HLS 10RS-870 ORIGINAL
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are additions.
Regular Session, 2010
HOUSE BILL NO. 303
BY REPRESENTATIVE HENRY
STUDENT/HOME STUDY: Provides relative to eligibility of certain home study students
to participate in interscholastic athletics at secondary schools that are members of the
LHSAA
AN ACT1
To enact R.S. 17:236.3, relative to the eligibility of students in state-approved home study2
programs to participate in interscholastic athletics in certain secondary schools; to3
provide applicability; to provide guidelines and conditions for participation; to4
provide limitations; to provide effectiveness; to provide an effective date; and to5
provide for related matters.6
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:7
Section 1. R.S. 17:236.3 is hereby enacted to read as follows:8
ยง236.3. Home study program participants; eligibility to participate in interscholastic9
athletics; guidelines; standards; limitations10
A. Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year and continuing thereafter, a11
student in a home study program approved by the State Board of Elementary and12
Secondary Education in accordance with R.S. 17:236.1 shall be eligible as follows13
to participate in interscholastic athletic activities at a secondary school that is a14
member of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association:15
(1) If seeking to participate at a public school that is a member of the16
association, participation shall be in accordance with the provisions of this Section.17
(2) If seeking to participate at a state-approved nonpublic school that is a18
member of the association, participation shall be at the sole discretion of the19 HLS 10RS-870 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 303
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principal of the school and only if the state-approved nonpublic school has adopted1
standards and procedures for such participation that are substantially similar to those2
provided by this Section.3
B. To be eligible to participate in interscholastic athletics as provided by4
Subsection A of this Section, the home study student shall meet each of the5
following conditions and comply with other applicable provisions of this Section:6
(1) The student shall be subject to the same residency or attendance zone7
requirements as other students participating in the athletic activity.8
(2)(a) The student's participation shall be approved by the principal of the9
school providing the athletic activity.10
(b) The student's parent or legal guardian shall make a written request for the11
student to participate in interscholastic athletic activities to the principal of the12
school providing the activity. Such request shall be made within the first eleven days13
of the school year.14
(c) The principal of the school providing the athletic activity shall approve15
or disapprove such written request within thirty days after receipt by the principal of16
all information and documentation requested by the principal from the student or the17
student's parent or legal guardian, or both. A request for information and18
documentation by the principal shall be limited to information and documentation19
that is required by this Section and information and documentation that is required20
of other students relative to participation in the athletic activity.21
(d) A decision by the principal to approve or disapprove the written request22
for the student to participate shall be made in accordance with the provisions of this23
Section and shall be based on the qualifications and requirements applicable to other24
students participating in the athletic activity excluding any requirements relative to25
the student's enrollment in or attendance at the school, or both.26
(e) A decision by the principal to approve or disapprove a written request for27
the student to participate that is made in accordance with the provisions of this28
Section shall be final.29 HLS 10RS-870 ORIGINAL
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(3) After a decision is made by the principal to approve a request for the1
student to participate, the student then shall participate in any try-outs for such2
activity at the same time and in the same manner as other students who want to3
participate in the same activity.4
(4) At the time of participation in the athletic activity, the student and the5
student's home study program shall be in full compliance with all guidelines,6
standards, and requirements established by R.S. 17:236.1 for a home study program7
to be approved by the state.8
(5)(a) The student shall meet academic standards required of other students9
to participate in the athletic activity.10
(b) The student shall submit documentation from the State Board of11
Elementary and Secondary Education that the student is in a home study program12
approved by the board.13
(c) The student shall submit a copy of his transcript showing units of study14
completed or in progress, the grades earned for such study, and his cumulative grade15
point average.16
(6) The student shall meet all other standards and requirements applicable17
to a student participating in the athletic activity, including but not limited to try outs,18
practice time, codes of conduct and student discipline, physical exams, proof of age,19
permission forms, waivers, required paperwork, fees, and transportation20
arrangements but excluding any requirements that the student be enrolled in or attend21
the school, or both.22
(7) The student shall meet conditions applicable to students at the school23
relative to having any required insurance coverage either by participating, if24
otherwise eligible, in insurance programs offered through the school or school25
system or by providing for such insurance coverage in another manner.26
C.(1) A student who has been enrolled in a public or nonpublic school during27
the school year in which the student begins home study or during the previous school28
year and who was determined ineligible to participate in one or more interscholastic29 HLS 10RS-870 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 303
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extracurricular activities at such school for reasons related to student conduct or1
academic performance, or both, shall be ineligible to participate in interscholastic2
athletic activities as provided by this Section for one calendar year from the date the3
student was determined ineligible.4
(2) A student who has been enrolled in a public or nonpublic school during5
the school year in which the student begins home study shall not be eligible to6
participate in interscholastic athletic activities as provided by this Section during the7
remainder of that school year nor during the following school year.8
D.(1) Any home study student who provides or on whose behalf others9
provide any false representation, documentation, or verification of the student's10
qualification for the purpose of meeting eligibility requirements to participate in11
interscholastic athletics shall be ruled ineligible to participate in accordance with12
policies of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association and shall be subject to13
the same penalties as other students as provided by the association.14
(2) A school determined to be knowledgeable of any false representation,15
documentation, or verification of a home study student's qualifications for the16
purpose of meeting eligibility requirements to participate in interscholastic athletics17
shall be subject to penalties as established by the Louisiana High School Athletic18
Association for use of an ineligible student athlete.19
Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not20
signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature21
by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If22
vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become23
effective on the day following such approval.24 HLS 10RS-870 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 303
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are additions.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Henry HB No. 303
Abstract: Provides relative to eligibility of students in state-approved home study programs
to participate in interscholastic athletics at secondary schools that are members of the
LHSAA. Provides guidelines, procedures, and limitations relative to such
participation.
Proposed law provides (beginning with the 2010-2011 school year and continuing thereafter)
that a student participating in a home study program approved by the State Board of
Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) in accordance with R.S. 17:236.1 shall be
eligible as follows to participate in interscholastic athletic activities at a secondary school
that is a member of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA):
(1)If seeking to participate at a public school that is a member of the association,
provides that participation shall be in accordance with the provisions of proposed
law.
(2)If seeking to participate at a state-approved nonpublic school that is a member of the
association, provides that participation shall be at the sole discretion of the principal
of the school and only if the school has adopted standards and procedures for such
participation that are substantially similar to those provided by proposed law.
Specifies that to be eligible to participate in interscholastic athletics as provided by proposed
law, the home study student shall meet specified conditions and comply with other
applicable provisions of proposed law.
Provides that the student shall be subject to the same residency or attendance zone
requirements as other students participating in the athletic activity.
Requires that the student's participation be approved by the principal of the school providing
the athletic activity.
Provides that the student's parent or legal guardian shall make a written request for the
student to participate in interscholastic athletic activities to the principal of the school
providing the activity. Requires that such request shall be made within the first 11 days of
the school year.
Specifies that the principal of the school providing the athletic activity shall approve or
disapprove such written request within 30 days after receipt by the principal of all
information and documentation requested by the principal from the student or the student's
parent or legal guardian, or both. Provides that a request for information and documentation
by the principal shall be limited to information and documentation that is required by
proposed law and information and documentation that is required of other students relative
to participation in the athletic activity.
Provides that a decision by the principal to approve or disapprove the written request for the
student to participate shall be made in accordance with the provisions of proposed law and
be based on the qualifications and requirements applicable to other students participating in
the athletic activity, excluding any requirements relative to the student's enrollment in or
attendance at the school, or both. Specifies that a decision by the principal to approve or HLS 10RS-870 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 303
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are additions.
disapprove a written request for the student to participate that is made in accordance with
proposed law shall be final.
Provides that after a decision is made by the principal to approve a request for the student
to participate, the student then shall participate in any try-outs for such activity at the same
time and in the same manner as other students who want to participate in the same activity.
Specifies that at the time of participation in the athletic activity, the student and the student's
home study program shall be in full compliance with all guidelines, standards, and
requirements established by R.S. 17:236.1 for a home study program to be approved by the
state. Requires the student to submit documentation from BESE that the student is in a home
study program approved by the board.
Requires that the student meet academic standards required of other students to participate
in the athletic activity.
Requires the student to submit a copy of his transcript showing units of study completed or
in progress, the grades earned for such study, and his cumulative grade point average.
Provides that the student must meet all other standards and requirements applicable to a
student participating in the athletic activity, including but not limited to try outs, practice
time, codes of conduct and student discipline, physical exams, proof of age, permission
forms, waivers, required paperwork, fees, and transportation arrangements but excluding any
requirements that the student be enrolled in or attend the school, or both.
Requires the student to meet conditions applicable to students at the school relative to having
any required insurance coverage either by participating, if otherwise eligible, in insurance
programs offered through the school or school system or by providing for such insurance
coverage in another manner.
Provides that a student who has been enrolled in a public or nonpublic school during the
school year in which the student begins home study or during the previous school year and
who was determined ineligible to participate in one or more interscholastic extracurricular
activities at such school for reasons related to student conduct or academic performance, or
both, shall be ineligible to participate in interscholastic athletic activities as provided by
proposed law for one calendar year from the date the student was determined ineligible.
Specifies that a student who has been enrolled in a public or nonpublic school during the
school year in which the student begins home study shall not be eligible to participate in
interscholastic athletic activities as provided by proposed law during the remainder of that
school year nor during the following school year.
Provides that any home study student who provides or on whose behalf others provide any
false representation, documentation, or verification of the student's qualification for the
purpose of meeting eligibility requirements to participate in interscholastic athletics shall be
ruled ineligible to participate in accordance with policies of the LHSAA and shall be subject
to the same penalties as other students as provided by the association.
Provides that a school determined to be knowledgeable of any false representation,
documentation, or verification of a home study student's qualifications for the purpose of
meeting eligibility requirements to participate in interscholastic athletics shall be subject to
penalties as established by the LHSAA for use of an ineligible student athlete.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Adds R.S. 17:236.3)