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Homeschool students press committee for access to public high school sports
Summary
Sponsors and dozens of witnesses, including students and military families, supported HB 11‑85 to allow homeschooled students to participate on public high school teams; proponents said the change would expand opportunities and help schools field teams.
Delegate LaToya Congolo presented House Bill 11‑85 to the Ways and Means Committee on March 5, asking lawmakers to give homeschooled high school students the opportunity to participate in public high school athletics within their county of residence, provided those students meet the eligibility requirements the bill would set.
Congolo told the committee her bill has broad support and a petition with more than 1,000 signatures. “The Right to Play Bill authorizes public high school students to allow homeschool students to participate in athletic activities at any high school within their county of residence provided they meet specific requirements,” she said, and added that, where space is limited, “priority will be given to students enrolled in the school.”
Testimony from military families emphasized the bill’s practical value. Kevin Harrington, an active‑duty service member who identified himself as a homeschooling parent, said the bill “is for military kids. It's good for them.” He described repeated relocations and said access to local public school teams had been available in other states where his family lived.
Many families and student athletes described the social, developmental and college‑recruiting benefits of team sports. Jennifer Lambert, a homeschool parent, said families sometimes must enroll a child in traditional school to access competitive high‑school athletics, a choice she said should not be necessary. Several students testified in person, describing how sports taught teamwork, discipline and confidence; one student said he had moved to another high‑school program only because his local homeschool options had no competitive football team.
Sponsors and witnesses noted that similar policies are in place in roughly 30 states. The bill would require homeschooled athletes to meet the same eligibility and academic standards as public school participants and would place responsibility for transportation and costs with the families. Committee members asked questions about geographic choice of school, roster limits and priority rules; sponsors said the language permits counties to set reasonable conditions and gives priority to enrolled students when spots are limited.
No committee vote was recorded at the March 5 hearing. Supporters urged lawmakers to advance the bill and offered to work with the committee on technical language to address competitive balance and administrative concerns.
