By Marcia Barnes
Staff Writer
Heading a list of reports given at the Clay County Board of Education meeting on July 25, Superintendent Dale Cole said home school students are eligible to participate in high school sports if they meet certain qualifications. Cole said these qualifications are outlined in BOE Policy 3620: Extracurricular Activities and Student Organizations specifically under Section 3: Special Circumstances.
Cole’s report came as a response to questions addressed to Cole by Paul Rohs during the public comment section of the meeting of Clay County Schools BOE in June. Rohs said North Carolina does not have a law requiring local school districts to allow participation in sports by home school students. Rohs asked, “What would it take for Clay County home school students to participate?”
Cole said although the state does not have a law requiring local boards of education to allow these students to participate in sports, Clay County Board of Education does and outlined BOE Policy 3620.
The policy reads:
3. Athletic Participation by Home School Students
Home school students who are dually enrolled in accordance with the school system’s enrollment and assignment policies and procedures are eligible to participate in high school interscholastic athletics if they comply with all of the following.
The student must present a home school card from the Division of Non-Public Education for the previous and current years, as well as a transcript, attendance record and record immunizations.
The student must submit proof that the student has been enrolled in a registered home school for 365 days prior to participation in athletics.
Prior to the first date of practice, the student must provide the results of a nationally standardized achievement test, taken within the last year, that indicates the student was on grade level at the time the test was taken.
The student must participate in a class schedule that is at least one half of the assigned school’s instructional day. At least one class must be taken on campus each semester.
The student must pass all classes in which the student is enrolled at the assigned school in order to maintain athletic eligibility.
Once dually enrolled and deemed eligible to participate in athletics, the student must maintain continuous dual enrollment. Failure to maintain continuous dual enrollment would render the student ineligible for athletic participation for 365 days.
The student must notify the principal of the assigned school in writing of the student’s intent to try out for an athletic team at least 10 days prior to the first practice date of each sport season in which the student wishes to participate. Failure to comply with this requirement renders the student ineligible for that sport season.
The student must comply with all other applicable North Carolina High School Athletic Association rules and regulations regarding fully enrolled students.
A dually enrolled student who transitions to full enrollment within the school system will then be governed by North Carolina High School Athletic Association rules and regulations regarding full enrolled students.
Cole said he has responded to Rohs’ statements and questions in a letter, outlined the policy and hoped it would fully answer Rohs' questions.