Great News for Home School Students

Imagine if Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow or All-Pro defensive end Jason Taylor had not been allowed to play ball in high school because they were home schooled. They are just two of many that attended school at home and were afforded the opportunity even though their parents opted to home educate.

The following bill set to become law as of July 1, 2009 hits close to home for my family as our daughter Lillie Blair-Jones is entering 9th grade in the fall and is home schooled. Needless to say that we are very excited that she will have the same opportunity to play soccer as her peers!

The Bill appears to ensure that home schooled students will be afforded the opportunity to participate in sports, art, music, drama and other activities sponsored by the school system. Tennessee joins 16 other states in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wyoming in allowing this opportunity. The Bill becomes law as of July 1, 2009.

HOUSE BILL 72

By Weaver

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49,

Chapter 6, relative to home schooled students.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:

SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-3050, is amended by adding

the following language as a new, appropriately designated subsection:

( )

(1) Students enrolled in home schools shall be permitted to participate in

interscholastic activities including, but not limited to, athletics, art, music, drama

and speech, engaged in or sponsored by public schools.

(2) A home schooled student shall be eligible to participate at the public

school to which the student would be assigned by the local board of education;

provided, that:

(A) The student legally resides in the school district;

(B) The student's parent or guardian gives notice to the local

director of schools of the intent to conduct a home school pursuant to

subdivision (b)(1) or if the student is in any of the grades nine through

twelve (9-12), the student's parent or guardian registers the child with the

LEA which the child otherwise would attend pursuant to subdivision

(a)(2)(C)(i);

(C) The student's parent or guardian applies in writing to the

principal of the local school at which the student plans to participate in

interscholastic activities before the beginning date of the season for the

activity in which the student wishes to participate;

- 2 - 00074262

(D) If the student is in any of the grades nine through twelve (9-

12), the student shall be at or above grade level as determined by the

assessments required under subdivision (a)(2)(C)(ii) or subdivision

(b)(5)(A). If the student is in grades kindergarten through eight (K-8), the

student shall furnish information from standardized achievement tests

pursuant to subdivision (a)(2)(A) or subdivision (b)(5)(A) that indicates the

student is at or above grade level;

(E) The student adheres to the same standards of behavior,

responsibility, performance and code of conduct as other participants of

the interscholastic activity and the student meets the same standards for

acceptance as a participant in the activity as students from the public

school who are participating in the activity; and

(F) The student meets all applicable Tennessee Secondary

School Athletic Association eligibility requirements not in conflict with this

subsection.

(3) Any public school student who has been unable to maintain academic

eligibility shall be ineligible to participate in interscholastic activities as a home

schooled student for the duration of the school year in which the student

becomes academically ineligible and for the following year. The student shall

take the examinations required under subdivision (2)(D) of this subsection at the

end of the second year and meet the standards of subdivision (2)(D) of this

subsection to become eligible for the third year.

(4) No public school team or group shall be impeded from competing

against any other public, private, non-public or church-related school's team or

group merely because the school's team or group has home schooled students.