District shuts out home-schoolers

| Wednesday, June 11, 2003

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YANKTON (AP) — The Yankton School Board has decided not to let home-schooled students participate in South Dakota High School Activities Association events in the district.

On a 4-1 vote Monday, the board said children schooled outside the public system cannot play sports or be a part of other activities in the district.

The Legislature passed a law letting school districts make that decision.

Yankton has 55 home-schooled students in the elementary grades, but officials said they have no idea how many high school-age students are being educated at home because there are no requirements to track such students.

Board member Chris Specht said students in the district should have the opportunity to participate over those who are not in the school system.

Specht said there are consequences for decisions that parents make for their children. He said he would rather see children in the district have the chance to participate over children who are not in the school system.

Part of his thinking, Specht said, has to do with the difficulty in determining if home-schooled students are eligible.

Bob Winter, the district's activities director, said various eligibility issues come into play. "Eligibility requirements aren't a big deal for smaller schools, but it is a huge issue in a high school of 1,200," he said. "It is a long process to keep track of every student and if they are eligible."

Winter must turn in forms verifying each student's scholastic standing, age, enrollment and attendance requirements before the start of each sport season.

"And each summer I send a report verifying each student who participated in SDHSAA activities were eligible."

All students taking part in SDHSAA activities must be passing four classes and must have passed four classes the previous semester, Winter said.

"There are many pros and cons of home-schooling eligibility," Winter said. "One of the more difficult things will be determining if the home-schooled students meet the requirements."

The school boards can decide each year whether to allow such participation.

Mary Ticknor, Yankton High School principal, said if the change were to be approved, parents of home-schooled students would have to supply the eligibility information rather than have school officials seek it out.