1. What is home and hospital teaching?
Home and hospital teaching is instruction provided to a student who is unable to participate in the school of enrollment due to a verified physical or emotional condition.
2. Who is eligible for home teaching services?
A student may be eligible for the following reasons: a physical condition, pregnancy, an emotional condition or a chronic health condition that requires a student to be absent from school on an intermittent basis. Only students enrolled in the Prince George's County Public Schools are eligible.
Ineligible students include those who are home-schooled or parentally placed in private or parochial schools. Excluded are students in home-based programs operated through the Office of Children, Youth and Families; the Maryland Infants and Toddlers Program for the birth through 2-year-old disabled population.
3. How does a parent/caretaker apply for home and hospital teaching services?
The Parent/Caretaker needs to contact the principal or the principal's designee at the student's school of enrollment.
4. What paperwork is required to determine eligibility for services?
The Initial Contact and Referral form (DSS-21) is completed with the principal or principal's designee.
The Physician’s Verification form (DSS-22) or the Psychologist’s/Psychiatrist's Verification form (DSS-22A) is completed by the licensed physician, psychiatrist, or psychologist treating the student and is submitted to the principal/designee.
The principal’s designee submits the documentation to the Office of Home and Hospital Teaching via home.hospital@pgcps.org
5. Where are students taught?
Students receive instructional services in the home, hospital, therapeutic center and/or an alternative setting. Home and hospital teaching does not replicate classroom instruction or Online Academy programming.
6. What are the home & hospital teacher's qualifications?
Maryland regulations require home & hospital teachers to have a bachelor's degree.
7. Will my student be taught by a certified teacher?
While some home & hospital teachers hold a teaching certification, secondary home & hospital teachers may not be certified in all instructional areas. Maryland regulations require home & hospital teachers to have a bachelor's degree. Home and hospital teaching does not replicate classroom instruction or Online Academy programming.
8. How many hours of services will the student receive?
Full-time medically qualified home & hospital teaching students receive a minimum of 6 hours a week. Home and hospital teaching does not replicate classroom instruction or Online Academy programming.
Intermittent medically qualified home & hospital teaching students receive a minimum of 3 hours a week. Home and hospital teaching does not replicate classroom instruction or Online Academy programming.
9. Who provides the textbooks, assignments and materials?
The principal at the student's school of enrollment will provide books, assignments and instructional materials for the duration of home and hospital teaching.
When textbooks and assignments are not provided, those courses and the student's instructional program will be the responsibility of the school.
10. How are students graded?
All assignments are submitted to the student's classroom teacher(s) for review and grading.
11. What are the parent's responsibilities when home teaching is provided in the home?
A responsible adult must be present in the home during all home teaching sessions and ensure the student is available, on time, and prepared. The parent/caretaker is responsible for obtaining the student's textbooks form the school.
12. When does home teaching begin?
Teaching will begin within ten (10) school days of receipt of the completed referral packet—both the Initial Contact and Referralform DSS-21 and DSS-22 or DSS-22A—in the Office of Home and Hospital Teaching.
13. What if the student’s medical condition requires an extension of home and hospital services?
A student may receive services according to the licensed physician's, psychologist's, or psychiatrist's verification, not to exceed 60 calendar days. For continuation of this service, the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) requires a review and re-verification of need at least every 60 calendar days after the original determination or sooner.
14. Can a pregnant student receive services?
Yes. She may receive home teaching services for six weeks postpartum.
15. What is the process for referring students with an emotional condition?
The principal’s designee submits the completed Initial Contact and Referral form (DSS-21), the Psychologist’s/Psychiatrist's Verification form (DSS-22A), and the Transition Plan to the Office of Home and Hospital Teaching. In addition, the Office of Psychological Services reviews the Psychologist’s/Psychiatrist's Verification form (DSS-22A) and the Transition Plan to determine if home and hospital services are appropriate.
16. Who is responsible for keeping the Physician’s Verification (either the DSS-22 or the DSS-22A) current?
The student's parent or guardian shall submit a statement from a practitioner verifying that the current physical or emotional condition prevents the student from participating in student's school of enrollment.
The parent and the principal’s designee are responsible for keeping track of dates and documentation.
