Board adopts policy updates on private-school student participation and student religious expression
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Summary
The board approved updates to student policies including extracurricular activity eligibility for private-school students (aligning to Act 644 of 2025) and adjustments to religious-expression language tied to previously approved class-rank changes; staff clarified homeschool and private participation thresholds (30th percentile national assessment for admission).
Tanya Sharp presented two student-policy updates and asked the board to approve revisions intended to align district policy with state law. Sharp described the first change as an update to policy 4.56.0.3 on extracurricular activity eligibility for private-school students to align with Act 644 of 2025. She said the law allows private school students to participate if the district permits and noted that historically the district has not allowed that because of program-capacity concerns.
Regarding homeschool students, staff said the law requires admitting homeschool students who meet a threshold on a national assessment. "They have to score with what percentile? 30 what is it? 30 percentile on a national assessment...Once they score that 30 percentile, then they follow the regular tryout routine as published on our website," staff said.
Sharp also presented recommended updates to policy 4.63 on student religious expression tied to earlier changes in how class rank is handled. After brief clarifying questions from board members, a motion to approve the policy changes passed by roll call.
Board members asked for clarity on tryout timing and how private-school participation would be managed; staff said private-school participants would follow published tryout routines once eligibility criteria are met. The policy changes were adopted by the board during the meeting.