article Commissioner’s Response to Home School Proposal (BR396)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 5, 2015

Commissioner’s Response to Home School Proposal:

“Following the announcement of the bill (BR396) introduced by Representative Stan Lee (R-Lexington) and others on October 30, our office has again received a number of phone calls and emails from media members seeking comment. The proposal as drafted is not a measure to simply allow participation by home schooled students despite any title reference to Tim Tebow, who participated as a home schooled student in Florida. In fact, the actual bill, 16RS BR396, is much more impactful and potentially harmful to education-based athletics and its impact is much more pervasive on our member schools. As it is currently drafted, the bill would fundamentally alter high school athletics and erode the school-based model in our state, as it would allow all nonpublic school student-athletes to attend a nonpublic school (even a KHSAA member school) and yet compete for public schools at their discretion, if the school in which they are attending (including a home school) didn’t offer a specific extracurricular activity. As currently worded, it appears to impact much more than homeschool student participation.

This proposed act, different from past proposed acts, offers a blanket opportunity for any nonpublic school to have its students participate in school-based sports at another school. For example, a strict read would appear to allow a student at Sayre to participate in football in their district of residence. This is much more than just a home school proposal. While nearly all of the efforts of our member schools have been about increasing participation opportunities, this proposal could literally have the impact of reducing participation by encouraging nonpublic schools to not offer certain sports for a variety of reasons, and simply allow those students to play for another public school. It is doubtful this was the author’s intent, but nonetheless, is a very literal possibility. The proposal also does not address any standards for home schooled instruction, which has been a previously identified problem with other proposals as it makes academic comparative equity virtually impossible without such standards.

As Representative Lee has previously stated in public comments, there is ample time before this bill begins to work its way through consideration and the legislative process. We certainly look forward to and welcome the discussion of this topic and alternative thoughts with Rep. Lee and all other members of the General Assembly, as well as our constituents and the KHSAA Board of Control, as we all work together for what is best for students in our Commonwealth.”

-Julian Tackett

KHSAA Commissioner

Background and General Information on Previously Reviewed Proposals Concerning Home Schooled Students and Education-Based Athletics

As the entity designated by the Kentucky General Assembly and the Kentucky Board of Education to manage high school athletics in Kentucky, it is the KHSAA’s responsibility to support the wishes of its 277 member schools, the representatives of which have emphatically been against similar proposals in the past. There are numerous specific challenges and concerns that arise by allowing homeschooled children to compete that have been identified by the member schools in the past, some of which have included:

• The main disconnect (between enrolled and non-traditional students) is academic accountability. There seem to be no means of verifying the student’s curriculum to allow for comparison of equitable academic performance to those students in public schools. This extends not only to grade awarding concerns but the requirements for a student to be enrolled full-time (four hours per day) of the six hour day for instruction;
  
• A lack of any state required certification or requirements for home school instructors (compared to requirements for public school teachers);
  
• Participating in high school sports is a privilege which is afforded to those students who regularly attend the school and enroll in the academic curriculum. Other community-based participation opportunities are available for the general citizenry, but this participation is expected to be education and school-based;
  
• The ability of students failing to meet the academic standards and requirements of public schools to withdraw from that school and be immediately eligible simply by being enrolled in home school;
  
• The financial aspects of the public school being required to manage the personnel and facilities for competition without receiving the state appropriation for those students;
  
• Schools covering the expenses of a student who is not paying the full cost of education to attend;
  
• The displacement of an otherwise eligible public school student, who has earned their time to participate, by a non-enrolled student;
  
• The potential liability and risk of back-and-forth travel to both practices and contests;
  
• The potential for a student-athlete to gain a competitive edge on another student athlete. It is possible that a home schooled student is spending the whole day in pursuit of learning or he/she could be on the golf course gaining an advantage on the enrolled student;
  
• Concerns about the inclusion of an accurate representation of homeschool athletes in the enrollment counts when considering enrollment based classified sports such as track and football;
  
• The argument that in allowing this type of participation, these entities appear to want the best of both worlds, with the membership traditionally forming the general consensus that if they (the parents and students) don’t want the academics, they don’t get the athletics.
  

– KHSAA –

About the Kentucky High School Athletic Association

The Kentucky High School Athletic Association was organized in 1917 and is the agency designated by the Kentucky Department of Education to manage high school athletics in the Commonwealth. The Association is a voluntary nonprofit 501©3 organization made up of 278 member schools both public and private. The KHSAA sanctions 43 state championships in 13 sports and 4 sport-activities, licenses and trains over 4,500 officials, provides catastrophic insurance for its more than 59,000 member school student-athletes in more than 74,000 participation opportunities, as well as overseeing coaching education and sports safety programs.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 5, 2015

 

Commissioner’s Response to Home School Proposal:

 

“Following the announcement of the bill (BR396) introduced by Representative Stan Lee (R-Lexington) and others on October 30, our office has again received a number of phone calls and emails from media members seeking comment. The proposal as drafted is not a measure to simply allow participation by home schooled students despite any title reference to Tim Tebow, who participated as a home schooled student in Florida. In fact, the actual bill, 16RS BR396, is much more impactful and potentially harmful to education-based athletics and its impact is much more pervasive on our member schools. As it is currently drafted, the bill would fundamentally alter high school athletics and erode the school-based model in our state, as it would allow all nonpublic school student-athletes to attend a nonpublic school (even a KHSAA member school) and yet compete for public schools at their discretion, if the school in which they are attending (including a home school) didn’t offer a specific extracurricular activity. As currently worded, it appears to impact much more than homeschool student participation.

 

This proposed act, different from past proposed acts, offers a blanket opportunity for any nonpublic school to have its students participate in school-based sports at another school. For example, a strict read would appear to allow a student at Sayre to participate in football in their district of residence. This is much more than just a home school proposal. While nearly all of the efforts of our member schools have been about increasing participation opportunities, this proposal could literally have the impact of reducing participation by encouraging nonpublic schools to not offer certain sports for a variety of reasons, and simply allow those students to play for another public school. It is doubtful this was the author’s intent, but nonetheless, is a very literal possibility. The proposal also does not address any standards for home schooled instruction, which has been a previously identified problem with other proposals as it makes academic comparative equity virtually impossible without such standards.

 

As Representative Lee has previously stated in public comments, there is ample time before this bill begins to work its way through consideration and the legislative process. We certainly look forward to and welcome the discussion of this topic and alternative thoughts with Rep. Lee and all other members of the General Assembly, as well as our constituents and the KHSAA Board of Control, as we all work together for what is best for students in our Commonwealth.”

 

-Julian Tackett

KHSAA Commissioner

 

Background and General Information on Previously Reviewed Proposals Concerning Home Schooled Students and Education-Based Athletics

As the entity designated by the Kentucky General Assembly and the Kentucky Board of Education to manage high school athletics in Kentucky, it is the KHSAA’s responsibility to support the wishes of its 277 member schools, the representatives of which have emphatically been against similar proposals in the past. There are numerous specific challenges and concerns that arise by allowing homeschooled children to compete that have been identified by the member schools in the past, some of which have included:

 

• The main disconnect (between enrolled and non-traditional students) is academic accountability. There seem to be no means of verifying the student’s curriculum to allow for comparison of equitable academic performance to those students in public schools. This extends not only to grade awarding concerns but the requirements for a student to be enrolled full-time (four hours per day) of the six hour day for instruction;
  
• A lack of any state required certification or requirements for home school instructors (compared to requirements for public school teachers);
  
• Participating in high school sports is a privilege which is afforded to those students who regularly attend the school and enroll in the academic curriculum. Other community-based participation opportunities are available for the general citizenry, but this participation is expected to be education and school-based;
  
• The ability of students failing to meet the academic standards and requirements of public schools to withdraw from that school and be immediately eligible simply by being enrolled in home school;
  
• The financial aspects of the public school being required to manage the personnel and facilities for competition without receiving the state appropriation for those students;
  
• Schools covering the expenses of a student who is not paying the full cost of education to attend;
  
• The displacement of an otherwise eligible public school student, who has earned their time to participate, by a non-enrolled student;
  
• The potential liability and risk of back-and-forth travel to both practices and contests;
  
• The potential for a student-athlete to gain a competitive edge on another student athlete. It is possible that a home schooled student is spending the whole day in pursuit of learning or he/she could be on the golf course gaining an advantage on the enrolled student;
  
• Concerns about the inclusion of an accurate representation of homeschool athletes in the enrollment counts when considering enrollment based classified sports such as track and football;
  
• The argument that in allowing this type of participation, these entities appear to want the best of both worlds, with the membership traditionally forming the general consensus that if they (the parents and students) don’t want the academics, they don’t get the athletics.
  

 

– KHSAA –

 

About the Kentucky High School Athletic Association

The Kentucky High School Athletic Association was organized in 1917 and is the agency designated by the Kentucky Department of Education to manage high school athletics in the Commonwealth. The Association is a voluntary nonprofit 501©3 organization made up of 278 member schools both public and private. The KHSAA sanctions 43 state championships in 13 sports and 4 sport-activities, licenses and trains over 4,500 officials, provides catastrophic insurance for its more than 59,000 member school student-athletes in more than 74,000 participation opportunities, as well as overseeing coaching education and sports safety programs.

The bill does state that the travel is the responsibility of the player, parent or guardian. Though they may ride with the team if it does not add to expenses.

It also states they have to pay the same fees to play that any other student would.

And lastly does state the student must provide grades in the same form that the public school would supply the team with.

Not saying I agree with the bill but it seems that it addresses some of the concerns mentioned above.

Sidenote: If you read the title thread and immediately thought of Junior Sample...I did , too.

Choosing a high school OR to home school is a decision that is important AND has consequences. If football is THAT important to you you do not send your child to a school that lacks a team.

In addition, high school athletics is centered around the students IN the school. If you choose to home school then you should not get to participate in high school athletics.

 

 

And lastly does state the student must provide grades in the same form that the public school would supply the team with.

 

.

This is where it would not be the same. Kid struggles in school so take him out and home school him to get his grades up.

Don't know how this would be controlled.

Choosing a high school OR to home school is a decision that is important AND has consequences. If football is THAT important to you you do not send your child to a school that lacks a team.

 

 

In addition, high school athletics is centered around the students IN the school. If you choose to home school then you should not get to participate in high school athletics.

This!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Choosing a high school OR to home school is a decision that is important AND has consequences. If football is THAT important to you you do not send your child to a school that lacks a team.

 

 

In addition, high school athletics is centered around the students IN the school. If you choose to home school then you should not get to participate in high school athletics.

Word up, Clizzers. I was coming to say the same thing. I knew I could count on you to speak the truth.

Honestly, the KHSAA has got enough issues, and this will just add to them.

 

In addition, high school athletics is centered around the students IN the school.

I also read this as you are not in favor of junior high kids playing up.

So theoretically, Paul Dunbar (or whichever public school is closer, just pulled PLD out of the air) could pull football players from Sayre (KHSAA) and Trinity Christian (plays in KCAA).

A North Hardin Christian (KCAA) kid who wants to swim could swim for North Hardin or John Hardin, but a LaRue County (KHSAA) kid who wants to swim CAN'T swim for anyone (because LaRue doesn't have a team and there isn't an indoor pool in LaRue County). ... seems fair.

This has the potential for all sorts of issues. I have a feeling if this passes, the KHSAA (or its members) will have to deal with a couple of things:

1) Any school taking in out of district home-school or parochial school kids automatically gets bumped to 3-A for track/cc purposes and 6-A for football.

2) KHSAA could combat it by forcing kids to be enrolled/and living in home district for at least one year before being eligible (unless bona fide move via transfer). Thus knocking out home schoolers, private schoolers and foreign exchange kids from taking roster spots from the public school kids who, you know, go there (and continue to go there and went there in the past).

3) Do you really want recruiting fighting/enticing/promises breaking out to try to lure a good private school (without the sport) or homeschool kid to play for a nearby public school (and NOT have to go there)?

4) I can see some select athletes (primarily tennis) choosing the homeschool route. They can play for a good program (Manual in Louisville, Bowling Green in SKY, McCracken), get their 4 matches in and then go back to Florida and train every day (and return for region/state). This IS a possibility under the proposed legislation.

Class size would be an interesting issue. Not saying this would happen but in places were you have a few small schools they ax the program so all the kids can combine and play together.

Grant and Williamstown would be an example. Williamstown does not have football. So in theory they could pull from all the males. There are much better examples but I think you get the idea.

Choosing a high school OR to home school is a decision that is important AND has consequences. If football is THAT important to you you do not send your child to a school that lacks a team.

 

 

In addition, high school athletics is centered around the students IN the school. If you choose to home school then you should not get to participate in high school athletics.

So you agree Harrodsburg and Mercer Co who's schools did not merge the first year, should not of been allowed to participate in 2006?

Reason I'm brining it up is you said the structure athletes of IN

The school. They were not in the same building and not many people complained.

So you agree Harrodsburg and Mercer Co who's schools did not merge the first year, should not of been allowed to participate in 2006?

Reason I'm brining it up is you said the structure athletes of IN

The school. They were not in the same building and not many people complained.

I think you're taking it TOO literal.

Some schools have separate freshman academies. I don't think he is advocating kicking out the freshmen (or even middle schoolers) on a technicality because at a certain school, not every single 9-12 student is in the same exact physical building.

-- I think the Muhlenbergs operated jointly one year (although separate campuses)?

-- And I believe there have been other incidents where, because construction was running behind, schools operated on separate campuses until they could merge/unite as one.

Mercer County's problem was the KHSAA put it in a class TOO small and refused to rectify it (put Mercer in 2-A when it should have been 3-A). No other -- zero -- 2-A school in that alignment moved to 5-A in the new six-class realignment ... except for Mercer. KHSAA had no explanation/apology for why that happened.

There were a lot of football coaches that weren't happy with what happened with Mercer.

Well Stan told us he would get his bill through eventually, her he goes.