Home Hospital Instruction

The purpose of Home-Hospital Instruction (HHI) program is to help students maintain continuity of instruction during a temporary, short-term disability in the student’s home or hospital or other residential health facility, excluding state hospital.  Any student with a temporary, short-term disability that makes attendance in regular school or an alternative education program impossible or inadvisable must receive individual instruction provided by the student’s school district (Education Code 48206.3[b][2]).

Qualifying Disability

A temporary disability is a temporary physical, mental or emotional disability incurred while a pupil is enrolled in regular day classes or an alternative education program.  The student will be expected to return to regular day classes or an alternative education program without special intervention pursuant to Education Code 56026 (Education Code 48206.3).                                             

Examples of temporary, short-term disabilities include, but are not limited to: broken limbs, hand injuries, or short term impairments following surgery or medical treatments.

Eligibility for Home Hospital Instruction

Student must be a Lawndale resident or Inter-district permitted student and enrolled in grade TK-8. This includes alternative education programs and special education students. For permitted students, instruction must occur in Lawndale.

• Student has an anticipated absence of four weeks (20 school days) or more from regular school due to a temporary, short-term disability.
• The licensed physician verifies in writing the student’s diagnosis and need for HHI services.
• The referring physician must be responsible for continuing treatment and service while the student is out of regular school.

How to Request Home/Hospital Instruction

Parents must request Home/Hospital Instruction (HHI) using a Referral Form available on this webpage.  The referral form must be completely filled out by the parent AND doctor in order to be considered, and must include the diagnosis and the length of time the student is anticipated to be confined. 

Many students with temporary health problems may still be able to attend regular school with modifications.  The modifications are determined through planning sessions with the family, student’s physician, school nurse, and other school officials.  In some cases, a temporary modification of the school schedule is sufficient to accommodate the student’s needs, and home instruction is not necessary. 

What a parent should know about Home-Hospital Instruction (HHI)

What it is…

• HHI allows students to receive temporary, short-term instruction who are severely restricted and unable to attend school due to a temporary disability.  A temporary disability is a temporary physical, mental or emotional disability incurred while a pupil is enrolled in regular day classes or an alternative education program.  The student will be expected to return to regular day classes or an alternative education program without special intervention pursuant to Education Code 56026 (Education Code 48206.3).
• The student will receive an hour of teacher instruction for each day school is in session, for a maximum of five hours per week.  The schedule of visits is arranged between the parent and the student and the HHI teacher.
• The HHI teacher will work to continue, as much as possible, the regular teacher class assignments.

 What it is NOT…

• HHI is not an alternative education program for your student.  The purpose of HHI is to minimize the loss of instruction while a student is recovering from a temporary disability.  The severity of disability is determined through a physician diagnosis and educational alternatives are considered before HHI is authorized.  The student will return to regular school or an alternative education program as soon as the student is healthy enough to do so as determined by a physician.
• Within HHI, instruction is not the same as instruction at the regular school.  The HHI teacher may not have the academic background to teach all subjects.  Therefore a student could be behind schedule with completing assignments and tests when the student returns to regular school.
• A physician does not authorize HHI. In completing the Referral Form, a physician must provide medical information so a valid and proper student placement can be considered.
• HHI does not apply to students identified as individuals with exceptional needs pursuant to Education Code 56026 (Education Code 48206.3).