JHD-R ©

REGULATION

EXCLUSIONS  AND  EXEMPTIONS
FROM  SCHOOL  ATTENDANCE

(Chronic Health Conditions)

Identification/Referral  Process

Staff members shall be informed of procedures to follow in serving "students with chronic health conditions."  Teachers will review registration data and make note of any students who were previously served as students with chronic health conditions.

Registration forms, enrollment data, and attendance registers will identify certified students with chronic health conditions who are eligible for modified instructional services.

The screening procedures used to screen kindergarten students and new enrollees for possible referral to special education or compensatory programs will provide an indication of whether students with high absenteeism have health conditions that may be considered chronic if they are due solely to illness, disease, pregnancy complications, an accident or severe health problems of an infant child of a student.  Students can be identified or referred at any time during the school year.

The person responsible for collection of attendance data shall be informed of these available services and should be given direction for noting whether a student's frequent absences are due to illness, disease, pregnancy complications, an accident or severe health problems of an infant child of a student.  Registration, enrollment, and attendance procedures shall indicate eligible students with chronic health conditions for documenting average daily membership (ADM) adjustments with the Arizona Department of Education, School Finance Section.

When a student is identified as possibly requiring services as a student with a chronic health condition (via registration, screening procedures, attendance data, or parent referral), a chronic health condition certification form with a letter of explanation shall be sent to the parents, to be returned within thirty (30) days.  The teacher and parent shall meet within fifteen (15) days following return of the chronic health condition certification.

Upon referral of a student for chronic health condition certification, the school nurse, if applicable, shall be consulted to include any chronic health condition data in the nurse's records (i.e., the annual report that identifies types of chronic illnesses monitored).  The nurse may provide information to assist teachers in dealing with chronic health conditions.

Eligibility  Criteria

The parents shall submit a written chronic health condition certification to the District, which will include:

A.  Licensed health professional or nurse practitioner diagnosis.

B.  Licensed health professional or nurse practitioner prognosis.

C.  Physical limitations affecting physical education activities and requirements.

D.  Anticipated surgeries, treatment, or hospitalizations that, although not expected to cause sufficient absences to require homebound services, may interfere with regular school attendance.

E.  Licensed health professional or nurse practitioner signature and date signed.

The appropriate instructional services needed are to be recommended by the teacher after consultation with the parent according to the following considerations:

A.  The nature of the health condition relevant to the student's anticipated activity level during absences (based on review of the chronic health condition certification).

B.  The student's academic capacity.

C.  The teacher's recommendations for service delivery based on course-work difficulty and the student's ability to learn independently.

D.  The amount of face-to-face instruction time required by the student for optimum continuous learning outside the regular classroom.

E.  The most appropriate service delivery in order to maintain integration in the regular education program as much as possible (i.e., regular physical education activities).

After the teacher and the parent have discussed the student's needs, an instructional agreement will be recommended by the parent and the teacher specifying the delivery and return of homework assignments and anticipated contact time with the teacher to assist the student in completing required course work during absences.  This agreement, together with the teacher's recommendation for appropriate instructional services, will be forwarded to the administration for review and modification, if necessary, prior to signature by the parent, teacher, and Superintendent.

If the absences of a student who is classified and has served as a student with a chronic health condition amount to three (3) school months (or sixty [60] school days), another chronic health condition certification shall be obtained and reviewed by the teacher and the parent.  They shall discuss the appropriate service delivery necessary for continuous learning.  If homebound services are appropriate, the policies for referral shall be followed, which may entail:

A.  Obtaining parental consent to evaluate.

B.  Obtaining chronic health condition certification.

On a yearly basis, the District shall review instructional needs of any student with a chronic health condition.  An updated chronic health condition certification shall be obtained for each school year to verify the need for continuing instructional modifications and ADM adjustments, if applicable.  However, the student may be recertified at any time to reevaluate appropriate services needed.

Miscellaneous  Provisions

Homework assignments will be provided during absences of students with chronic health conditions, and credit will be given for course work completed within established timelines.

Students with chronic health conditions will be given credit for completed course work if frequent absenteeism is due to chronic health conditions as certified by a licensed health professional or nurse practitioner.

Physical education course-work requirements shall include the option for students with chronic health conditions to participate in regular program activities as much as their health permits.  Such students shall be provided integrated educational programming as much as possible.  Modification to requirements may be made with Board approval.

The counselors who schedule students with chronic health conditions will take into consideration the anticipated days of absence (noted on the medical certification form) and the feasibility of completing courses requiring laboratory work or vocational workshops.