Req. No. 6588 Page 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 STATE OF OKLAHOMA 1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023) HOUSE BILL 1771 By: Kane AS INTRODUCED An Act relating to schools; defining terms; requiring school district boards of education to adopt policy allowing certain students to participate in certain activities; requiring publication of policy; providing eligibility criteria for participation; requiring compliance with academic standards; providing for agreed-upon method for evaluation of compliance; amending 70 O.S. 2021, Section 27 -103, which relates to the Oklahoma Extracurricu lar Activities Accountability Act; requiring policy to allow participation of certain students in certain activities; providing for codification; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency . BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 8-201 of Title 70, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: A. As used in this section: 1. "Resident district" means the public school district in which a student resides as defined in Section 1 -113 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes; Req. No. 6588 Page 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 2. "School athletic association " shall have the same meaning as defined in Section 27-102 of Title 70 of the O klahoma Statutes; and 3. "Students who are educated by other means " means students who are educated pursuant to the other means of education exception provided for in subsectio n A of Section 10-105 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes. B. Beginning with the 2023 -2024 school year, each school district board of education shall adopt a policy allowing students who are educated by other means to participate in extracurricu lar activities offered by the student's resident district. The policy shall be published in the school distric t student handbook and posted on the school distri ct website. C. In order to participate in extracurricu lar activities pursuant to this section, students who are educated by other means shall: 1. Register an intention to participate with the board of education of the resident distric t by the July 1 immediately preceding the school year in whic h participation is intended; 2. Pay any participation or acti vity fee in an amount equal to any fee charged to a resident district participant; 3. Adhere to the same standards of behavior, responsi bility, performance, and code of conduct as other partici pants of the resident district; Req. No. 6588 Page 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 4. Adhere to any rules and po licies of a school athletic association which provides the coordination, supervision , and regulation of the extracurricular activities and contests of schools; 5. Adhere to any physical exams o r drug testing provisions required by the board of education o f the resident district or the school athletic association which provides the coordination, supervision, and regulation of the extracurricular activities and contests of schools; and 6. Adhere to the same academic standards as other partic ipants of the resident district pursuant to the provi sions of subsection D of this section. D. During the time period a student who is educated by other means participates in extracurricular activities pursuan t to the provisions of this section, the student shall meet academic standards by a method o f evaluation agreed upon by the parent or legal guardian of the student and the superin tendent of the resident district. The method of evaluati on may include a review of the student's work by a certified t eacher employed by th e resident district, the student's performance on a nationally recognized standardized test, or evaluation of grades earned through correspondence courses. SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 27 -103, is amended to read as follows: Req. No. 6588 Page 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Section 27-103. A public school or school district shall not be a member of any school athletic association unless that association has adopted a written policy th at requires the following: 1. All records of the a ssociation to be made accessible consistent with the provisions of t he Oklahoma Open Records Act; 2. All meetings of the association to be open and conducted in a manner consistent with the provisions of the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act, including specifical ly the notice and agenda, voting and executive session requirements; and 3. An annual financial audit and a compliance audit of all funds of the association in accordance with the auditing standards set forth in the Oklahoma Public School Audit Law. In a ddition, the association shall have performance audits conducted of the operations of the association. A performance audit shall be conducted no later than December 31, 2014, and by December 31 every five (5) years thereafter ; and 4. A student who is educated pursuant to the other mean s exception provided for in subsection A of Section 10-105 of this title may participate in interscho lastic activities or contests offered by the student's resident district as defined in Section 1 - 113 of this title. Student participation shall be subject to the provisions of Section 1 of this act. SECTION 3. This act shall become effective July 1, 2023. Req. No. 6588 Page 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 SECTION 4. It being immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, healt h or safety, an emergency is he reby declared to exist, by reason wh ereof this act shall take effect and be in full force from and after its passage and approval. 59-1-6588 EK 12/28/22