281—31.4 (299,299A) Duties of licensed practitioners, home school assistance program.
	 31.4(1) Scope of rule. This rule addresses the duties of a person who provides competent private instruction or instructional supervision for one or more children who receive competent private instruction on behalf of a school district in the form of a home school assistance program as defined in subrule 31.5(5).
	 31.4(2) Licensing requirements. A person who provides direct instruction to a student receiving competent private instruction for which the student receives credit on a transcript provided by the district for the course shall possess a valid Iowa teaching certificate or practitioner license appropriate to the content area taught and to the grade level of the student. A person who provides instructional supervision only of a student receiving competent private instruction shall possess a valid Iowa teaching certificate or practitioner license appropriate to the grade level of the student. A practitioner who possesses only a valid Iowa substitute authorization may neither provide direct instruction nor instructional supervision under this rule.
	 31.4(3) Duties. The duties of a licensed teacher who instructs or provides instructional supervision of a student shall include the following:
	  a.   	 Contact with the student and the student’s parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian at least four times per 45 days of instruction. One of every two contacts shall be face-to-face with the student.
	  b.   	 Consulting with and advising the student’s parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian with respect to any of the following as requested by the student’s parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian or as deemed necessary in the professional judgment of the practitioner:
	 (1) 	 Lesson plans;
	 (2) 	 Textbook and supplementary materials;
	 (3) 	 Educational goals and objectives;
	 (4) 	 Teaching and learning techniques;
	 (5) 	 Forms of assessment and evaluation of student learning;
	 (6) 	 The student's strengths and weaknesses;
	 (7) 	 Interpretation of test results;
	 (8) 	 Planning; and
	 (9) 	 Record keeping.
	  c.   	 Providing formal and informal assessments of the student’s progress to the student and the student’s parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian.
	  d.   	 Annually maintaining a diary, record, or log of visitations and assistance provided.
	  e.   	 For purposes of assisting the district to meet its “child find” obligation under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, referring to the child's district of residence for evaluation any child who the practitioner has reason to believe may be in need of special education.
	 31.4(4) Limitations. A licensed Iowa practitioner who is employed by a public or accredited nonpublic school to provide instruction or instructional supervision through a home school assistance program shall not serve in that capacity on behalf of more than 20 families, or more than 40 children of compulsory attendance age, in an academic year. The authorities in charge of a public school may seek exemption from the above limitation by submitting a written request to the director of the department of education. Exemptions shall be granted when the director is satisfied that the limitation will pose a substantial hardship on the person or the school providing instruction or instructional supervision and that the best interests of all children being served by the home school assistance program will continue to be met.