Sponsored by:
Senator MICHAEL J. DOHERTY
District 23 (Hunterdon, Somerset and Warren)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senator A.R.Bucco
SYNOPSIS
Requires school districts to allow home-schooled students to participate in school-sponsored extracurricular activities in student’s resident district.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the participation of certain students in extracurricular activities and supplementing chapter 42 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. A board of education shall permit a home-schooled student to try out for, and participate in, any school-sponsored extracurricular activity including, but not limited to, clubs, musical ensembles, Statewide interscholastic sports programs, and theatrical productions in the student’s district of residence in accordance with the same criteria established for students enrolled in the district. A home-schooled student who wishes to participate in an extracurricular activity in his resident district shall:
(1) provide proof that he resides in the district;
(2) meet the eligibility and try out criteria for participation in the activity; and
(3) comply with all policies, rules, and regulations of the governing organization of the extracurricular activity.
b. In the event that the extracurricular activity is interscholastic athletics, the student shall demonstrate to the board of education that he did not transfer to a home-school program for athletic advantage. A student who withdraws from a public school to enroll in a home-school program and who is ineligible to participate in interscholastic athletics at the time of withdrawal from the public school due to his failure to meet academic, behavioral, or eligibility standards, shall be ineligible to compete in interscholastic athletic competition.
c. If the school-sponsored extracurricular activity requires the completion of a physical examination or medical test as a condition of participation and the school district of residence offers the requisite examination or test to the students enrolled in the school district, the school district shall permit a home-schooled student to access the examination or test and shall publish the dates and times of the examination or test on its website.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires school districts to allow home-schooled students to participate in any school-sponsored extracurricular activity including, but not limited to, clubs, musical ensembles, Statewide interscholastic sports programs, and theatrical productions in the student’s district of residence in accordance with the same criteria established for students enrolled in the district.
Under the bill, a home-schooled student who wishes to participate in an extracurricular activity in his resident district must:
(1) provide proof that he resides in the district;
(2) meet the eligibility and try out criteria for participation in the activity; and
(3) comply with all policies, rules, and regulations of the governing organization of the extracurricular activity.
In the event that the extracurricular activity involves participation in interscholastic athletics, the student must demonstrate to the board of education that he did not transfer to a home-school program for athletic advantage.
Under the bill, if the extracurricular activity requires the completion of a physical examination or medical test as a condition of participation and the school district of residence offers the examination or test to the students enrolled in the school district, then the school district is required to allow a home-schooled student to access the examination or test and must publish the dates and times of the examination or test on its website.