By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
The Hoisington USD 431 Board of Education, like many school districts across Kansas, want to give homeschooled students an opportunity to participate in Kansas State High School Activities Association sponsored events, such as sports. The school board would prefer those homeschooled students be held to the same standards as those within the district.
Senate Bill 113 allows nonpublic
students to participate in KSHSAA activities. Hoisington Activities Director
Faron Kraft said the homeschooled students must be academically eligible to
participate, but there is no way to prove they are passing their classes except
for trusting their parents’ word.
"I just don't think it's fair," said Kraft. "Our kids going to school have to keep their grades up and follow an eligibility policy. A nonpublic kid that is allowed to play sports and activities for us doesn't have to prove that they're making those grades. I haven't met an administrator yet that likes that."
Along with being academically eligible, the nonpublic student must have
proper paperwork for physicals, concussion form, immunization record and pay
participation fees if applicable.
"If we do get one of these applications, we'll have to be very diligent on making sure they are in our district boundaries," said Kraft. "We'll probably have to make a home visit, knock on the door and make sure that's where they actually live. We have the right and ability to do that."
Kraft did not foresee the new state statute being a huge issue in the
Hoisington area, but had concerns for schools in bigger cities that have more
nonpublic schools.