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District proposes overhaul of home‑hospital instruction to reduce isolation, improve compliance and staffing efficiency
Summary
Deputy Superintendent Dr. Wright told the board the home‑hospital program will shift from largely one‑to‑one instruction toward a tiered model that preserves one‑to‑one for medically fragile students while using small‑group synchronous instruction and virtual options to improve access and staffing efficiency; commissioners pressed for cleaner data and safeguards for individualized cases.
Deputy Superintendent Dr. Wright told the Board of Education on April 30 that Rochester City School District is proposing a redesign of its home‑hospital program to ensure compliance with New York State Education Department Regulation 100.22 and to better match staffing to student needs.
"This service is not discretionary," Dr. Wright said, emphasizing that home‑hospital instruction must be medically documented and is intended for students unable to attend school for extended periods. She reported the district tracked roughly 92 students enrolled at points from September through April, with 73 recorded exits, and said the district had at times allowed students to remain in restrictive placements without required medical documentation. "We have been allowing students to stay in our most restrictive environments without medical permission. That's a clear violation," she said.
Based on the district’s data, Wright said the current assignment of home‑hospital teachers is inefficient: many teachers carry extremely light caseloads while the program must also meet legally mandated individualized instruction for some students. She proposed a tiered approach that would retain one‑to‑one instruction for medically fragile students and others with Individualized Education Program (IEP) mandates, while expanding structured small‑group synchronous instruction and virtual supports to serve short‑term cases and reduce isolation.
Why it matters: the district’s proposed changes are intended to ensure legal compliance, improve student social‑emotional outcomes and make better use of limited staffing amid an overall budget shortfall. Wright said the redesign is intended to maintain mandated services for students who require individualized instruction while creating more flexible options for others.
Board members pressed for clearer, auditable data. Commissioners raised concerns about caseloads, travel time, and whether online or group instruction would meet the needs of students with widely varying academic levels. Commissioner Santiago noted the numeric question directly: if 92 students were served in the school year, how would a reduced staff meet regulatory timelines requiring instruction to start promptly. Wright said the district budgeted roughly 25–26 staff under the redesign and would retain one‑to‑one staffing where legally required; she also said staffing counts in older slides included non‑instructional roles (clerical, nursing) and that some clean‑up of records was necessary because not all enrolled students had proper documentation.
Several commissioners urged the administration to return with cleaned, audited counts and a precise staffing plan before any personnel decisions are finalized. Commissioner Griffin said she preferred more time for planning: "I do not want...blood on my hands" if cuts are made without fully vetted plans, reflecting concern about the stakes for vulnerable students. The board did not take action but asked for follow‑up information on data verification, staffing reassignment options and the revenue streams that could support the program going forward.
