Sports Access Bill Would Open Homeschool Law

A measure to allow homeschoolers to play interscholastic sports on public school teams would modify the state's homeschool law. However, homeschoolers who want to play will have to demonstrate their academic progress to public school officials, a new development under North Carolina's nonpublic education law.

House Bill 1013, "Homeschoolers Participate In School Sports", was filed on Wednesday and will be introduced in the North Carolina House Thursday afternoon. The bill, sponsored by Reps. George Cleveland (R-Onslow) and Mark Hilton (R-Catawba) with seven co-sponsors, would give homeschoolers permission to take part in public schools' interscholastic sports programs in accord with existing regulations.

The bill amends the homeschooling statute, Article 39 Chapter 115C, adding five paragraphs to integrate homeschooled students into existing rules for residency, eligibility, behavior, performance, and fees and insurance.

The academic progress rule is an innovation in the relationship between homeschoolers and public school authorities:

A home schooled student shall demonstrate any required academic eligibility in all subjects taken in the home schooled program by a method of evaluation agreed upon by the parent and the school principal.

Currently, public school officials have almost no access to the academic records of current homeschoolers in North Carolina.

An earlier proposal, Senate Bill 259, would open public school sports to all students, including not only homeschoolers but students in private, charter, and other public schools which do not offer a sports program of interest. The senate bill, sponsored by Sen. Jim Jacumin (R-Burke, Caldwell) and nineteen co-sponsors, does not modify the homeschool law.

(NCHSN Exclusive)

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