Missouri bill allowing homeschoolers to participate in school sports nears passage
The Missouri House chamber during debate on March 12, 2023 (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications).
A Senate bill allowing homeschooled student participation in public and charter school activities and athletics passed the Missouri House on Wednesday.
Sponsored by state Sen. Ben Brown, a Republican from Washington, the bill would prohibit public and charter schools from banning homeschooled or full-time virtual students from taking part in school athletics and activities.
A similar bill proposed by Brown in the last session stalled in the House. This year, Brown's bill passed unanimously out of the Senate and passed the House Wednesday on a 91-53 vote.
Because the House made minor changes, it will return to the Senate for a final vote. Brown said he anticipates the bill will pass should it be taken up by the full Senate. The legislative session adjourns May 16.
State law allows public school districts to ban or restrict the participation of homeschoolers in athletics. The policy of the Missouri State High School Activities Association, which many schools follow, is to allow homeschoolers to participate in sports if they are enrolled in one credit hour of coursework at a public school.
State Rep. Ben Baker, a Republican from Neosho, said the bill 'ensures that every child has access to opportunities that add to and foster their academic, social and personal growth.'
Baker, whose children have been homeschooled, argued that homeschoolers' parents who pay taxes should be able to send their children to programs in publicly funded schools.
State Rep. Kathy Steinhoff, a Democrat from Columbia and former teacher, said she was sympathetic to the bill's intent, but expressed concerns that the passage could lead to an unfunded mandate.
State funding for education is partially determined by the level of enrollment in a school. Steinhoff's concern is that potential homeschoolers who take part in public school programs or utilize school resources would not be considered in enrollment counts.
'(Schools) will not be getting state money to support these students participating in these activities,' Steinhoff said.
Baker said the strain brought by increased participation would likely be minimal, as few homeschoolers would be likely to participate in each school.
Several Democrats also expressed concerns that the bill could be unfair to public school students as homeschoolers may not have to meet the same standards as public school students. Steinhoff pointed specifically to grade and attendance requirements for some athletic programs in schools.
'There's also some requirements and conditions in accessing the privileges provided by our schools,' Steinhoff said. 'Often you have to keep your grades up, you have to keep your attendance up, you have to maintain positive relationships with peers and adults.'
Rep. Dirk Deaton, a Republican from Noel, spoke to the long history of this legislation, beginning with its first proposal in 2014 by former House Speaker Elijah Haahr. Deaton, along with other legislators, have taken up the bill unsuccessfully since then.
Deaton also pointed out a provision of the bill which allows schools to require homeschoolers to attend courses, rehearsals or practices related to their participation in school activities.
'For example, if you're going to be involved in a band, and there's a band class directly related to that, you absolutely should have to play in that band class,' Deaton said.
Another concern, voiced by Rep. Michael Burton, a Democrat from Lakeshire, involved vaccine requirements.
Missouri public school students are required to have several vaccines to attend school. Burton said he worries that unvaccinated homeschoolers participating in school activities could put public school students at risk.
This story originally appeared in the Columbia Missourian. It can be republished in print or online.
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