Texas Home-School Students Access to Public School Sports (The Tim Tebow Bill)
The Texas Senate passed a bill (21-7) affectionately coined the Tim Tebow Bill on April 25, 2013, which is formally known as S.B. 929. The bill would allow home-school students to participate in sports for the schools they would otherwise attend. The bill is currently being considered by the House Education Committee. A brief description of the bill follows:
(i) A public school that participates in the University Interscholastic League (UIL) must allow home-school students that otherwise meet the eligibility standards to participate in sport activities in the same manner as students actually enrolled in the public school.
(ii) The home-schooled student must meet all ordinary requirements, such as registration, age eligibility, physical condition, qualifications, standards of behavior, and performance, among other things.
(iii) The parent is responsible for oversight of academic standards. However, during the first six-weeks of a school year, the student must demonstrate grade-level academic proficiency on any nationally-recognized test, such as the Iowa Test of Basic Skills or Stanford Achievement Test, among others. Proficiency is determined by scoring within the average or higher than average range. The test may be administered by third parties.
(iv) Following the first six-weeks, the parent or guardian of a home-school student must provide written verification that the student is receiving passing grades.
(v) A home-school student may not participate in school activities if the student disenrolled during that same school year. In other words, a student would not be able to drop-out to maintain academic eligibility during the same school year.
(vi) If passed, the act would expire on July 1, 2017. However, assuming a home-school student participated in a sponsored UIL activity prior to July 1, 2017, such student could continue to participate in the same league activity for the remainder of his schooling.
(vii) The entire act, if passed, would expire on July 1, 2030.
(viii) If passed, the act would be effective for the 2013-2014 school year.