Bill Text: TX SB491 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to authorizing equal opportunity for access by home-schooled students to University Interscholastic League sponsored activities; authorizing a fee.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-05-06 - Left pending in committee [SB491 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-SB491-Introduced.html
| By: Paxton | S.B. No. 491 | |
|
|
||
|
|
||
| relating to authorizing equal opportunity for access by | ||
| home-schooled students to University Interscholastic League | ||
| sponsored activities; authorizing a fee. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 33, Education Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 33.0832 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 33.0832. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR HOME-SCHOOLED STUDENTS | ||
| TO PARTICIPATE IN UNIVERSITY INTERSCHOLASTIC LEAGUE ACTIVITIES. | ||
| (a) In this section, "home-schooled student" has the meaning | ||
| assigned by Section 29.916. | ||
| (b) Except as provided by Subsection (g), a public school | ||
| that participates in an activity sponsored by the University | ||
| Interscholastic League shall provide a home-schooled student, who | ||
| otherwise meets league eligibility standards to represent that | ||
| school in a league activity, with the opportunity to participate in | ||
| the activity on behalf of the school in the same manner that the | ||
| school provides the opportunity to participate to students enrolled | ||
| in the school. | ||
| (c) A home-schooled student who seeks to participate or | ||
| participates in a league activity on behalf of a school is subject | ||
| to the following relevant policies that apply to students enrolled | ||
| in the school: policies regarding registration, age eligibility, | ||
| fees, insurance, transportation, physical condition, | ||
| qualifications, responsibilities, event schedules, standards of | ||
| behavior, and performance. | ||
| (d) The parent or person standing in parental relation to a | ||
| home-schooled student is responsible for oversight of academic | ||
| standards relating to the student's participation in a league | ||
| activity. As a condition of eligibility to participate in a league | ||
| activity during the first six weeks of a school year, a | ||
| home-schooled student must demonstrate grade-level academic | ||
| proficiency on any nationally recognized, norm-referenced | ||
| assessment instrument, such as the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, | ||
| Stanford Achievement Test, California Achievement Test, or | ||
| Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills. A home-schooled student | ||
| demonstrates the required academic proficiency by achieving a | ||
| composite, core, or survey score that is within the average or | ||
| higher than average range of scores, as established by the | ||
| applicable testing service. For purposes of this subsection, a | ||
| school district shall accept assessment results administered or | ||
| reported by a third party. | ||
| (e) A home-schooled student's demonstration of academic | ||
| proficiency under Subsection (d) is sufficient for purposes of that | ||
| subsection for the school year in which the student achieves the | ||
| required score and the subsequent school year. | ||
| (f) After the first six weeks of a school year, the parent | ||
| or person standing in parental relation to a home-schooled student | ||
| participating in a league activity on behalf of a public school | ||
| must periodically, in accordance with the school's grading | ||
| calendar, provide written verification to the school indicating | ||
| that the student is receiving a passing grade in each course or | ||
| subject being taught. | ||
| (g) A home-schooled student is not authorized by this | ||
| section to participate in a league activity during the remainder of | ||
| any school year during which the student was previously enrolled in | ||
| a public school. | ||
| (h) The University Interscholastic League may not prohibit | ||
| a home-schooled student from participating in league activities in | ||
| the manner authorized by this section. | ||
| (i) With respect to a home-schooled student's education | ||
| program, nothing in this section shall be construed to permit an | ||
| agency of this state, a public school district, or any other | ||
| governmental body to exercise control, regulatory authority, or | ||
| supervision over a home-schooled student or a parent or person | ||
| standing in parental relation to a home-schooled student beyond the | ||
| control, regulatory authority, or supervision required to | ||
| participate in a league activity. | ||
| (j) Subject only to eligibility requirements under this | ||
| section for a home-schooled student to participate in a league | ||
| activity: | ||
| (1) the curriculum or assessment requirements, | ||
| performance standards, practices, or creed of the education program | ||
| provided to a home-schooled student may not be required to be | ||
| changed in order for the home-schooled student to participate in a | ||
| league activity; and | ||
| (2) for a home-schooled student participating in an | ||
| education program on January 1, 2021, the education program | ||
| provided to that student may not be required to comply with any | ||
| state law or agency rule relating to that education program unless | ||
| the law or rule was in effect on January 1, 2021. | ||
| SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2021-2022 | ||
| school year. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
| a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
| provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
| Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
| Act takes effect September 1, 2021. | ||
