What should districts ask before hiring a homebound instruction provider?

Ask about teacher certification and background checks, how quickly teachers are placed, whether in-person instruction is available in your area, how instruction aligns with the student's curriculum, how IEP and 504 services are delivered and documented, how student records are protected, and what the contract terms include.

Hiring a Homebound Instruction Provider: Questions to Ask Before You Sign

Kumail D.

23 hours ago

2 min read

Contracting homebound instruction can solve a staffing problem overnight, or create a new one if the provider can't deliver. Before you sign, ask these questions. They work whether you're a school district, a hospital, or a residential or partial hospitalization program.

Teachers and qualifications

Are your teachers certified, and licensed in our state?
Do you have teachers with special education credentials for students with IEPs?
Can you match teachers by grade level and subject, including high school sciences, math, and world languages?
What background checks do teachers complete, and do they meet our state's requirements?
How do you train teachers to work in homes, hospitals, and treatment settings?

Speed and coverage

How quickly do you typically place a teacher, and what affects that timeline?
Do you provide in-person instruction in our area, or only virtual?
What happens if a teacher gets sick or leaves mid-placement?
Can you scale up if we have several students at once?

Instruction quality

How do you align instruction with the student's own curriculum and teachers?
What do you do if a student has no curriculum in place? See when no curriculum is in place.
How do you deliver IEP and 504 services? See delivering IEP services during homebound instruction.
How do you work around medical and treatment schedules?

Documentation and compliance

What session logs, attendance records, and progress reports will we receive, and how often?
How do you document IEP service minutes?
How do you protect student records under FERPA? See FERPA, HIPAA, and student privacy.
What insurance do you carry?

Contract terms

What is the hourly rate, and what does it include, such as travel, preparation, and documentation?
Are there minimum hours, cancellation fees, or charges for no-shows?
How is invoicing handled, and can invoices match our reporting needs?
How do we end or change a placement?

Red flags

No clear answer on teacher certification or background checks
Virtual-only delivery when your students need someone in the room
No sample session log or progress report to show you
Vague timelines for placing a teacher

For a side-by-side look at delivery formats, see in-person vs. virtual homebound instruction. For cost questions, see homebound instruction costs: in-house vs. contracted.

Frequently asked questions

Can hospitals and treatment facilities contract homebound instruction directly?

Yes. Hospitals, psychiatric facilities, and residential and partial hospitalization programs often contract instruction for their patients, coordinating with each student's home district.

Should a provider follow the student's school curriculum?

Yes. Good homebound instruction follows the student's own courses and coordinates with their teachers, so the student can return to class on track.

Talk to Einstein Tutoring

Einstein Tutoring partners with school districts and treatment facilities to provide in-person homebound and hospital instruction by certified teachers, with virtual options when they fit better. Placement usually takes under 5 days, often within 3. Learn about our home and hospital instruction services or call (617) 600-5944.