The Aburquerque Journal  reports about 1 of 26 Rio Rancho children home educate, showing the area having a large proportion of homeschoolers.  The article also described local Family School participation in the public school.  Another interesting point was laid out that a bill was passed allowing New Mexico school districts to get state funding for every class a homeschooler takes.  Below is sponsor Senator Brandt’s video explaining the bill. (more…)

Let Home-schoolers Take the Field 
Washington Post Editorial Board

A BILL THAT would allow Virginia students who are home-schooled to play on public-school sports teams has cleared the state House and is now headed to a Senate committee, where a similar measure died last year. Our reservations about the so-called “Tebow Bill” have been rooted in a belief that issues about athletic eligibility, student activities and what constitutes a school community shouldn’t be usurped by Richmond.

It is clear, though, that the group entrusted with helping to make those determinations needs to revisit rules that have become too rigid. Local school districts that want to include home-schooled students are barred from even trying.

The editorial concludes stating the sponsor, Delegate Bell,  would introduce the bill again next Session, if it doesn’t pass, as he “believes that a generational change of attitudes is occurring about home-schooling in which the lines are being blurred and it’s only a matter of time before his bill is approved.”

Read more here.  The comments pertaining to the editorial are abundant.

Several states, including Georgia and Alabama introduced “Tim Tebow” bills allowing homeschoolers to participate in public school sports and other activities under the school control.  Both Georgia’s and Alabama’s bills failed in 2011, as did Virginia’s in the past legislative session.

But, in Virginia’s current legislative session, a “Tebow Bill” - HB 1442 has passed out of the Education Committee and is on its third reading in the House.    [Update - HB 1442 passed and will be moved over to the Senate.]  CBS DC covered the companion bill currently in the Senate Education Committee, SB 812, that will likely be stricken from the agenda since HB 1442 is moving along.

A Georgia media outlet reported this in reaction to a school official’s inference homeschoolers shouldn’t be allowed to “cherry pick”:

Are homeschooled students missing out? – WLTZ 38 | Columbus Georgia Regional News & Community

But for Joseph and his family, that’s okay.

“As homeschoolers, I have kind of pulled out of that anyway, not for anything negative, but I have made a decision that we need to find our own activities,” Joseph’s mom, Dorothy Bryant, says.

Joseph says he doesn’t need a school to pursue his other love, theater.

Most public schools are limited to a handful of sports for each gender- basketball, volleyball, baseball, football, soccer, softball and a couple of others.  But many of these school associations that control the extra-curriculars have also pulled in Quiz Bowls, theater and other activities not just requiring a strong, coordinated body.  Fortunately, the schools do not have a monopoly on community theater or a variety of other fun activities such as TaeKwonDo, archery, shooting sports, ballet or other dancing.

One thing for sure, the Virginia homeschooled kids interested in this issue are getting a hands-on, up-front experience in how our government works.

I had to laugh when I read the Buffalo News article about New York’s Iroquois School Board policy decision to exclude homeschoolers from their public school activities.  I’m a bit ambivalent about mixing the two in my state – noting that too many Illinois local school board policies create over-compliance demands for participating homeschoolers, but this reason given by School Board President Lowrey is a tad ridiculous.
Iroquois home-school policy stands on no extra activities By Eileen Werbitsky

Lowrey said a poll of faculty club advisers showed that some clubs run activities during the day, which would put home-schooled students at a disadvantage. In addition, the school district’s attorneys advised against changing the policy.

Good one.  If clubs run their activities “during the day”, homeschoolers couldn’t possibly attend. Hello role, meet reversal.

Homeschoolers are out and about, not penned away in a room with windows you’re not supposed to look out.  The homeschooled kids could attend, if they were allowed by the school board.  And of course – if the school district attorneys allow it.  Which they didn’t.

There might be good reasons they don’t want private schools participating in public school extra-curriculars, but some of the reasons given in this article are certainly not about the kids.

Here’s a  Legislative Update from the Organization of Virginia Homeschoolers (VaHomeschoolers)

House Subcommittee Votes 7-1 to Approve Sports Access Bill

HB 1442, patroned by Del. Robert Bell (R-Albemarle), addresses public school sports and interscholastic activities access for homeschooled high school students. The House Education Subcommittee on Students and Early Education amended the bill to include a sunset provision which would discontinue the provisions of the bill in June 2018 unless further action is taken.  HB 1442, as amended, passed the subcommittee by a vote of 7-1 (as compared with a vote of 6-2 for a similar bill in 2012).

The Senate Committee also had a companion bill
  to HB 1442 - SB 812. The Senate bill was scheduled for hearing in the Senate Education and Health Committee this morning. It was delayed by the sponsor to help ensure success. (Last year’s bill failed by one vote.)  The House bill should be considered by the full House Education committee next Monday and the Senate bill might be heard a week from today on January 31.

As often happens with homeschool-related bills, the homeschooled kids were seen and heard.  From the Legislative Update:

We were proud to introduce to legislators our two young Legislative Interns, Sydney Bowman (age 12) and Micah Fitz (14), who testified about why sports access matters to them.

Amy Wilson also offered lobbying information to families wishing to attend and participate in these hearings:

One of the primary arguments in favor of the bill is the benefit that it could extend to homeschooled students, so an audience full of families in favor of the bill will definitely make an impression on legislators.  There will also be an opportunity for a few students to testify, though we expect testimony to be limited due to time constraints.
 
If your child would like to testify, please help him or her prepare a written statement about the personal impact that homeschool sports access could have. Help your child practice reading the statement with a strong, clear voice and use a timer to be sure it is no longer than one minute.

More VA Homeschoolers Information on Tebow Bills

A Virginia Delegate, Robert Bell, wants homeschoolers to have the option of participating in public school extra-curricular activities. He’s filed HB 1442 for the 2013 Session.  Governor McDonnell also supports this legislation.

VA: ‘Tebow’ homeschool sports bill gets a push from governor By Kenric Ward Watchdog.org 

“The governor believes homeschool student should not be denied the opportunity to take part in these advantages if he or she meets the qualifications,” McDonnell’s press secretary Jeff Caldwell toldWatchdog.org in an e-mail Friday.
 Sen. Tom Garrett, R-Louisa, filed companion legislation to Delegate Robert Bell‘s bill, which has been dubbed the “Tebow Bill.” NFL quarterback Tim Tebow, who was homeschooled during his high school years in Florida, played football at a public school before going on win championships at the University of Florida.

Watchdog provided further comments from the Virginia Governor’s press secretary:

“Homeschooled students will be held to the same standard as public-school students. If there are 10 spots on the team, an 11th will not be added –students will compete on merits and talents, playing by the same rules.

“Homeschool families are members of the community and pay the same taxes as families who send their children to public schools.”

If passed, these bills would prohibit public schools from joining an organization overseeing interscholastic programs, presumably the Virginia High School League.  This prohibition would occur if the group doesn’t make home instructed student’s participation possible who demonstrate evidence of progress for two consecutive academic years, is compliant with immunization requirements, is 18 years of age or younger, is not a professional in the activity, and complies with all other school rules applicable to the public school students.

Last year, a similiar proposal passed out of the Virginia House, but failed in the Senate by one vote.

NBC 12 WBBT‘s Brent Solomon reported this:

In the past the Virginia High School League has opposed the measure saying the addition of home-schoolers could make it harder for public school students to play on their own school teams. NBC 12 reached out to the league again, but hasn’t heard back yet.

Solomon also interviewed a homeschooler, Teddy Bachert, participating in the Central Virginia Home School Athletic Association.

“We play teams ranging from North Carolina to sometimes northern Virginia. We play private schools, some public schools, other home school teams,” he said.

18 year old Bachert wasn’t particularly keen on participating in public school activities and seemed content with his non-public school aligned sports participation.

NBC 12 WBBT noted the Organization of Virginia Homeschoolers supports the measure. The Home Educator’s Association of Virginia group was reported as neutral concerning the proposal.

Cindy Holcomb interviewed homeschooled Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow in Home Education Magazine‘s July/August 2009 Edition.

The interest in this issue has become so intense, Tim Tebow’s accomplishments have turned into the commonly used phrase – Tim Tebow Bills.

In 2000 and pre-Tebow, Home Education Magazine columnists-Larry and Susan Kaseman  laid out some concerns - Why the Question of Homeschoolers’ Playing Public School Sports Affects All Homeschoolers

Should homeschoolers be allowed to play on public school sports teams? This question is being asked around the country, especially as the number of homeschoolers of high school age increases and as homeschooling gains wider acceptance.

At first glance, having homeschoolers on public school sports teams might seem like a good idea. It would provide one more opportunity for homeschoolers, one more example of society’s acceptance of homeschooling. However, a closer look reveals that it would undermine our homeschooling freedoms. Fortunately, the vast majority of homeschoolers do not support homeschoolers’ playing public school sports, and many are opposed.

Continued here.

ESPN Outside the Lines 2007

New Jersey assemblyman pushes bill to allow home-schooled students to play for public-school teams Tommy Rowan |The Express-Times 

Erik Peterson says let ‘em play.

“I’ve always thought that academics and athletics were both important,” he said. “We shouldn’t deny these kids the opportunity to play on a sports team in high school.”

The state assemblyman is a primary sponsor on legislation that would allow charter, vocational and home-schooled students to play on their public school district’s sports teams.

Assemblyman Peterson prefers trust rather than automatic suspicion of parents’ intentions.

“You want those kids to not put athletics before academics,” he said. “But I suspect any parent who is homeschooling their kid. … is not likely to allow their kid to participate in sports if they’re not achieving their education goals.”

Caution from Larry and Susan Kaseman: Why the Question of Homeschoolers’ Playing Public School Sports Affects All Homeschoolers

What We Can Do

* We can let our legislators know that most homeschoolers do not want legislation that would allow homeschoolers to play on school teams so they are less likely to introduce or cosponsor such bills.

* We can be alert for proposals in our state that would allow homeschoolers to play public school sports and oppose them. If we are not alert, such bills can be passed while we are either unaware of them or feel that they don’t or won’t impact us.

* We can discuss this issue with others and encourage them to explore alternatives rather than trying to make it possible for homeschoolers to play public school sports. Then at least some of the groundwork will have been done in the event that legislation is introduced.

* We can keep ourselves informed so we are not misled by articles like the one in Time. The mainstream media often cannot be relied on for information about homeschooling. We can write letters to the editor when we see incorrect information or exaggerated stories like the one in Time.

Conclusion

Changing state laws or regulations to allow homeschoolers to play public school sports would undermine the homeschooling freedoms of all of us. Therefore, it is important that we inform ourselves and others of the risks involved and remember that, despite the publicity that a few families may receive, most homeschoolers do not support the participation of homeschoolers in public school sports, especially once they realize why and how it would lead to increased state regulation of all homeschoolers. We also need to be alert so that legislation allowing homeschoolers to play public school sports does not quietly pass with little notice.

The Bismarck Tribune posted an article describing homeschoolers’ participation in the Bismarck area’s public and private schools.  They need to follow the North Dakota Activities Association rules to join in.  A public school principal says this:

Home-school students are splitting time between home-school and public school

Madler said the approach is similar to the policy that if a private school doesn’t offer a particular activity, students who attend the private school are allowed to participate at a public school.

Another school administrator reshuffled policy when he came on-board.  That open door policy based on open participation administrative attitudes seems to be the case in some individual school districts.

“(Home school students) have a right to participate, whether public or private,” he said. “If they choose Shiloh as a place they would like to participate, we would allow that.”

Only a handful of home-school students have participated in sports at Shiloh, he said. In the past, home school-students were only allowed to participate in specific sports or activities. That hasn’t been the case since Forness has been principal.

The National Charter School Watch discussion group (NCSW) is assessing the state of things six years after its founding by homeschooling mom Annette Jurczak in June, 2004. The group’s description explains in part:

We welcome those seeking information about charter school issues in their states and nationally, as well as those sharing information about charter schools. Objective discussion focused on the *issues* at hand and in the service of better understanding these issues, is welcome.

The discussion group’s membership consists of charter schoolers, virtual schoolers, homeschoolers and advocates of homeschooling. Annette posted on July 11:

“Much time has passed since this group was started, and much has changed over the years. So what are your thoughts? What have you learned as it relates to hsing and ps at home programs over the years? Do you think hsing is being negatively impacted? Do you think there has been any loss of homeschooling freedoms? Have your attitudes and opinions changed and if so, how?”

Join the group at the link above and join the discussion beginning with Annette’s July 11 post.

LEBANON, Ohio — Kelly and April Kamentz would like to see all of their six children play sports on Lebanon schools teams.

But the 19-year residents of the district may not get that chance because their children are homeschooled, and like other Warren County schools that have high “partial enrollment” requirements, Lebanon requires student-athletes to take at least five classes a year.

“As a resident, as a taxpaying citizen, I’ve invested my life in Lebanon,” Kelly Kamentz said. “I hope that Lebanon will adopt what we consider to be a more reasonable definition of partial enrollment.”

Continue reading Parents of homeschool children want sports, subtitled OHSAA’s rules leave room for interpretation; each school district gets the final say, by Richard Wilson, Staff Writer for the Dayton Daily News in Dayton, Ohio.