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Parents and coaches urge Blue Ridge board to allow ESA‑funded homeschoolers into extracurriculars
Summary
Multiple community members at the board meeting urged the district to permit homeschool students using ESA funds to join extracurricular activities on a pay‑to‑play basis, warned of declining enrollment and reported teacher departures, and asked the board to hold an open meeting on the policy.
A steady stream of public comment at Tuesday’s Blue Ridge Unified School District board meeting pressed the board to revise a policy that limits extracurricular participation by families using Education Savings Accounts (ESA).
Sara Chadnoff, a parent and volunteer, told the board the district has seen a roughly 17% enrollment decline from FY21 to FY25 and raised concerns about teacher turnover at the elementary level. "We’re up to 11 teachers from the elementary school," she said after reviewing recent agendas, and she urged the board to consider teacher pay, anonymous exit surveys and scheduling changes to encourage public participation.
Several speakers asked the board to let ESA families participate on a pay‑to‑play or partial‑fee basis rather than forcing families to fully reenroll. Elaine Smithson, who runs the elementary backpack snack program, argued that extracurriculars "are the lifeblood of school culture and student connection" and that allowing ESA students to pay to participate would increase team viability and competitiveness. Lana Sipe, who homeschooled family members, said the policy "effectively excludes a group of students who are still part and invested in this community." Coach and parent Casey Flake said coaches often must turn away ESA students under current rules and warned that local teams lack numbers without broader inclusion.
Why it matters: Speakers tied the policy to program sustainability, local support for an upcoming bond and broader community inclusion. Several commenters said opening extracurriculars to ESA participants could strengthen teams, increase program participation and help attract or retain families.
Board response and next steps: Chair said the topic needs a dedicated open meeting and proposed placing it on a July agenda for fuller public discussion; the board agreed to schedule an open forum before formal action. Board members and administrators cited the need to balance stewardship of district resources with community inclusion and acknowledged the issue’s potential implications for upcoming bond outreach.
The board did not make a policy change at Tuesday’s meeting; members agreed to schedule additional public discussion and to add the issue to a future agenda so both sides can present detailed options.
