Kentucky State Representative Stan Lee has pre-filed legislation for next year that would allow home school students to compete for their local public school. The bill named after former University of Florida Quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow would require home school students to sign-up with the local public high or middle school to compete.
There are several home school groups that compete together at the middle and elementary levels in cross country in Kentucky. Currently, all high school aged athletes that are home schooled can only compete in post-season events. Former Middle School State XC Champion Michael Sheets falls into this category (ran 16:34 at the Cross Country Coaches Youth National Championship in November)
This bill has been proposed and failed in previous years.
Proposed Bill Listed Below
WORKING DRAFT IN PROCESS
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AN ACT relating to interscholastic athletics.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky:
ď˘SECTION 1. A NEW SECTION OF KRS CHAPTER 158 IS CREATED TO
READ AS FOLLOWS:
(1) A student enrolled in a nonpublic school, including a home school, is eligible to
participate in an interscholastic extracurricular activity sponsored by or engaged
in by the public school to which the student would be assigned according to
district school board attendance policies or which the student could choose to
attend pursuant to district open enrollment provisions, provided that the
nonpublic school does not offer the interscholastic extracurricular activity. A
student eligible under this section who is selected to participate in an
interscholastic extracurricular activity shall:
(a) Pay any participation or activity fee in an amount equal to the fee charged
to public school participants;
(b) Adhere to the same standards of behavior, responsibility, performance, and
code of conduct as any other participants in the extracurricular activity;
(c) Adhere to the same academic standards as other participants, with those
standards confirmed by the appropriate nonpublic school documentation
provided to the public school offering the extracurricular activity in which
the student will participate;
(d) Register with the public school his or her intent to participate in
extracurricular activity as a representative of the public school before the
beginning date of the semester for the activity in which he or she wishes to
participate; and
(e) Comply with the same physical examination, immunization, insurance, age,
and semester eligibility requirements as other students participating in the
(2) Transportation of a nonpublic school student to the public school to participate
in an interscholastic extracurricular activity is the responsibility of the parent,
guardian, or student. The student may use the same transportation as other
students as long as additional expenses are not incurred by the district.
(3) A public school shall not discriminate against a student eligible under this
section in the selection of interscholastic extracurricular team members.
(4) A public school team or group shall not be impeded from competing against any
other public school team or group solely because the public school team or group
includes students eligible under this section.
