Policy lets private‑school and homeschool students try out for district teams; board discusses costs

The board approved policy 4.301, a statutory change that permits private‑school and homeschool students who reside in district attendance zones to try out for public school athletic teams if their school does not offer the sport. Staff clarified that eligibility is tied to where a student lives, not the private school’s location, and that cooperative agreements (per the statute) allow districts to implement access for qualifying students.

Board members pressed staff on whether there could be fees or other cost impacts. One member asked if private‑school participants receiving vouchers create an opportunity to charge fees because voucher funding goes to the private school rather than the district; staff responded that the statute is silent on imposing additional costs and that cooperative agreements generally govern the implementation. The board approved 4.301 by voice vote; staff said they would follow up on implementation questions and cooperative‑agreement mechanics.