Home Instruction - Simcoe County District School Board

Administrative ProceduresMemorandum A7650Page 1 of 6Date of Issue November 2012Original Date of Issue April 18, 1991SubjectHOME INSTRUCTIONReferencesEducation Act, Section 21(2) (b)Regulation 298, Section 11(11)Links FORM A7650 - 1; FORM A7650 - 2ContactSchool Services1. Background1.1 A child is excused from attendance at school if the child is unable to attend school byreason of sickness or other avoidable cause. (Education Act, section 21 (2)(b)) Ministryof Education Regulation 298, section 11(11) provides further direction as follows:1.1.1 A principal, subject to the approval of the appropriate supervisory officer, mayarrange for home instruction to be provided for a pupil where:1.1.1.1 medical evidence that the pupil cannot attend school is provided to theprincipal;1.1.1.2 the principal is satisfied that home instruction is required.1.2 The Simcoe County District School Board may provide home instruction, for a limitedperiod of time, to serve the needs of students who are hospitalized or confined to theirhomes because of illness or injury. Home instruction is not an alternative educationalprogram. Home instruction may be provided during short-term medical intervention inorder to maintain the student in his/her regular school program.2. Establishing Home Instruction2.1 In order for home instruction to be established the principal must be satisfied that:2.1.1 a program cannot be provided for the student at school;2.1.2 a re-entry plan is in place for the student’s return to school.2.2 Where a principal determines that home instruction is required, the principal shall applyto the superintendent of education for approval using the form Application for HomeInstruction (FORM A7650 -1).2.3 Evidence of parental request must include the medical condition preventing the studentfrom attending school, the physician’s treatment plan, and the expected date of return toschool. The principal must provide a re-entry plan for the student’s return to school.2.4 Upon application approval, the principal is authorized to appoint a teacher and toestablish the schedule of visits after consultation with the parents and/or the doctorand/or hospital authorities. A teacher appointed to provide home instruction will be:2.4.1 a teacher currently employed as a teacher by the Board; or

Administrative ProceduresMemorandum A7650Page 2 of 62.4.2 a teacher currently on the occasional teachers’ list of the Board; or2.4.3 a retired teacher of the Board who is a member in good standing of the OntarioCollege of Teachers; or2.4.4 a current employee of the Board, qualified as a teacher and a member in goodstanding of the Ontario College of Teachers;2.4.5 able to supply a Criminal Records Check – Vulnerable Sector Screening,completed within the six month requirement, prior to commencing employment.2.5 The teacher shall submit, on a bi-weekly basis, a report of the actual instruction time tothe principal.2.6 The teacher will be paid at the current established hourly rate. This rate covers actualinstruction time, and is considered to cover preparation time and travel allowance.2.7 The principal shall submit bi-weekly a Home Instruction – Payroll Submission form(FORM A7650 - 2) to the Payroll Department and a copy to the superintendent ofeducation.2.8 Students receiving home instruction must remain on the school’s attendance registerwith an appropriate explanatory note.3. Program3.1 The supervision of the student’s program, while on home instruction, is the responsibilityof the principal. The principal will facilitate communication between the regularclassroom teacher and the home instruction teacher.3.2 The principal must ensure that the educational requirement for students on homeinstruction, including delivery of curriculum expectations, assessment, and the reportingof progress to parents or guardians are met.3.3 For students who have a safety plan in place, pertinent sections of this plan will beshared with the teacher by the principal prior to the commencement of the homeinstruction and modified as needed. It is a teacher’s choice whether or not to accept ahome instruction assignment. A teacher who accepts an assignment does not lose theirright to a Work Refusal under the Occupational Health & Safety Act.3.4 Teachers shall provide the instructional program to students at home only when theparent/guardian or a responsible adult designated by the parent/guardian, is present inthe residence or at a mutually agreed upon public location as approved by the principal.3.5 The principal will have a discussion with the parent(s)/guardian(s) to assess the safety ofa site for home visit and inform parent(s)/guardian(s) of practices to be followed toensure a safe working environment (e.g., moving pets to another room, keepingwalkways clear, removing allergens such as smoke, identifying any known contagiousdiseases [e.g., Fifth Disease]). The principal will inform the home instruction teacher ofthe results of the risk assessment prior to the commencement of the home instruction.

Administrative ProceduresMemorandum A7650Page 3 of 63.6 The Board will provide up to three hours of instruction per week for elementarystudents and up to five hours of instruction per week for secondary students.Principals must address each case individually and consider the student's needs andmedical condition. In a situation where a treatment plan (e.g., chemotherapy) willresult in alternating periods of attendance and non-attendance, or a modified schoolday, the principal may recommend home instruction for the student after consultingthe area superintendent of education.3.7 The Ministry of Education resource document: Education for Students Who AreHomebound, Hospitalized, or in a Residential Treatment Centre states:4. Responsibilities of TeachersIt is impractical to devote long periods to study or preparation whilethe instructor is present. Each visit should be spent in thepresentation of new material, the explanation of new processes anddiscussion of new assignments. It becomes the student’sresponsibility, under the supervision of the parents or guardians, toprepare (i.e. complete) work that has been assigned.4.1 Responsibility of regular classroom teacher:4.1.1 communicate with the home instruction teacher;4.1.2 provide the home instruction teacher with instructional resources (e.g.,curriculum expectations/course of study, sample assessmentinstruments, textbooks, teacher guides where available, etc.);4.1.3 provide the home instruction teacher with the first 3 hours of work for thestudent;4.1.4 maintain and promote communication with the student’s home instructionteacher; and4.1.5 collect an assessment summary from home instruction teacher.4.2 Responsibility of home instruction teacher:4.2.1 contact principal or designate to obtain instructional resources, academichistory and other pertinent information;4.2.2 be aware of the contents of all shared portions of the safety plan in placefor the student and provide written acknowledgement to the principal thatthe plan has been reviewed;4.2.3 communicate the educational program to parents and students at the firstvisit;4.2.4 instruct and assess the student’s progress;4.2.5 maintain and promote communication with the student’s regularclassroom teacher;4.2.6 participate in communications about the student’s progress asappropriate;4.2.7 contact parent/guardian if unable to attend at arranged time/place;4.2.8 provide feedback to the parents/guardian/adult student and the school;

Administrative ProceduresMemorandum A7650Page 4 of 64.2.9 submit an assessment summary to the classroom teacher uponcompletion of home instruction;4.2.10 return borrowed instructional resources to home school when homeinstruction is completed.5. Termination of Instruction5.1 A student can be removed from receiving home instruction for the following reasons:5.1.1 the physician has stated that the student is able to return to school;5.1.2 the student no longer benefits from the instruction due to deterioration incondition as confirmed by the physician or parent;5.1.3 the student and/or parents refuse to co-operate in following home instruction orproviding a safe work environment (i.e., harassment, violence).5.2 On termination of home instruction the principal will advise the superintendent ofeducation and at the same time return the school copy of the original application tohim/her.First Issued April 18, 1991Revised March 2, 1992; September 1, 1992; April 5, 2000; May 17, 2002; November2012Issued under the authority of the Director of Education

Administrative ProceduresMemorandum A7650Page 5 of 6FORM A7650 - 1APPLICATION FOR HOME INSTRUCTION Complete and forward to the superintendent of education.1. I recommend that home instruction be established for____________________________________ ___________________________________StudentD.O.B.__________________________________________________Address_________________________ ______________________________________________GradeSchool2. Home instruction will be established for the period of________________________ to _________________________ for the following reason.3. I hereby submit evidence of(a) parental request(b) medical condition preventing the student from attending school(c) physician’s treatment plan(d) re-entry plan for the student’s return to school(e) expected date of return to school(e) additional information to clarify special needs (if appropriate).4. I am satisfied that home instruction is required.5. I am aware of my supervision responsibilities for this program, that payroll submission forms arerequired bi-weekly (APPENDIX B) and that I must advise the superintendent of education when thehome instruction is discontinued, by returning the original request.Principal (signature)DateI hereby approve of the establishment of home instruction for the above student as per the request.orRecommended changes _________________________________________________________Superintendent of Education (signature)DateAdministrative UseCopy to Principal:To be returned to Superintendent of Education upon completion/termination ofhome instruction.Program completed/terminatedPrincipal (signature)DateFORM A7650 – 1; Rev. 11/12

Administrative ProceduresMemorandum A7650Page 6 of 6HOME INSTRUCTION BI-WEEKLY TIME SHEETFORM A7650 - 2PAYROLL SUBMISSION FORMORIGINAL to be sent directly to Payroll Department for paymentCOPY to be sent to the Superintendent of Education_____________________________ ________________________________Teacher’s Name Identification Number (I.D. #)_____________________________ Contract Teacher OSchoolorElementary and Secondary Supply Teacher O____________________________Number of Hours Retired OWeekOneDayMondayDate Hours WeekTwoTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdaySundayDay Date HoursMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdaySundayStudent’s NameTeacher’s Signature___________________________Principal’s Signature ___________________________1. All employees are responsible for ensuring that they have supplied Employee Services with a Criminal RecordsCheck – Vulnerable Sector Screening, completed within a six-month period prior to commencing employment.2. New employees will receive their ID # on their first pay advice. It will be required on all future time sheets.3. Direct Deposit is the board’s method of payment. If after your initial pay you are not set up with a bank account,your payment will be delayed.4. If time sheets are received in Payroll after cut-off, payment will not be made until the next scheduled pay.*PLEASE REFER TO SUPPLY TEACHING PAY CALENDAR FOR SUBMISSION DATES.FORM A7650 – 2; Rev. 11/12