Board Policy 5011 - Home and Hospital Teaching

I. Policy Statement

The Prince George's County Board of Education (Board) is committed to closing achievement gaps and raising achievement for all students in Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) by ensuring equitable access to a high-quality education that guarantees that every child graduating from the PGCPS is college and work ready.

II. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines for meeting the instructional needs of students who are unable to attend their PGCPS school due to a qualified physical or emotional health condition, as set forth in Maryland law.

III. Definitions

1. Authorized health provider – For the purposes of this policy is:
   1. a licensed physician or certified nurse practitioner, in the case of a student with a qualified physical health condition; or
   2. a licensed psychologist, licensed psychiatrist, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, or certified school psychologist, in the case of a student with a qualified emotional health condition.
2. Home and Hospital Teaching – A short-term service that provides instruction in core subjects to students who are unable to attend their school of enrollment due to a qualified physical or emotional health conditions.
3. Qualified physical or emotional health condition – A physical condition, including drug and alcohol dependency, or an emotional condition verified by an authorized health provider, that prevents a student from participating in the student’s school of enrollment.
4. Therapeutic treatment center – Any day or residential facility, licensed by a unit of State government, providing treatment for medical, physical, or emotional conditions including drug or alcohol dependency, or both.

IV. Standards

1. The Superintendent/designee shall ensure that instructional services are provided to all PGCPS students with a qualified physical or emotional health condition, and parenting students following childbirth, during convalescence or treatment time in a medical institution, therapeutic treatment center, and/or the student’s place of residence. For parenting students following childbirth, refer to Board Policy 5119.3 – Pregnant and Parenting Students.
2. The Superintendent/designee will ensure that the parent of a student with a qualified physical or emotional health condition is informed about home and hospital teaching services if the student will be absent for an extended period of time or on an intermittent basis. These conditions include, but are not limited to, kidney failure, cancer, asthma, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, depression, and bipolar disorder.
3. Upon receipt of the verification of the qualified health condition by the authorized health provider, the Superintendent/designee shall determine the initial service for the student. The instructional services shall be delivered by an individual possessing a minimum of a bachelor's degree from an institution of higher education as defined in the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) 13A.12.01.02B. (This requirement does not apply to an individual who has demonstrated satisfactory performance as a Home and Hospital teacher in PGCPS or other local school system before July 1, 2001.)
4. The Superintendent/designee is responsible for:
   1. Determining the manner in which instructional services shall be delivered to the student;
   2. Developing safety procedures, including training, to ensure an appropriately supervised safe environment for students and teachers;
   3. Consulting with the following, as deemed necessary, in making instructional services available:
      1. the student’s parent/guardian;
      2. the student;
      3. psychologist;
      4. physician;
      5. psychiatrist; and
      6. nurse practitioner.
   4. Developing a review process to resolve any disagreement that arises in the implementation of the services; and
   5. Developing a process for reviewing and determining the continuation of the service needs sixty (60) calendar days after the initial determination though reverification of the physical or emotional condition by the authorized health provider.
5. The Superintendent/designee shall be responsible for ensuring that the determination for the need for service and the instruction begins as soon as possible after the verification of the need for service, but not later than 10 school calendars days.
6. For a student with a disability, the Individualized Education Program (IEP) team will determine the instructional services to be provided to the student with a verified physical or emotional condition and develop a plan for returning the student to a school-based program.
7. The Superintendent/designee shall track the students who are provided Home and Hospital Teaching based on race, ethnicity, sex, disability, and language status. The Superintendent will make an annual report to the Board, which will include trend data on the overall number of students who received Home and Hospital Teaching in the previous school year , as well as the data disaggregated by students’ race, ethnicity, sex, disability and language status.

V. Implementation Responsibilities

1. The Superintendent is directed to develop an administrative procedure to implement this policy.

VI. References

1. Legal
   CODE ANN., EDUC. § 7-301.1
   COMAR 13A.03.05
   COMAR 13A.05.01.10
2. Other Board Policies
   Board Policy 5113 – Student Attendance, Absence, and Truancy
   Board Policy 5119.3 – Pregnant and Parenting Students
3. Superintendent’s Administrative Procedures
   Administrative Procedure 5011 – Home and Hospital Teaching
   Administrative Procedure 5119.3 – Educational Programs/Services for Pregnant and Parenting Students

VII. History

Policy Adopted 11/13/25

Effective 7/01/2026

Documents

Board Policy 5011 - Home and Hospital Teaching.pdf