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Senate advances bill to expand extracurricular access for homeschooled students
Summary
First substitute SB72 would let homeschooled students participate in public school extracurriculars while removing two standard requirements (seat time and school-determined academic eligibility); debate focused on equity and the Board of Education's role and the measure passed to third reading 21–7.
Senator Madsen presented first substitute SB72 to standardize participation for homeschooled students in public-school extracurricular activities. The measure eliminates two requirements that public-school students typically must meet (seat-time attendance and school-determined academic-eligibility standards) and instead allows parents to certify adequate progress for homeschooled children while preserving other requirements such as citizenship and drug testing.
Madsen said the change would align common practice with the statute and provide homeschool families an opportunity to participate in athletics and arts without additional hurdles. She described committee work to close a loophole that would prevent academically ineligible students from switching to homeschooling mid-season to gain immediate eligibility.
Several senators asked whether the bill removes the school board's role in eligibility decisions and whether the change would create inequality for public-school students who must meet stricter seat-time or academic thresholds. The sponsor responded that boards still may impose standards tied to citizenship, testing, or other rules, and that the bill narrowly exempts only seat-time and provides a parent-based academic eligibility mechanism to mirror homeschooling practice.
The Senate voted to read the first substitute SB72 for the third time with a roll-call result of 21 yes, 7 no and 1 absent. The measure will return for third reading.
