The board of trustees of the school district must allow homeschooled students to participate in classes, extracurricular and interscholastic activities, and sports in the district in which the student resides, subject to statutory requirements. The governing body of a charter school must allow homeschooled students to participate in classes and extracurricular activities when all statutory requirements are met. A notice of intent of a homeschooled child to participate in programs and activities must be filed with the school district. Nevada Revised Statutes § 392.074, § 385B.150, and § 388A.471.

Nevada Revised Statutes § 392.074

  1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 1 of NRS 392.072 for programs of special education and related services, upon the request of a parent or legal guardian of a child who is enrolled in a private school or a parent or legal guardian of a homeschooled child, the board of trustees of the school district in which the child resides shall authorize the child to participate in any classes and extracurricular activities, excluding sports, at a public school within the school district if:
    1. Space for the child in the class or extracurricular activity is available;
    2. The parent or legal guardian demonstrates to the satisfaction of the board of trustees that the child is qualified to participate in the class or extracurricular activity; and
    3. If the child is a homeschooled child, a notice of intent of a homeschooled child to participate in programs and activities is filed for the child with the school district for the current school year pursuant to NRS 388D.070.
    If the board of trustees of a school district authorizes a child to participate in a class or extracurricular activity, excluding sports, pursuant to this subsection, the board of trustees is not required to provide transportation for the child to attend the class or activity. A homeschooled child must be allowed to participate in interscholastic activities and events governed by the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association pursuant to chapter 385B of NRS and interscholastic activities and events, including sports, pursuant to subsection 3.
  2. The board of trustees of a school district may revoke its approval for a pupil to participate in a class or extracurricular activity at a public school pursuant to subsection 1 if the board of trustees or the public school determines that the pupil has failed to comply with applicable statutes, or applicable rules and regulations of the board of trustees. If the board of trustees revokes its approval, neither the board of trustees nor the public school is liable for any damages relating to the denial of services to the pupil.
  3. In addition to those interscholastic activities and events governed by the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association pursuant to chapter 385B of NRS, a homeschooled child must be allowed to participate in interscholastic activities and events, including sports, if a notice of intent of a homeschooled child to participate in programs and activities is filed for the child with the school district for the current school year pursuant to NRS 388D.070. A homeschooled child who participates in interscholastic activities and events at a public school pursuant to this subsection must participate within the school district of the child's residence through the public school which the child is otherwise zoned to attend. Any rules or regulations that apply to pupils enrolled in public schools who participate in interscholastic activities and events, including sports, apply in the same manner to homeschooled children who participate in interscholastic activities and events, including, without limitation, provisions governing:
    1. Eligibility and qualifications for participation;
    2. Fees for participation;
    3. Insurance;
    4. Transportation;
    5. Requirements of physical examination;
    6. Responsibilities of participants;
    7. Schedules of events;
    8. Safety and welfare of participants;
    9. Eligibility for awards, trophies and medals;
    10. Conduct of behavior and performance of participants; and
    11. Disciplinary procedures.
  4. If a homeschooled child participates in interscholastic activities and events pursuant to subsection 3:
    1. No challenge may be brought by the Association, a school district, a public school or a private school, a parent or guardian of a pupil enrolled in a public school or a private school, a pupil enrolled in a public school or a private school, or any other entity or person claiming that an interscholastic activity or event is invalid because the homeschooled child is allowed to participate.
    2. Neither the school district nor a public school may prescribe any regulations, rules, policies, procedures or requirements governing the eligibility or participation of the homeschooled child that are more restrictive than the provisions governing the eligibility and participation of pupils enrolled in public schools.
  5. The board of trustees of a school district:
    1. May, before authorizing a homeschooled child to participate in a class or extracurricular activity, excluding sports, pursuant to subsection 1, require proof of the identity of the child, including, without limitation, the birth certificate of the child or other documentation sufficient to establish the identity of the child.
    2. Shall, before allowing a homeschooled child to participate in interscholastic activities and events governed by the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association pursuant to chapter 385B of NRS and interscholastic activities and events pursuant to subsection 3, require proof of the identity of the child, including, without limitation, the birth certificate of the child or other documentation sufficient to establish the identity of the child.

Nevada Revised Statutes § 385B.150

  1. A homeschooled child must be allowed to participate in interscholastic activities and events in accordance with the regulations adopted by the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association pursuant to NRS 385B.060 if a notice of intent of a homeschooled child to participate in programs and activities is filed for the child with the school district in which the child resides for the current school year pursuant to NRS 388D.070. 
  2. The provisions of this chapter and the regulations adopted pursuant thereto that apply to pupils enrolled in public schools who participate in interscholastic activities and events apply in the same manner to homeschooled children who participate in interscholastic activities and events, including, without limitation, provisions governing:
    1. Eligibility and qualifications for participation;
    2. Fees for participation;
    3. Insurance;
    4. Transportation;
    5. Requirements of physical examination;
    6. Responsibilities of participants;
    7. Schedules of events;
    8. Safety and welfare of participants;
    9. Eligibility for awards, trophies and medals;
    10. Conduct of behavior and performance of participants; and
    11. Disciplinary procedures.

Nevada Revised Statutes § 388A.471

  1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, upon the request of a parent or legal guardian of a child who is enrolled in a public school of a school district or a private school, or a parent or legal guardian of a homeschooled child, the governing body of the charter school shall authorize the child to participate in a class that is not otherwise available to the child at his or her school or homeschool or participate in an extracurricular activity at the charter school if:
    1. Space for the child in the class or extracurricular activity is available;
    2. The parent or legal guardian demonstrates to the satisfaction of the governing body that the child is qualified to participate in the class or extracurricular activity; and
    3. The child is a homeschooled child and a notice of intent of a homeschooled child to participate in programs and activities is filed for the child with the school district in which the child resides for the current school year pursuant to NRS 388D.070.
    If the governing body of a charter school authorizes a child to participate in a class or extracurricular activity pursuant to this subsection, the governing body is not required to provide transportation for the child to attend the class or activity. A charter school shall not authorize such a child to participate in a class or activity through a program of distance education provided by the charter school pursuant to NRS 388.820 to 388.874, inclusive.
  2. The governing body of a charter school may revoke its approval for a child to participate in a class or extracurricular activity at a charter school pursuant to subsection 5 if the governing body determines that the child has failed to comply with applicable statutes, or applicable rules and regulations. If the governing body so revokes its approval, neither the governing body nor the charter school is liable for any damages relating to the denial of services to the child.
  3. The governing body of a charter school may, before authorizing a homeschooled child to participate in a class or extracurricular activity pursuant to subsection 5, require proof of the identity of the child, including, without limitation, the birth certificate of the child or other documentation sufficient to establish the identity of the child.

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 therefore refer to association rules of particular importance in a number of entries.

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.