Allows home schooled students to participate in extracurricular activities in public schools in the district they reside in.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that extracurricular activities such as band, theater, athletics, and other activities offered by department of education school help our young people to become better, well-rounded students, allows young people to learn to interact with other young people in their community, and to become involved in their community.

The legislature recognizes that some students and their parents or legal guardians in our State have decided to educate their children at home. As of January 2001, the department of education reported that the number of students who have declared home schooling was 5,840. These parents or guardians contribute taxes from which our public schools are financed and therefore these students are entitled to participate in the extracurricular activities offered by the public schools in the district in which they reside.

The purpose of this Act is to allow home schooled students to participate in extracurricular activities in public schools in the district they reside in.

SECTION 2. Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§302A-   Extracurricular activities of home schooled students. The department shall establish a program allowing home schooled students to participate in any extracurricular activities provided by the public school in the district in which they reside; providing that home schooled students wishing to participate in any extracurricular activities offered by a public school shall meet the same medical requirements needed for admission to that public school by other public school students and the minimum requirements needed to participate in that activity."

SECTION 2. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.