Home Instruction
Many patients at City of Hope take advantage of our help in arranging home instruction before returning to school. K-12th grade students who can’t attend school can receive alternative education in their homes through their local school districts, and City of Hope’s Academic Advocacy Program can help parents and young patients to coordinate those arrangements. If necessary, we can also help families advocate for special accommodations.
What is home instruction?
Home instruction is for children, teens and young adults eligible for K-12 education who are unable to attend school. Different school districts offer different forms of alternative education, many including home instruction. Often, school districts provide one-on-one tutoring in the home or independent study options for students unable to attend school.
Who provides home instruction?
Your local school district is responsible to provide alternative education by California Certified Teachers for K-12th grade students unable to attend school. City of Hope's Academic Advocacy Program coordinator can help get you in contact with the right personnel in your local district to begin home instruction.
How do I start home instruction?
Contact our Academic Advocacy Program coordinator to start the process. Each school district is different, but most students will need to enroll in their local district and have a medical letter written by their City of Hope doctor describing the medical need for home instruction. Our Academic Advocacy Program coordinator is glad to arrange for these letters and send the paperwork to your local school district. Give us a call and we'll help you get started.
When should we start home instruction?
Treatment and healing are different for each patient. Our Academic Advocacy Program coordinator will consult with your City of Hope medical team to help you to determine the best timing for you and your family. We have found most patients do best when they start home instruction sooner rather than later because it provides patients with motivation and creates opportunities for accomplishment, normalcy and increased self-esteem. Home instruction is also a critical component to successfully returning to school when ready.
We strongly recommend families to consider home instruction for the period between a student patient's discharge and their return to school.
Home instruction is a valuable tool for giving K-12th graders:
- Hope
- Increased normalcy
- Continued intellectual and academic growth
- Smoother transitions back into school after treatment
Contact Us
All student patients at City of Hope are invited to participate in our Academic Advocacy Program. If you would like to receive a call from one of our team members, please complete the Academic Advocacy Contact Form.
For more information please call the Clinical Social Work office at 626-218-2282 or send an email to DL-pedscsw@coh.org.
You can ask any member of your medical team to submit a referral on your behalf.