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Bill Seeks To Help Homebound Students Take Part In Classroom

Red lockers inside a school.
Sarah Schneider
/
90.5 WESA

The state Senate is advancing legislation to help Pennsylvania school districts pay for accommodations for students who are homebound due to a serious injury or illness, such as cancer.
The bill passed unanimously Tuesday, and goes to the House.

Under the bill, the Department of Education must write program guidelines, and award up to $300,000 a year in leftover funding in grants to intermediate units that apply.

The grants could be used to buy equipment that helps students participate in real time with classroom activity through a video link.

The sponsor, Sen. Scott Martin, R-Lancaster, says homebound students can find themselves excluded, and taught by a homebound instructor who isn't as familiar with the subject matter as the student's regular teacher.

He says Maryland has a similar law.

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