Several trial court decisions have ruled that homeschoolers must be allowed to participate based on the fact that superintendents are allowed to approve homeschool programs. These cases only apply to the districts in question, not the entire state. The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association allows homeschoolers to participate on public school teams provided they are in compliance with the school’s policy. MIAA Handbook Rule 54.
Things to keep in mind:
Public school access includes participation in public school classes, sports, activities, etc.
States use a unique vocabulary in this area: “extracurricular,” “cocurricular,” “curricular,” “interscholastic,” “program,” “activity,” etc. Care should be taken to distinguish one from another. When a state defines a word, it is important.
While athletic association rules are not “law,” public schools are generally constrained to operate within them, or their teams could be disqualified.
We strive toward keeping this information 100% up to date in this rapidly changing area of the law. However, this post should not be considered authoritative because of the possibility of unobserved changes in association rules, statutes, regulations, or case decisions, and because of lag time between changes and the publication of updates.
Please note: The information on this page has been reviewed by an attorney, but it should not be taken as legal advice specific to your individual situation.