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Governing Board Policies

Section J - Students

Regulation Title: Students with Chronic Health Conditions
Regulation Code: JLCF-R
Lead Department: Health Services

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Identification/Referral Process

  • At the beginning of school, the school nurse will review health data and note any students who were previously diagnosed as students with chronic health conditions. The school nurse will communicate this information to the principal or designee.
  • The principal or designee will refer all certified students with chronic health conditions to the school's 504 coordinator. The 504 coordinator will review the certification and determine whether a 504 plan will need to be developed.
  • Attendance clerks will review attendance data. When a student's absences indicate an illness, disease, pregnancy complications, or an accident or severe health problems of an infant child of a student, attendance staff will inform the school nurse who will assess for possible intervention in securing a chronic health certification.
  • As students are identified as possibly requiring services for "students with chronic health conditions" (via registration, health records, attendance data, or parent referral), a medical certification form with a letter of explanation shall be sent to the parents and returned to the school nurse within thirty (30) days. The teacher and parent shall meet within fifteen (15) days of receipt of the medical certification to determine appropriate service delivery (see Letter to Parent and Medical Certification).
  • All students with a certified chronic health form will be recorded in the electronic student file. Each student absence must be coded appropriately when a chronic health condition exists.
  • Registration, enrollment, and attendance procedures shall indicate eligible students with chronic health conditions for documenting ADM adjustments with the Arizona Department of Education, School Finance Section.

Parent Notification

  • The parent, guidance counselor, attendance staff, school nurse/health staff, or teacher may initiate the process for chronic medical certification by:
    • Identifying a possible need for services and providing the parent with information regarding Chronic Medical Certification (Exhibit 3) and the medical certification document (Exhibit 1) to be completed by a doctor.
    • Notifying the parent regarding continued services for chronic medical certification (Exhibit 4).

Eligibility Criteria

  • The parents shall submit the completed medical certification form including the physician's signature and date to the School Nurse or designee. (Exhibit 1 - Medical Certification of Student with Chronic Health Condition).

Provision of Instructional Services

  • The school nurse will provide pertinent information that may include accommodations in the classroom to assist teachers in working with students who have identified chronic health conditions.
  • The appropriate instructional services needed are to be recommended by the teacher/guidance counselor after consultation with the parent according to the following considerations:
    • The nature of the health condition relevant to the student's anticipated activity level during absences (based on review of the medical certification).
    • The student's academic capacity.
    • The teacher's recommendations for service delivery based on course-work difficulty and the student's ability to learn independently.
    • The amount of face-to-face instruction time required by the student for optimum continuous learning outside the regular classroom.
    • 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).

Instructional Agreement

  • If a student with a chronic medical certification has been determined eligible under 504 and has an accommodation plan the following steps for the instructional agreement will not be needed. If the student has been referred but a 504 plan is not in place and will not be in place within three days, the chronic health instructional agreement must be completed.
  • The instructional services will be documented on the instructional agreement (Exhibit 2) specifying the delivery and return of homework assignments and anticipated contact time with the teacher. The agreement will be signed by principal/designee responsible for chronic medical certifications and parent. The chronic medical certification and the instructional agreement will be sent to Department of Finance - Attendance and Accounting as well as filed in the Student Cum File. A copy of the chronic medical certification will also be filed in the student's health record.
  • On a yearly basis, the District shall review instructional needs of every student with a chronic health condition. An updated medical 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.

Homebound Services Eligibility
If the student absences exceed three (3) school months (or sixty [60] school days), a review of services will be convened and a process of continuous learning will be decided. If Homebound Services are appropriate, the policies for referral shall be followed which may entail:

  • Obtaining parental consent to evaluate student placement for Homebound Services.
  • Obtaining Medical Certification for Homebound Services.

Additional 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 time lines.
  • 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 feasibility of completing courses requiring laboratory work or vocational workshops.
  • Physical education course-work requirements shall include flexibility and adaptation for students with chronic health conditions to participate in regular program activities as much as their health permits.

File Maintenance

  • Medical Certification - mail to: Finance Department - Attendance & Accounting; filed to: Student Cum File; Student Health Folder
  • Instructional Agreement - mail to: Finance Department - Attendance & Accounting; filed to: Student Cum File. If a 504 plan was completed instead of the Instructional Agreement that needs to be mailed to: Finance Department - Attendance & Accounting; filed to: Student Cum File.

Reviewed: 8-17-07 (Friday Report)

Legal Ref: A.R.S. 15-346, Policies and Procedures Concerning Pupils with Chronic Health Problems
15-902 Determination of Student Count
15-761, Special Education for Exceptional Children, Definitions 15-843, Pupil Disciplinary Proceedings

Cross Ref: IHBF - Homebound Instruction
IHAE - Physical Education
JE - Student Attendance
IHBA - Special Instructional Programs and Accommodations for Disabled Students

Replaces TUSD Regulation # 5501 Students with Chronic Health Conditions