Committee hears bill to let nonpublic, virtual and Kansas Academy students join district activities; KSHSAA raises competitive-balance concerns

Senate Bill 114 would amend KSA 72-71-21 to authorize nonpublic and virtual-school students to participate in ancillary activities at the public school district where they reside and to prohibit discrimination by districts or the Kansas State High School Activities Association based on enrollment status, the bill's reviser told the House Committee on Education.

The bill's language also was amended to make students enrolled at the Kansas Academy of Math and Science (CAMS) eligible to participate on the same basis as resident students; the reviser said the Senate passed SB 114 on a final vote of 32 to 8 and the changes would take effect July 1.

Students and families described local incidents they said the bill would prevent. Bryce Stephan and another CAMS student described being barred from CASSA‑regulated postseason participation and asked lawmakers to make the change immediately so they could compete this season. Aubrey and Kira Richardson, parents and homeschool advocates from Wallace County, testified that homeschool athletes who competed for their local public school were excluded from senior night and from lettering and that local administrative decisions had denied recognition despite coaches and leagues awarding honors.

Attorney Josh Nye said his office sent a demand letter to a school district after the Richardson family's incident and that the district revised its policy. He said the bill stems from a desire to put an explicit statutory prohibition on district-level exclusion so similar disputes do not recur.

The Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) opposed the version of the bill that adds CAMS students, saying the change would create a competitive advantage for Hays High School because CAMS students live and study on or near the Fort Hays campus and could constitute an 80-student pool available only to that receiving public high school. KSHSAA's representative said approved schools and member schools differ: approved schools may participate in regular-season activities but do not receive full post-season membership rights unless they become a member school that follows KSHSAA's full rules.

Committee members pressed witnesses on residency and classification effects. KSHSAA and others said residency is typically where a student "lays their head at night" for eligibility purposes, but that the association also has rules to determine eligibility for its events. Witnesses noted CAMS is an early-college program with on‑campus housing (40 students per incoming class; roughly 75 enrolled total was cited by students) and that classification changes for Hays would not likely be affected by adding that number, though witnesses said roster displacement and recruiting concerns could occur in particular sports or events.

Administrators and a USD 241 representative who testified by phone asked for clearer statutory definitions of "ancillary activities," "district activities" and what it means for a student to be "entitled to all rights and subject to all responsibilities" under the proposed language.

The committee did not vote on the bill at the hearing; the chair said the committee will "work" the measure at a later meeting.

Ending: Supporters urged prompt enactment to avoid excluding students from postseason events; KSHSAA urged the committee to preserve competitive balance and proposed membership or approved‑school solutions.