To: The Kentucky State House
Jackson's Law: Legislation to Allow Private Schools at Home to Participate on Public School Sport...
Jackson’s Law will write into Kentucky legislation the right of private school students at home to participate in public school sports programs, without additional, unnecessary oversight by the school district. Students wishing to participate would be required to meet all the same physical and academic standards as public school students, and a simple letter written by the parent or guardian of the student which states the student is passing all subjects and progressing towards graduation is all that would be required for record submission. This letter by the parent or guardian would be submitted to the principal at the public school where the student is eligible to play at regular report-card intervals (nine-week intervals in most Kentucky schools) during the semester the student wishes to play. Private school at home students will not be discriminated against for participation by coaches or school officials.
Why is this important?
Resolved, that House Bill 290 does not meet the needs of all Kentucky families that are conducting private schools at home, and
Resolved, that House Bill 290 does not carry the spirit of House Bills 99, originally sponsored by Representative Stan Lee, which would have afforded the possibility of participation to all Kentucky students, and
Resolved, that the House Education Committee passed House Bill 290 without consideration for families that live in rural and underprivileged areas, which lack sports leagues through which families conducting private schools at home could participate, and
WE HUMBLY PETITION THE HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER THE PASSAGE OF a bill that will give Kentucky families conducting private schools at home the opportunity for participation in public school sports programs, a bill that will balance participation with appropriate oversight which is not unnecessarily intrusive. We petition for the following, which for the purpose of submission is colloquially referred to as “Jackson’s Law.”
SECTION 1. A NEW SECTION OF KRS STATUTES IS CREATED TO READ AS FOLLOWS:
(1) A student of a private school at home is eligible to participate in an extracurricular sports activity, interscholastic or otherwise, sponsored by or engaged in by the public school to which the student would be assigned according to district school board attendance policies or which the student could choose to attend pursuant to district open enrollment provisions. A student eligible under this section who wishes to participate in an extracurricular sports activity shall:
(a) Pay any participation or activity fee in an amount equal to the out-of-pocket fees charged to public school participants;
(b) Adhere to the same standards of behavior, responsibility, tryouts, performance, and code of conduct as any other participants in the extracurricular sports activity;
(c) Adhere to the same academic standards as other participants, as verified in a written and signed letter by the parent, guardian, or teacher who oversees the private school at home;
(d) By written letter express to the public school principal his or her intent to participate in an extracurricular sports activity as a representative of the public school before the beginning date of the semester for the activity in which he or she wishes to participate; and
(e) Comply with the same physical examination, immunizations (whether by record or by exemption), insurance, age, and semester eligibility requirements as other students participating in the extracurricular sports activity.
(2) A parent, guardian, or teacher of a student of a private school at home participating in an extracurricular sports activity at a public school shall provide the principal of the school a written letter, at the same interval of scholarship reporting required by students enrolled at said school, signifying that the student is meeting the same academic requirements of the public school’s student athletes participating on the extracurricular sports team. No other scholarship reporting shall be required.
(3) If a student enrolled in public school fails to meet the public school's required academic standards, withdraws from the public school, and enrolls in a private school at home, the student shall be ineligible to participate in any extracurricular sports activity at the public school for the next two standard scholarship reporting intervals. If the student was participating on a public school sports team at the time of withdrawal, the student will be ineligible to continue participating for the next two standard scholarship reporting intervals. Additionally, in order to be eligible to participate in any public school sports extracurricular activities for the remainder of the year, the parent, guardian, or teacher of a student of a private school at home must submit a letter pursuant to section (2) requirements as previously stated.
(4) Transportation of a student of a private school at home to the public school to participate in an extracurricular sports activity is the responsibility of the parent, guardian, or student. The student may use the same transportation as other students if additional expenses are not incurred by the district.
(5) A public school shall not discriminate against a student in a private school at home who is eligible under this section in the selection of extracurricular sports team members.
(6) A public school team or group shall not be impeded from competing against any other public school team or group solely because the public school team or group includes students eligible under this section.
(7) Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) shall make no rule or regulation which discriminates against private school at home students, or which will prevent private school at home students from participating on public school sports teams, whether directly or indirectly.
The “plain language” text of this bill proposal appears at the top of every petition signature page, and is stated here:
Jackson’s Law will write into Kentucky legislation the right of private school students at home to participate in public school sports programs, without additional, unnecessary oversight by the school district. Students wishing to participate would be required to meet all the same physical and academic standards as public school students, and a simple letter written by the parent or guardian of the student which states the student is meeting the same academic standards as the other student athletes enrolled at the public school is all that would be required for record submission. This letter by the parent or guardian would be submitted to the principal at the public school where the student is eligible to play at regular report-card intervals (nine-week intervals in most Kentucky schools) during the semester the student wishes to play. Private school at home students will not be discriminated against for participation by coaches or schoo...
Resolved, that House Bill 290 does not carry the spirit of House Bills 99, originally sponsored by Representative Stan Lee, which would have afforded the possibility of participation to all Kentucky students, and
Resolved, that the House Education Committee passed House Bill 290 without consideration for families that live in rural and underprivileged areas, which lack sports leagues through which families conducting private schools at home could participate, and
WE HUMBLY PETITION THE HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER THE PASSAGE OF a bill that will give Kentucky families conducting private schools at home the opportunity for participation in public school sports programs, a bill that will balance participation with appropriate oversight which is not unnecessarily intrusive. We petition for the following, which for the purpose of submission is colloquially referred to as “Jackson’s Law.”
SECTION 1. A NEW SECTION OF KRS STATUTES IS CREATED TO READ AS FOLLOWS:
(1) A student of a private school at home is eligible to participate in an extracurricular sports activity, interscholastic or otherwise, sponsored by or engaged in by the public school to which the student would be assigned according to district school board attendance policies or which the student could choose to attend pursuant to district open enrollment provisions. A student eligible under this section who wishes to participate in an extracurricular sports activity shall:
(a) Pay any participation or activity fee in an amount equal to the out-of-pocket fees charged to public school participants;
(b) Adhere to the same standards of behavior, responsibility, tryouts, performance, and code of conduct as any other participants in the extracurricular sports activity;
(c) Adhere to the same academic standards as other participants, as verified in a written and signed letter by the parent, guardian, or teacher who oversees the private school at home;
(d) By written letter express to the public school principal his or her intent to participate in an extracurricular sports activity as a representative of the public school before the beginning date of the semester for the activity in which he or she wishes to participate; and
(e) Comply with the same physical examination, immunizations (whether by record or by exemption), insurance, age, and semester eligibility requirements as other students participating in the extracurricular sports activity.
(2) A parent, guardian, or teacher of a student of a private school at home participating in an extracurricular sports activity at a public school shall provide the principal of the school a written letter, at the same interval of scholarship reporting required by students enrolled at said school, signifying that the student is meeting the same academic requirements of the public school’s student athletes participating on the extracurricular sports team. No other scholarship reporting shall be required.
(3) If a student enrolled in public school fails to meet the public school's required academic standards, withdraws from the public school, and enrolls in a private school at home, the student shall be ineligible to participate in any extracurricular sports activity at the public school for the next two standard scholarship reporting intervals. If the student was participating on a public school sports team at the time of withdrawal, the student will be ineligible to continue participating for the next two standard scholarship reporting intervals. Additionally, in order to be eligible to participate in any public school sports extracurricular activities for the remainder of the year, the parent, guardian, or teacher of a student of a private school at home must submit a letter pursuant to section (2) requirements as previously stated.
(4) Transportation of a student of a private school at home to the public school to participate in an extracurricular sports activity is the responsibility of the parent, guardian, or student. The student may use the same transportation as other students if additional expenses are not incurred by the district.
(5) A public school shall not discriminate against a student in a private school at home who is eligible under this section in the selection of extracurricular sports team members.
(6) A public school team or group shall not be impeded from competing against any other public school team or group solely because the public school team or group includes students eligible under this section.
(7) Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) shall make no rule or regulation which discriminates against private school at home students, or which will prevent private school at home students from participating on public school sports teams, whether directly or indirectly.
The “plain language” text of this bill proposal appears at the top of every petition signature page, and is stated here:
Jackson’s Law will write into Kentucky legislation the right of private school students at home to participate in public school sports programs, without additional, unnecessary oversight by the school district. Students wishing to participate would be required to meet all the same physical and academic standards as public school students, and a simple letter written by the parent or guardian of the student which states the student is meeting the same academic standards as the other student athletes enrolled at the public school is all that would be required for record submission. This letter by the parent or guardian would be submitted to the principal at the public school where the student is eligible to play at regular report-card intervals (nine-week intervals in most Kentucky schools) during the semester the student wishes to play. Private school at home students will not be discriminated against for participation by coaches or schoo...