What is Home and Hospital Instruction (HHI)? 

Home and Hospital Instruction Program Purpose

The purpose of the Home and 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 a 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 and Hospital Instruction

• The district shall be responsible for providing individual instruction to any temporarily disabled student who is in a hospital or other residential health facility located within district boundaries, whether or not the student is enrolled in the district. If the student is enrolled in another district, the Superintendent or designee may enter into an agreement to have the student's district of residence provide the individual instruction. The Superintendent or designee may also enter into an agreement to provide individual instruction to a district student who is in a hospital or other residential health facility located within the boundaries of another district. (Education Code 48208)
• 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.

Hospital or Residential Facility

Within district boundaries – Manhattan Beach Unified School district (MBUSD) will provide home and hospital instruction.  The district shall be responsible for providing individual instruction to any temporarily disabled student who is in a hospital or other residential health facility located within district boundaries, whether or not the student is enrolled in the district. If the student is enrolled in another district, the Superintendent or designee may enter into an agreement to have the student's district of residence provide the individual instruction.  (Education Code 48208)

Outside of district boundaries

The Superintendent or designee may enter into an agreement to provide individual instruction to a district student who is in a hospital or other residential health facility located within the boundaries of another district. (Education Code 48208)

How to Request Home and Hospital Instruction

Parents must request Home and Hospital Instruction (HHI) using a referral form available at the school site.  The referral form must be completely filled out by the parent AND medical doctor in order to be considered, and must include the diagnosis, the length of time the student is anticipated to be confined, and the expected date of return. 

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. 

Continuation of HHI services is recurrently subject to review and requires reverification every 25 days. A new HHI Referral Form must be completed and authorized by the student’s medical physician at that time.

Instruction Options

An eligible student for HHI may receive 300 minutes of instruction per week by a credentialed teacher, one hour per academic subject per day per week.  It is the responsibility of the parent, or other family member (adult 21 years old and over), to be present in the home while the HHI teacher is there.  It is also the parent's responsibility to provide a quiet, appropriate learning environment for HHI instruction in the home.  When the physician determines the student may return to regular school, the physician authorization must indicate the level of activity recommended and the limitations or restrictions.  In addition, instructions regarding the student’s care at regular school should be indicated in the authorization.

HHI may also be provided to a student in a hospital or other residential health facility, or under other circumstances prescribed by the California State Board of Education.

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

 What it is…

• HHI allows students who are severely restricted and unable to attend school due to a temporary disability to receive temporary, short-term instruction.  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(b)(2)).
• The student will receive an hour of teacher instruction for each day school is in session, up to a maximum of five hours per week.  The parent and student will arrange the schedule of visits with 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 students.  The purpose of HHI is to minimize the loss of instruction while a student is recovering from a temporary disability.  The severity of the disability is evaluated by district staff 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.
• Home and Hospital Instruction is not the same as regular school instruction.  The HHI teacher may not have the academic background to teach all subjects.  Therefore, when the student returns to regular school, they could be behind schedule in completing assignments and tests .
• A physician does not authorize HHI.  Only the MBUSD Student Services staff can authorize HHI.  When the physician completes the referral form, they must provide the necessary medical information to allow district staff to make a valid and proper student placement.
• HHI does not apply to students identified as individuals with exceptional needs pursuant to Education Code 56026 (Education Code 48206.3).

Who can be placed in HHI...

• Any regularly enrolled MBUSD student who will miss school for a minimum of two weeks (10 school days) due to a temporary disability may be eligible for HHI.
• Student placement is considered through careful review of the referral form.