For those in Tennessee

[The Girls' Mom]

I just got email notice of this bit of legislation for HSers.

 

 

Please feel free to forward to interested parties. I do ask that you keep this email intact with all the contact information so that people will know where it came from and where to go in case they have questions, corrections or updated information. I will be creating a new section at http://TnHomeEd.com for legislation this year so folks can check for updated information as it becomes known.

 

<A HREF=http://www.capitol.tn.gov/house/members/h40.html>Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver (R-Lancaster) </a> has sponsored the following:

 

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)©(i);

© 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;

(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)©(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

participating; provided, that the home schooled students participating meet the

requirements of this subsection.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring

it.

[teachermom2834]

I can't tell you how important this would be to our family. I know some would never consider sports to be important enough to send your child to school but the competition and outlet of sports is like oxygen to dc, it seems.

 

I worry every single day about how to manage the team sports issue vs. really wanting to homeschool. This solution would mean so much to our family.

 

Is there really much chance of this passing? Every time I have heard it mentioned it seems as though there is not enough support for it.

 

I dare not even think about it too much for fear of getting my hopes up. This is a really tough issue for us.

 

Marie

[The Girls' Mom]

I don't know. I hope it passes. I just wish it had more wording about the CRS, as it appears from looking at this that only HSers registered with the state can qualify.

[teachermom2834]

That would be important. There is always so much in the wording. We are registered with state and had planned to continue with that.

[Tree House Academy]

YAY! I saw a barrier broken this year as our public school was going to allow my son to play on the basketball team. However, when I called the school system directly, they said "no." He had played in years prior while he went to ps and I ran into the guy who is over the league who knows me by name and asked him. I think they keep it hush-hush here that they allow it. Most kids are turned down.

 

We decided to let him play on a Christian league instead, though.

 

Thanks for posting this!

[gardenschooler]

Well, I wouldn't get your hopes up. These things never pass. Too much opposition from the homeschoolers, usually.

[K-FL]

Well, I wouldn't get your hopes up. These things never pass. Too much opposition from the homeschoolers, usually.

 

While that's true don't underestimate the power of Tim Tebow's success & SEC competition :). Here in FL (where Tebow was a homeschooler), you can register w/the county school board or under a "600" school. The 600 option makes you legally a private schooler so you have no privlages of using the ps classes, sports, etc & must follow their school's rules as to attendance, portfolios, etc. As county registered, homeschoolers can take classes or be involved in any extra activities such as band or sports just like their ps peers. I know the TN hs law is quite different from FL, but maybe they'll work this out. I'm originally from TN so I'm always curious as to how they're doing "back home."

Edited January 15, 2009 by K-FL
grammar