STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
465--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE(Prefiled)
January 4, 2017
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Introduced by Sens. ROBACH, AMEDORE, FUNKE, MARCHIONE, O'MARA, ORTT,
RITCHIE, RIVERA, SANDERS, SEWARD -- read twice and ordered printed,
and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education --
committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and
recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to prohibiting school
districts from disallowing home-schooled students from participating
in district interscholastic sports
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 1501-d
2 to read as follows:
3 § 1501-d. Home-schooled students; interscholastic sports. Notwith-
4 standing any other provision of law to the contrary, boards of education
5 of school districts, in consultation with district superintendents, may
6 formally adopt a district-wide policy to allow students to participate
7 in the district's interscholastic sports. The district-wide policy may
8 include, but not be limited to the following provisions:
9 Home-schooled students shall not be denied by a school district the
10 opportunity to participate in all interscholastic activities if the
11 student fulfills the following conditions:
12 (1) The student must meet all school district physical examination,
13 immunization, and age eligibility requirements with the exception of:
14 (a) The school district's school or class attendance requirements; and
15 (b) The class requirements of the voluntary association administering
16 interscholastic activities.
17 (2) (a) The student must achieve a minimum score on a standardized
18 achievement test permitted under section 100.10 of the commissioner's
19 regulations. The examination shall be taken at the end of each school
20 year and shall be used to determine eligibility for the following year.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02894-03-7
S. 465--A 2
1 The minimum, composite test score that a student must achieve shall
2 place the student at or above the thirty-fourth percentile based on
3 national norms. The parent or legal guardian shall submit the examina-
4 tion results to the school district; or
5 (b) A school district may adopt alternative requirements, in consulta-
6 tion with the parent or legal guardian of a home-schooled student, that
7 a student must meet to participate in interscholastic activities,
8 including but not limited to a requirement that a student submit a port-
9 folio of work samples to a school district committee for review to
10 determine whether a student is eligible to participate in interscholas-
11 tic activities.
12 (3) The home-schooled student shall be required to fulfill the same
13 responsibilities and standards of behavior and performance, including
14 related class or practice requirements, of other students participating
15 in the interscholastic activity of the team or squad and shall be
16 required to meet the same standards for acceptance on the team or squad.
17 The home school student must also comply with all public school require-
18 ments during the time of participation.
19 (4) A home-schooled student participating in interscholastic activ-
20 ities must reside within the attendance boundaries of the school for
21 which the student participates.
22 (5) Transportation must be provided by the parent or guardian of the
23 student. The student may use the same transportation as all other
24 students in the school unit, as long as additional expenses are not
25 incurred.
26 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
