Alabama’s “Tebow Bill” is moving forward.

New Ala. Bill May Allow Home-Schooled Athletes to Participate in Public School 
WPMI Local 15 News by: Frank Morales

MOBILE, Ala. (WPMI) A bill making its way through the Alabama State Legislature would allow students who are home-schooled to participate in public school athletics.SB 186, known as the “Tim Tebow Act”, passed the Alabama Senate Education Committee Wednesday, and is headed to the senate floor.  The bill would still have to pass both houses and get the signature of Governor Robert Bentley for it become law.A standing law in Florida allowed New York Jets Quarterback Tim Tebow to play high school football while he was home-schooled, launching his football career.17-year-old golfer Dawson Mounse, a home-schooled athlete, said the current Alabama laws don’t allow him to take his other passion to the next level.

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Memphis’ Commercial Appeal reports on a bill: Unanimous: Bill allowing home school students to play public school sports passes Tennessee Senate By Richard Locker

The bill, which won approval 31-0 on the Senate floor Monday night, would not guarantee home schoolers a spot on teams but would give them the opportunity to try out for teams as regularly enrolled students. They must also meet the same health, academic and conduct standards required of other participants. The bill is set for House subcommittee review.

State policies seem to be similar across the country.  A private entity is allowed “governing authority” for many extra-curricular public school activities.  In Tennessee, that group is the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association, which adopted a policy giving local schools authority to allow (or disallow)  homeschoolers’ participation in these public school activities.

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Tucker Brouchard appreciates his family and life as a teen in Massachusetts.

Just a high-scoring family guy By Tim Healey
Boston Globe

Bouchard, however, has not taken one class at Silver Lake the last four years. He will not say goodbye to any of his favorite teachers in June. And he will not walk with his senior teammates at graduation ceremonies or collect a diploma.

The lifelong Kingston resident is not a student at the high school.

“My mom taught me my whole life,” said Tucker, the fifth of six Bouchard children to be home schooled. “My parents, it was a big choice for them. They didn’t really like public school [and] my mom wants to spend more time with us. . . . She loves to be with us. She didn’t have to work at the time, so she liked being home with us.”

The “Tebow” Bill is up again in Alabama.  The proposal has been raised in years past and defeated by legislators.
WHNT Lawmakers Review “Tebow Bill” For Home-Schooled Athletes by Nick Banaszak

Senate Bill 186, better known as the “Tim Tebow Act”, would erase the barrier that currently exists between home-schooled students and public high schools in Alabama. The Tebow Act would allow home-schoolers to play as long as they’re good enough to make the team.
Alabama is one of 25 states that still bar home-schoolers from playing for their local high public high school, with lawmakers staunchly rejecting similar legislation in the past. Tim Tebow famously won the Heisman Trophy and two national championships during his time at the University of Florida, but those honors were preceded by Tebow’s performance as a home-schooler when he led his public high school football team in Florida to a state championship.

There are currently five sponsors and it’s sitting in the Senate Education Committee.

Over in the Pacific, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser Home-school bill on hold again by Nanea Kalani

Lawmakers have again shelved a bill to allow Hawaii’s home-schooled students to participate in extracurricular activities at public schools — a recurring debate at the state Capitol for at least the past decade.

But the issue remains in play, as Senate Education Committee Chairwoman Jill Tokuda said she will ask the state school board to thoroughly vet the issue and make a recommendation to lawmakers before next year’s legislative session.

It was a bit shocking to see extracurricular participation was popped into a bill that calls for Hawaiian homeschoolers to enroll in public schools. As I read it, that carrot would not be appealing with the stick.   It is good to see the Senate Education Chair and sponsor of this bill chose to defer it.  Let’s hope it dies a quick death too.  SB 922 called for this:

Requires all home school students to enroll at the public school in the student’s service area. Requires home school students who are enrolled at the school in their service area to be calculated as an unspecified per cent of a non-home school student at that public school under the weighted student formula. Allows home school students to participate in any extracurricular activities offered by a public school. Amends section 302A-101, HRS, to add definitions for “enroll” and “home school”.

Despite many Virginia homeschoolers‘ efforts and a Commonwealth Education Poll determining a good majority of Virginians (67%) favor allowing homeschooled students to participate on public school teams, Virginia’s Senate Education and Health Committee voted the bill down in an 8-7 vote.

19 year old Josh Henderson testified at the hearing.  He will be leaving soon for spring camp with the Los Angeles Dodgers, after his 16th-round 2012 Major League draft pick. Homeschooled, Josh played for a Suffolk Baptist school as a younger teen. He made a plea for the homeschool community.

From the CBS DC site: Senate Panel Sacks ‘Tebow’ Homeschooling Bill Again:

“I just want you all to give these guys a shot,” he said, gesturing toward about a dozen young children queued in the committee room aisle awaiting a chance to speak.

The Virginian-Pilot reported a rather impertinent response from a Senate public servant to Josh’s father:

‘Tebow’ home school sports bill sacked in Va. Senate By Julian Walker

When addressing the committee, Steve Henderson – Josh’s father – explained that he and his wife educated the two youngest of their six boys at home because it was the best choice for them, not a knock against public schools. He made the case that parents and students contribute to the state and thus shouldn’t be denied access to services.

“We pay our taxes, too,” the elder Henderson said. “There’s no difficulty in taking our money.”

“You pay taxes that also go to purchase an F-22 fighter, that doesn’t mean you get to fly it,” fired back Senate Minority Leader Richard Saslaw.

The Virginian-Pilot also pointed out the other opponents:

Opposing the measure were representatives of education interest groups, including the Virginia Parent Teacher Association, the Virginia Education Association, the Virginia High School League and the Virginia Association of School Superintendents. They said creating special dispensation for homeschooled students is unfair to public students who must meet standards homeschoolers don’t face.

Despite the VHSL claims of formation of a “small, elite group with separate and lesser standards”, the Organization of Virginia Homeschoolers pointed these facts out in their press release:

This year’s homeschool sports access bills specifically state that homeschool eligibility is subject to the policy of each local school board – there would be no mandate on public schools.  Qualified students would only be eligible at the public school in their residential attendance zone (no “team shopping”). They would have to be bona fide homeschoolers, presenting documented proof that they had homeschooled in compliance with Virginia’s home instruction statute for at least two consecutive school years, including the two years immediately prior to seeking participation (“dropouts” would not qualify).  Homeschoolers would also have to provide proof of two years of satisfactory academic progress, either through standardized testing scores or via professional academic evaluations approved by the local public school superintendent. Other eligibility rules required by the Virginia High School League (VHSL) would also apply.

In this case, it appears the special interest, big spending lobbying groups won.  But the homeschooled children in the hearing room had a contemporary, hands-on civics lesson in their state’s Capitol.  That experience meets exceptional standards of usefulness.

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.

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

I can’t resist this story.

Catching some “air”:  Homeschool students hit the slopes OTIS, Mass. (WGGB)

People ask what we do all day as homeschoolers.

What we do all day is take advantage of our community’s resources.  The museums, galleries, libraries, mentors, our living history from local veterans, along with our great outdoors provide endless learning opportunities.  Please enjoy the WGGB video.  From one of the western Massachusetts participants:

‘There are a bunch of big hills and it’s really good learning’

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