Homeschool students can participate in Republic athletics and activities under legislation passed this year. Senate Bill 63 allows students enrolled full-time in home school, Family Paced Education or virtual school programs to join district extracurricular activities. Students must reside within Republic School District boundaries.
Eligible students may try out for teams and clubs. Students who want to be part of activities that require participation in a class — choir and band, for example — must enroll in the corresponding course.
(District statement about the new policy.)
Homeschool students must meet the same requirements as enrolled students: academic eligibility, citizenship standards, valid physical exams for athletics, participation fees, compliance with the student code of conduct, and inclusion in random drug testing. Students cannot participate in both Republic activities and homeschool association programs simultaneously.
Interested families should contact Fisher now to begin the process. Students can start attending off-season workouts, open gyms and open facilities before tryouts begin.
“Reach out to me and we can…make sure they get signed up for our citizenship policy, academic eligibility check, any of the normal paperwork,” Fisher said. “I can point them in the right direction to get that stuff completed.”
Homeschool students must still earn their spots on teams through the regular tryout process. “We welcome all individuals who are willing to take advantage of this opportunity with the ability to try out for one of our athletic or activity groups,” he said.
Students who withdraw from Republic to begin homeschooling remain eligible only if they met academic and citizenship standards at the time they withdraw.
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