Nortex Times

Students who are home schooled cannot currently participate in Texas public school extracurricular activities, including sports, but a bill introduced by Rep. James Frank (R-Wichita Falls), if passed, will level the playing field.

Frank introduced HB 547 and Sen. Angela Paxton (R-McKinney) introduced SB 491. Both will allow home-schooled children to participate in University Interscholastic League extracurricular programs through their local public school. The UIL is the main league that hosts extracurricular activities in Texas.

"Under current Texas law, home school students are prohibited from participating in extracurricular activities in public school leagues such as sports, theater and musical competition," Frank told the Nortex Times. "While some home-school parents have chosen to organize and enroll their children in private athletic leagues or other creative outlets, the prohibition against home-school student participation in UIL activities effectively eliminates extracurricular opportunities for home-school families of limited economic means or in rural areas that cannot support these private activities."

Frank said his bill is important as it "ends discrimination against home-school students by giving them access to their tax-funded extracurricular activities in their local school district. It also gives additional options to students to more fully form their education, regardless of where they live or how much money their parents have."

Many home-schooled children live in rural areas, have limited economic means, and their extracurricular options are non-existent or limited. The Texas Home School Coalition supports home-schooled children being allowed to take part in UIL. Its website indicates approximately 22% to 32% of families who home school their children live in rural areas.

Frank said those who will be helped the most by his bill are "home school families of limited economic means or in rural areas that cannot support private home-school activities."

Texas is one of 15 states that does not allow home-schooled children to participate in public school activities. 

"Thirty-five other states have ended this discrimination and allowed access," Frank said "To my knowledge, not one has chosen to rescind or go back on that due to problems." 

As reported by Education Daily Wire, Florida passed similar legislation in 1996. Today a total of 35 states allow participation for home-schooled children in public school programs.

Frank said that based on conversations with other Texas legislators, the bill has bipartisan support this session as it has in the past, adding, "Fairness knows no party."  

The bill does face some hurdles, including from past opponents. 

"It is difficult to get any bill passed--there isn't a ton of time during session and it is a process designed to kill bills," Frank said. "With that said, previous obstacles have been opposition by a few in the high school coaching community, their lobbyists and the makeup on the public education committee that wasn't as friendly to equal access as the broader House. The Senate has passed this bill multiple times in previous sessions." 

He added, "If COVID-19 has taught us anything, it's that different kids have different learning needs. Some thrive in the in-person public only model, while others thrive strictly in a home-school setting. HB 547 adds additional options for students who might not be as successful in those settings."