Home and Hospital Instruction is for students temporarily disabled by physical, mental or emotional illness, which make school attendance impossible or inadvisable, as certified by a physician's written description of the disabling condition. (EC Section 56026, BP 6183)  Students must live within the boundaries of the Scotts Valley Unified School District.

Upon receipt of the Home and Hospital Application and Physician or Health Provider's statement, the district will determine eligibility and respond within 5 working days.  Please call (831) 438-1820 ext 103 if you have any questions. 

Is it Home and Hospital or Independent Study?

Home and Hospital

The purpose of home and hospital instruction is to provide instruction to a student with a temporary disability in the student’s home or in a hospital or other residential health facility, excluding state hospitals.  A temporary disability is defined as a physical, mental or emotional disability incurred while a student is enrolled in regular day classes or an alternative education program, and after which the student can reasonably be expected to return to regular day classes or the alternative education program without special intervention.

Within five working days following written notification through the Home and Hospital form, including a signed Doctor’s note, the school district shall determine whether the student will be able to receive individualized instruction, and, if the determination is positive, when the individualized instruction may begin. Individualized instruction shall start no later than five working days after the positive determination has been made. (EC Section 48208)

The primary outcome of Home and Hospital Instruction is to maintain a student at the student’s former level of performance while recovering from the temporary disability so as not to jeopardize the student’s future performance upon returning to a regular day class or alternative education program  Grades are generally Pass/No Pass, or meeting standards, although regular grades may be given if the student is successfully completing classwork. Units are still consistent, so the structure should not change.  A student should not be medically withdrawn if they have participated in Home/Hospital. Additionally, parents and students in high school should be notified that students in Home and Hospital may not be meeting a-g requirements.

Students may not receive attendance on the same day for Home and Hospital and school attendance (i.e. no partial days are allowed.).

Home and Hospital, a state program is for general education students ONLY. 

How do you request Home and Hospital? 

1. Complete the Home & Hospital Application 

2.  Gather documentation from your child’s doctor with appropriate letters and forms
   **Please note Home and Hospital is a short term option, Students can be signed out a maximum of 6 weeks and then another meeting and doctor’s update must be provided. 

3. Take completed application & documentation to your student’s school office for processing. 

4. A meeting or phone call will be held to discuss and finalize the details of your child’s Home and Hospital program

5. Once the meeting has been held, all parties need to sign the Home & Hospital Agreement prior to a students starting the program

Students with IEPs

In special education the parallel program is Home Instruction. The process will begin the same with the Home and Hospital paperwork, including a signed doctor’s note, but will be followed by an IEP meeting. For students on an IEP, there is more flexibility in how we design the service, including partial days. If the student generally receives related services, they may be suspended if the student is home long term. The team needs to keep in mind what is most important for the student while she or he is too ill to come to school.  (5/12/2021 We believe that students will still be marked Home/Hospital in attendance.EdCode 48206.3)

Students with 504s

The process will begin the same with the Home and Hospital paperwork, including the doctor’s note, but like students on an IEP, the request will be followed by a 504 meeting. For students on a 504, there is flexibility in how we design the service, including partial days that would be coded under independent study. The team needs to keep in mind what is most important for the student while she or he is too ill to come to school. 

Anxiety

Anxiety is a diagnosis that can qualify students for Home and Hospital.  However, students are considered on a case-by-case basis.  Home and Hospital is a stop gap, and not meant to replace education or provide independent study. It is truly for students who are too sick to attend school. Anxiety can also be exacerbated by a student missing weeks of school, causing larger issues with school refusal.

Short-term Independent Study 

Short-term Independent Study may be made available when students are not able to participate in site-based instruction for at least three or more consecutive days during the school year and not lasting longer than fourteen days. Short- term Independent Study ensures that a student is able to maintain academic progress in his/her regular classes. (AR6158) Applications shall be approved only upon determination that the student is prepared to meet the district’s requirements for independent study, is likely to succeed in independent study as well as or better than he/she would in the regular classroom, Applications MUST be submitted a minimum of two weeks prior to the absence in order to be considered. 

Long Term Independent Study

The purpose of long term independent study is to provide an alternative academic learning opportunity (Ed Code 51225). (See CalEdFacts)  Independent Study provides the opportunity for a student to study at his or her own pace, create a bridge between the school and the community, accept the challenge to excel in areas of special interest, and/or take time away from the on-campus environment. K-5 placement is only available full time. Participation by 6th-8th students may be part or full time (dependent on various factors). Participation by 9th-12th grade is dependent on the student’s credits and levels. 

This information was updated by Alexandra Friel, Director of Curriculum and Instruction  based on the updated information provided by the state of California’s Department of Education.