Revisions to the Ohio Revised Code, which affect families who have notified to home educate pursuant to the Ohio
Administrative Code 3301-34:
Participation in Public School Extracurricular Activities: Ohio Revised Code 3313.5312
Home educated students shall be afforded the opportunity to participate in any extracurricular activity offered at the district school to which the student would otherwise be assigned during the school year.
While this more often may be interpreted to mean participation in school sports, it more broadly applies to any extracurricular activity.
In order to participate, the student shall be of the appropriate age and grade level, as determined by the district superintendent and shall fulfill the same nonacademic and financial requirements as any other participant.
If the student was home educated in the preceding grading period, the student will meet the academic requirements established in the home education regulations for the continuation of home education. [This does not require a change in the current homeschool regulations.]
If the student was not home educated in the preceding grading period, the student will meet the academic eligibility requirements established by the school district.
School districts are prohibited from imposing additional rules on a homeschool student that do not apply to other students participating in the same extracurricular activity.
The Ohio Department of Education is preparing a memorandum that will be sent to local school districts. Technically the requirement does not take effect until 90 days after the budget was signed by Governor Kasich (September 29), but the Ohio High School Athletic Association [OHSAA] has issued formal guidance for their member districts to encourage implementation of the mandate immediately. http://ohsaa.org/eligibility/4-3-1Guidance-July2013.pdf
The OHSAA Guidance states in part:
“…given that the start of the 2013-2014 school year is upon us, the Commissioner’s Office of the OHSAA is treating this matter as though the bill became effective upon the signing of the same by the Governor.” [p. 1]
“This law differs significantly from Exception 6 to Bylaw 4-3-1 [OHSAA bylaws for member districts] in that it removes the option available under Exception 6 of requiring a student to enroll at your school and/or to take at least one course at your school.” [p. 2]
In other words, districts can no longer require that a homeschool student be partially enrolled in order to participate in the extracurricular activity.