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EASTON AREA
SCHOOL DISTRICT
No. 204.1
SECTION:
PUPILS
TITLE:
TEMPORARY MEDICAL
EXCUSALS
ADOPTED:
December 6, 2011
REVISED:
204.1. TEMPORARY MEDICAL EXCUSALS
1.
Authority
SC 1301, 1326,
1327
Title 22
Sec. 11.12, 11.13,
11.41, 12.1
Pol. 204
The Easton Area School District, pursuant to the Pennsylvania School Code and
State Board of Education regulations, will review and consider approval of
temporary requests for excusals from the compulsory attendance requirements of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for individual instruction to students confined to
the home or the hospital for physical disability, illness, injury, or when such
confinement is recommended for psychological or psychiatric reasons.
Temporary Medical Excusals (TMEs) may not be used as a way to avoid
compulsory school attendance and must be based on a certified/licensed medical
doctor, psychologist, and/or a psychiatrist’s recommendation. In conformity with the
School Code, temporary medical excusals shall only be granted where the condition
is temporary in nature and where the student is unable to attend any part of the
school day. The district shall consider recommendations made by a student’s
physical, but such recommendation shall not automatically result in approval of a
TME. Parental consent is required to verify a physician’s recommendation and for
continual communication with the referring physician.
A student will be considered for a TME under the following conditions:
1.
A temporary medical and/or psychiatric condition considered medically urgent
and so severe that:
a.
It is likely to persist for more than four (4) weeks for the elementary/middle
schools and two (2) weeks for the high school during which school is in
session (tutoring is not provided over holidays/vacations or after the last day
of school).
b.
It is a condition that will prevent the child from attending any part of the
school day for a specific period of time. The specific period may not exceed
three (3) months in one period as per Pennsylvania Code.
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2.
The district has received the Physician’s Recommendation form, fully
completed, from a certified/licensed medical doctor, psychologist and/or
psychiatrist (signatures of Licensed Nurse Practitioners will not be accepted).
Pol. 117
Pol. 116, 117
The following additional conditions apply:
1.
The district has permission of the parent/guardian to contact the recommending
physician for verification of information within the TME application form.
2.
If the district believes that additional information is needed, with legally required
consent, the district may contact the recommending physician to seek additional
information.
3.
At any time, the district may utilize its school physician to review and deny or
approve a request for a TME.
4.
The district reserves the right to refer a student to a physician of the district’s
choice, at district expense, if it so chooses.
5.
In the event that the district chooses to refer a student to its own physician to
determine the necessity for homebound services, and the district physician’s
opinion is contrary to the family physician, or the recommending physician is
unable to substantiate the recommendation, the administration will be authorized
to honor the opinion of the district physician. The child will be requested to
return to school. In such a case, the student shall be denied any further
homebound services and the child would then fall under the mandatory school
attendance regulations.
6.
Any breach of the above conditions, in part or in whole, may result in the
withdrawal of approval of a homebound excuse. Homebound tutoring is a
temporary instructional program and should not be considered as a replacement
to attendance and instruction in the regular school setting.
A TME may be revoked by the district at any time with a minimum of forty-eight
(48) hours’ notice to the Parents.
Sixty (60) Day Approval Period
Temporary Medical Excusals approved by the district shall be effective for a
specified time period, not to exceed a maximum of sixty (60) days. Upon the
expiration of the sixty (60) day period, the student will no longer be lawfully
excused from school. However, the parent/guardian may apply for a renewal of the
medical excusal by following the approval process outlined above.
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Participation In Co-Curricular And Extracurricular Activities
Students on homebound are not eligible to participate in any clubs, athletics, field
trips, and other extra-curricular activities. A student must be participating in the
regular school day program at least part-time to become eligible to participate, and
the physician that is recommending homebound on a part-time basis must submit in
writing that the student is able to participate in these co-curricular activities without
a risk to the student’s health and/or safety nor that of the district’s school body.
Tutoring During A Temporary Medical Excusal
Tutoring during a TME may be provided at the discretion of the district. Such
tutoring is not intended to replace regular instruction, but, rather, is intended to assist
with maintaining current skills and prevent regression, if possible, until the student is
able to return to school. Credit received during a TME is discretionary. If
homebound is requested and approved beyond the first three (3) months allowed by
PA law, the student may receive partial or no credit.
Once eligibility is determined, tutoring will be considered. Tutoring is discretionary
and may be refused or terminated at any time for any reason. If approved, tutoring
will be provided only be provided under the following limitations and conditions:
1.
Tutoring shall only be provided where the TME period is expected to exceed
four (4) weeks.
2.
Assigned tutors shall be of the district’s choosing.
3.
The hours of tutoring shall not exceed five (5) hours per week maximum or the
maximum that the health and well-being of the student will allow, whichever is
less.
4.
The availability and amount of such instruction is subject to the availability of
certified teachers to provide such services in the home. If a certified teacher is
not available, then homebound will not be provided. The district will attempt to
reschedule missed sessions, although it is under no obligation to do so.
5.
Sessions cancelled by the parents/guardians may be rescheduled at the discretion
of the district but are not required to be rescheduled.
6.
Tutoring during a TME will be based upon provision of assignments and
materials from the student’s current courses, as provided by the student’s
teachers. Such teachers have discretion to substitute alternate assignments if the
regular assignments are not appropriate for in-home tutoring.
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7.
The district, at its sole discretion, may permit a student to complete course work
for credit if a student is physically and mentally able to independently complete
schoolwork in a satisfactory manner while on a TME. This is completely
discretionary on the part of the district and should not be viewed as an automatic
right by students and/or parents of students on temporary medical excusals. If
permission to complete course work for credit is granted, the student must keep
up with the class’s regular assignments and schoolwork in a timely fashion in
order to earn credit. The tutor may administer tests if deemed appropriate by the
tutor. If a student is permitted to complete course work for credit, the tutor will
collect classroom work from the student’s regular teacher. It shall, however, be
the responsibility of the student to complete the course work satisfactorily. Lack
of independent work on the part of the student or non-completion of assignments
may result in the loss of credit or failure of the course. The district shall make the
final decision on an award of credit for a course.
8.
Due to the nature of course content, it may not be possible for the TME tutor to
deliver or teach the course content. In this regard, the student will be required to
reschedule this course(s) during the next available semester.
9.
Each hour of tutoring during TME provided is to be supported by one (1) to three
(3) hours of independent study, depending on grade level, by the student if
medical condition allows this.
10. The parent/guardian is required to provide the TME tutor with an educational
learning environment within the home conducive to conducting the assigned
course work.
11. A parent/guardian or other adult authority must be present in the home during
TME tutoring. It is expected that family members will not interfere with tutoring
sessions. It is expected that students will be prepared for sessions. Eating during
sessions is not permitted unless necessary for medical reasons. If an environment
conducive to learning is not provided, TME tutoring may be terminated. The
student will be excused without instruction or course credit until the student’s
condition allows him/her to return to school.
The Superintendent or designee reserves the right to discontinue tutoring at any time
and for any reason, including when:
1.
The instructor’s presence in the place of a student’s confinement presents a
hazard to the health and/or safety of the teacher.
2.
A parent/guardian or other responsible caretaker is not at home or does not
remain in the home with the student during the hours of instruction;
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3.
Parents/Guardians and/or student routinely cancels tutoring sessions;
4.
The medical condition of the student is such as to preclude any benefit from such
instruction;
5.
A student is routinely unprepared for tutoring sessions – each hour of tutoring is
expected to be supported by one (1) to three (3) hours of independent study; or
6.
The home environment is not conducive to learning (loud noise or other
distractions; family members or other individuals interfering with work; no
suitable place to work; unsanitary conditions; etc.).
Where a tutor is unable to teach or deliver a particular course content due to the
nature of the course content, the student may be required to reschedule the course(s)
for the next available semester.
Tutors may not conduct tutoring sessions at times when a parent legal guardian is
not present in the home. Such sessions will not be rescheduled. In the event that
tutoring is terminated or refused by the district, parents may pick up work for the
student in the school office after providing at least two school days for the district to
gather the assignments from the teachers.
Disability Accommodations
TMEs are designed for students with temporary medical conditions and are not
intended to be and may not be substituted for appropriate in-school accommodations
for students with disabilities who are able to attend some part of the school day.
Students with disabilities may be entitled to accommodations during the school day
under Section 504 and the ADA. Parents/Guardians seeking accommodations for
their students should contact the school guidance counselor.
Temporary Medical Excusal NOT A Special Education Placement
In some cases, a student may receive special education instruction (FAPE) in the
home through his/her IEP. This is called “instruction in the home” and is NOT the
same as a TME. “Instruction in the home” is a placement within the special
education continuum that may be chosen by an IEP team when an eligible student
cannot properly receive a Free Appropriate Public Education in any other setting. A
special education placement in the home (or “instruction in the home”) can be
obtained only by going through the normal IEP process. Any placement
determination, including a placement of “instruction in the home,” must be
determined to be appropriate by the IEP team, and an IEP must be implemented that
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is specifically designed for such a placement. The nature of “instruction in the
home,” as well as the process for obtaining such instruction, is distinctly different
from a TME. Any parent or guardian who has additional questions about instruction
in the home or needs further clarification of the differences between the two and
which is appropriate for a particular student should contact the Director of Special
Education.
If a parent/guardian believes his/her child may be eligible for special education
services, the parent has the right to request that the child be evaluated for special
education services. Requests for evaluation should be made to the Director of
Special Education.
References:
School Code – 24 P.S. Sec. 510, 1301, 1318, 1326, 1327, 1327.1, 1329, 1330, 1332,
1333, 1338, 1339, 1354, 1501, 1504, 1546
State Board of Education Regulations – 22 PA Code Sec. 4.4, 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.5,
11.8, 11.12, 11.13, 11.21, 11.22, 11.23, 11.24, 11.25, 11.26, 11.28, 11.32,
11.34, 11.41, 12.1
Board Policy – 000, 115, 116, 117, 118, 137, 200, 218, 233