 5 hours per week of home teaching, divided up between 2 or more sessions. Be sure to keep the home teacher aware of changes in your schedule at home due to unforeseen medical appointments. Also, make sure the home teacher is provided with clear information about your child’s specific illness and treatment, so he or she can plan lessons accordingly. It may be very helpful to have the home teacher communicate directly with your child’s nurse or social worker to answer any specific questions.

Home teaching may provide less teaching time than occurs at school, but the student will be able to earn most of the credits he or she will need to stay current with regular classes.