Extracurricular Activities

ENROLLED

2026

Legislature

CS for CS for CS for SB 538, 1st Engrossed

2026538er
1
2 An act relating to extracurricular activities;
3 amending s. 1001.43, F.S.; authorizing district school
4 boards to adopt policies for the use of certain funds
5 to provide funding to specified persons relating to
6 extracurricular activities; prohibiting such funds
7 from being used as severance pay or compensation;
8 amending s. 1006.15, F.S.; providing and revising
9 definitions; revising eligibility requirements for a
10 student to participate in an interscholastic or
11 intrascholastic extracurricular activity; providing
12 construction; deleting obsolete provisions; requiring
13 governing organizations to adopt, maintain, and
14 enforce specified manuals or handbooks; requiring that
15 insurance provided by district school boards for
16 participants in extracurricular activities cover any
17 eligible student; deleting requirements for the
18 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) to
19 facilitate a program for private school students to
20 participate in an interscholastic or intrascholastic
21 sport; requiring the athletic director or other
22 appropriate administrator to maintain records for all
23 eligible students participating in interscholastic or
24 intrascholastic extracurricular activities at a member
25 school; revising requirements for a student to apply
26 to participate in an interscholastic or
27 intrascholastic extracurricular activity at certain
28 schools; authorizing a public school to assess an
29 activity fee for certain students; providing a
30 limitation on such fee; requiring such fee to be
31 annually approved by a district school board or
32 charter school governing board, as appropriate;
33 requiring each school to annually publish a complete
34 list of such fees on its website; requiring school
35 districts and charter schools to annually report such
36 fees to the Department of Education; requiring parents
37 to provide transportation to and from the school for
38 their students; providing indemnity for a school and
39 district school board under specified circumstances;
40 prohibiting a student from participating in
41 interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular
42 activities at two different schools within the same
43 school year unless the student meets specified
44 criteria; requiring the governing organization to
45 provide a certain determination of eligibility within
46 a specified timeframe; requiring the governing
47 organization to adopt specified bylaws; authorizing
48 the governing organization to adopt additional bylaws;
49 deleting provisions providing requirements for certain
50 student transfers; amending s. 1002.31, F.S.; deleting
51 obsolete language; conforming provisions to changes
52 made by the act; amending s. 1002.33, F.S.; conforming
53 a cross-reference and provisions to changes made by
54 the act; amending s. 1006.195, F.S.; conforming cross
55 references; amending s. 1006.20, F.S.; requiring the
56 FHSAA to adopt, maintain, and enforce specified
57 manuals or handbooks; requiring the FHSAA to ensure
58 that athletes may request certain exemptions or
59 accommodations; requiring the FHSAA to provide
60 accommodations under certain circumstances;
61 authorizing a student who is denied certain
62 eligibility to appeal a decision made by the governing
63 organization; requiring the governing organization to
64 adopt bylaws to establish a timeline for an appeals
65 process; providing a limitation on such timelines;
66 authorizing the executive director of the FHSAA to
67 rule on specified appeals; amending s. 1012.01, F.S.;
68 including extracurricular athletic administrators in
69 the broad classification of K-12 administrative
70 personnel; authorizing district school superintendents
71 to negotiate specified compensation; providing
72 requirements for such compensation; providing an
73 effective date.
74
75 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
76
77 Section 1. Paragraph (i) is added to subsection (2) of
78 section 1001.43, Florida Statutes, to read:
79 1001.43 Supplemental powers and duties of district school
80 board.—The district school board may exercise the following
81 supplemental powers and duties as authorized by this code or
82 State Board of Education rule.
83 (2) FISCAL MANAGEMENT.—The district school board may adopt
84 policies providing for fiscal management of the school district
85 with respect to school purchasing, facilities, nonstate revenue
86 sources, budgeting, fundraising, and other activities relating
87 to the fiscal management of district resources, including, but
88 not limited to, the policies governing:
89
(i) Use of voluntary donations and revenues generated by

90
authorized booster clubs or associations to provide funds to

91
athletic coaches, activity directors, or activity sponsors of an

92
extracurricular activity supported by the booster club or

93
association. Any policy authorizing payment by booster clubs or

94
associations may not control the provision of funds except that

95
such funds may not be used for severance pay or for compensation

96
as defined in s. 1012.22 and must comply with all applicable

97
laws.

98 Section 2. Section 1006.15, Florida Statutes, is amended to
99 read:
100 1006.15 Student standards for participation in
101 interscholastic and intrascholastic extracurricular student
102 activities; regulation.—
103 (1)
SHORT TITLE.—
This section may be cited as the “Craig
104 Dickinson Act.”
105 (2)
DETERMINATION.—
Interscholastic extracurricular student
106 activities are an important complement to the academic
107 curriculum. Participation in a comprehensive extracurricular and
108 academic program contributes to student development of the
109 social and intellectual skills necessary to become a well
110 rounded adult. As used in this section, the term
111 “extracurricular” means any school-authorized or education
112 related activity occurring during or outside the regular
113 instructional school day. In the determination of whether a
114 school offers an activity or a sport, the activity or sport must
115 meet the designation requirements of s. 1006.205(3)(a).
116 (3)
(a)

DEFINITIONS.—
As used in this section and s. 1006.20,
117 the term
:

118
(a) “Eligible student” means a home education student,

119
charter school student, private school student, Florida Virtual

120
School student, alternative school student, or traditional

121
public school student who wishes to participate in an

122
interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity.

123
(b)
“Eligible to participate”
:

124
1.
Includes, but is not limited to, a student participating
125 in
any of the following:

126
a.
Tryouts
.
,

127
b.
Off-season conditioning
.
,

128
c.
Summer workouts
.
,

129
d.
Preseason conditioning
.
,

130
e.
In-season practice
.
,

131
f.

or
Contests.
132
2.

The term
Does not mean that a student must be placed on
133 any specific team for interscholastic or intrascholastic
134 extracurricular activities.
135
(c) “Extracurricular” means any school-authorized or

136
education-related activity occurring during or outside the

137
regular instructional school day.

138
(d) “Governing organization” means any organization that

139
governs the interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular

140
activity of a school, including, but not limited to, the Florida

141
High School Athletic Association.

142
(4) ELIGIBILITY.—

143
(a)
To be eligible to participate in interscholastic
144 extracurricular student activities, a student must:
145 1. Maintain a grade point average of 2.0 or above on a 4.0
146 scale, or its equivalent, in the previous semester or a
147 cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or above on a 4.0 scale,
148 or its equivalent, in the courses required by s. 1002.3105(5) or
149 s. 1003.4282.
150 2. Execute and fulfill the requirements of an academic
151 performance contract between the student, the district school
152 board, the appropriate governing association, and the student’s
153 parents, if the student’s cumulative grade point average falls
154 below 2.0, or its equivalent, on a 4.0 scale in the courses
155 required by s. 1002.3105(5) or s. 1003.4282. At a minimum, the
156 contract must require that the student attend summer school, or
157 its graded equivalent, between grades 9 and 10 or grades 10 and
158 11, as necessary.
159 3. Have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or above on
160 a 4.0 scale, or its equivalent, in the courses required by s.
161 1002.3105(5) or s. 1003.4282 during his or her junior or senior
162 year.
163 4. Maintain satisfactory conduct, including adherence to
164 appropriate dress and other codes of student conduct policies
165 described in s. 1006.07(2). If a student is convicted of, or is
166 found to have committed, a felony or a delinquent act that would
167 have been a felony if committed by an adult, regardless of
168 whether adjudication is withheld, the student’s participation in
169 interscholastic extracurricular activities is contingent upon
170 established and published district school board policy.
171 (b) Any student who is exempt from attending a full school
172 day based on rules adopted by the district school board for
173 double session schools or programs, experimental schools, or
174 schools operating under emergency conditions must maintain the
175 grade point average required by this section and pass each class
176 for which he or she is enrolled.
177
(c) A home education student must meet the requirements of

178
the home education program pursuant to s. 1002.41.

179
1. During the period of participation at a school, the home

180
education student must demonstrate educational progress as

181
required in paragraph (b) in all subjects taken in the home

182
education program by a method of evaluation agreed upon by the

183
parent and the school principal, which evaluation may include

184
review of the student’s work by a certified teacher chosen by

185
the parent; grades earned through correspondence; grades earned

186
in courses taken at a Florida College System institution, state

187
university, or district career center; standardized test scores

188
above the 35th percentile; or any other method designated in s.

189
1002.41.

190
2. The home education student must meet the same standards

191
of acceptance, behavior, and performance as required of other

192
students in extracurricular activities.

193
3. A student who transfers from a home education program to

194
a public school before or during the first grading period of the

195
school year is academically eligible to participate in

196
interscholastic extracurricular activities during the first

197
grading period, provided the student has a successful evaluation

198
from the previous school year pursuant to subparagraph 1.

199
(d)
(c)1.

A

An individual home education
student is eligible
200 to participate
in an interscholastic or intrascholastic

201
extracurricular activity at the school in which he or she is

202
enrolled.

203
(e) An eligible student may participate in an

204
interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity at a

205
school other than the school in which the student is enrolled

206
if:

207
1. The school in which the student is enrolled does not

208
offer the same interscholastic or intrascholastic

209
extracurricular activity or the student is in a home education

210
program; and

211
2. The school at which the student will participate in the

212
interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity is

213
located in the school district in which the student resides.

214
(f) If no public or charter schools in the district in

215
which the student resides offer the interscholastic or

216
intrascholastic extracurricular activity, and an agreement

217
cannot be reached with a private school in the district in which

218
the student resides, the student may participate at a public,

219
charter, or private school that is appropriate for the student’s

220
grade level located outside of his or her school district. The

221
school at which the student participates pursuant to this

222
paragraph must be in a school district adjacent to the school

223
district in which the student resides.

224
(g) If a student has exhausted all options outlined above

225
for participation in an interscholastic or intrascholastic

226
extracurricular activity, the student may petition the executive

227
director of the applicable governing organization to explore

228
options for participation at a school not otherwise authorized

229
by this section.

230
(h) For purposes of this subsection, any participation by

231
an eligible student at a private school other than the school in

232
which the student is enrolled must be pursuant to an agreement

233
between the private school and the student.

at the public school

234
to which the student would be assigned according to district

235
school board attendance area policies or which the student could

236
choose to attend pursuant to s. 1002.31, or may develop an

237
agreement to participate at a private school, in the

238
interscholastic extracurricular activities of that school,

239
provided the following conditions are met:

240
a. The home education student must meet the requirements of

241
the home education program pursuant to s. 1002.41.

242
b. During the period of participation at a school, the home

243
education student must demonstrate educational progress as

244
required in paragraph (b) in all subjects taken in the home

245
education program by a method of evaluation agreed upon by the

246
parent and the school principal which may include: review of the

247
student’s work by a certified teacher chosen by the parent;

248
grades earned through correspondence; grades earned in courses

249
taken at a Florida College System institution, university, or

250
trade school; standardized test scores above the 35th

251
percentile; or any other method designated in s. 1002.41.

252
c. The home education student must meet the same residency

253
requirements as other students in the school at which he or she

254
participates.

255
d. The home education student must meet the same standards

256
of acceptance, behavior, and performance as required of other

257
students in extracurricular activities.

258
e. The student must register with the school his or her

259
intent to participate in interscholastic extracurricular

260
activities as a representative of the school before

261
participation. A home education student must be able to

262
participate in curricular activities if that is a requirement

263
for an extracurricular activity.

264
f. A student who transfers from a home education program to

265
a public school before or during the first grading period of the

266
school year is academically eligible to participate in

267
interscholastic extracurricular activities during the first

268
grading period provided the student has a successful evaluation

269
from the previous school year, pursuant to sub-subparagraph b.

270
g. Any public school or private school student who has been

271
unable to maintain academic eligibility for participation in

272
interscholastic extracurricular activities is ineligible to

273
participate in such activities as a home education student until

274
the student has successfully completed one grading period in

275
home education pursuant to sub-subparagraph b. to become

276
eligible to participate as a home education student.

277
2. An individual home education student is eligible to

278
participate on an interscholastic athletic team at any public

279
school in the school district in which the student resides,

280
provided the student meets the conditions specified in sub

281
subparagraphs 1.a.-g.

282
(d) An individual charter school student pursuant to s.

283
1002.33 is eligible to participate at the public school to which

284
the student would be assigned according to district school board

285
attendance area policies or which the student could attend, or

286
may develop an agreement to participate at a private school, in

287
any interscholastic extracurricular activity of that school,

288
unless such activity is provided by the student’s charter

289
school, if the following conditions are met:

290
1. The charter school student must meet the requirements of

291
the charter school education program as determined by the

292
charter school governing board.

293
2. During the period of participation at a school, the

294
charter school student must demonstrate educational progress as

295
required in paragraph (b).

296
3. The charter school student must meet the same residency

297
requirements as other students in the school at which he or she

298
participates.

299
4. The charter school student must meet the same standards

300
of acceptance, behavior, and performance that are required of

301
other students in extracurricular activities.

302
5. The charter school student must register with the school

303
his or her intent to participate in interscholastic

304
extracurricular activities as a representative of the school

305
before participation. A charter school student must be able to

306
participate in curricular activities if that is a requirement

307
for an extracurricular activity.

308
6. A student who transfers from a charter school program to

309
a traditional public school before or during the first grading

310
period of the school year is academically eligible to

311
participate in interscholastic extracurricular activities during

312
the first grading period if the student has a successful

313
evaluation from the previous school year pursuant to

314
subparagraph 2.

315
7. Any public school or private school student who has been

316
unable to maintain academic eligibility for participation in

317
interscholastic extracurricular activities is ineligible to

318
participate in such activities as a charter school student until

319
the student has successfully completed one grading period in a

320
charter school pursuant to subparagraph 2. to become eligible to

321
participate as a charter school student.

322
(e) A student of the Florida Virtual School full-time

323
program may participate in any interscholastic extracurricular

324
activity at the public school to which the student would be

325
assigned according to district school board attendance area

326
policies or which the student could choose to attend pursuant to

327
s. 1002.31, or may develop an agreement to participate at a

328
private school, if the student:

329
1. During the period of participation in the

330
interscholastic extracurricular activity, meets the requirements

331
in paragraph (a).

332
2. Meets any additional requirements as determined by the

333
board of trustees of the Florida Virtual School.

334
3. Meets the same residency requirements as other students

335
in the school at which he or she participates.

336
4. Meets the same standards of acceptance, behavior, and

337
performance that are required of other students in

338
extracurricular activities.

339
5. Registers his or her intent to participate in

340
interscholastic extracurricular activities with the school

341
before participation. A Florida Virtual school student must be

342
able to participate in curricular activities if that is a

343
requirement for an extracurricular activity.

344
(f) A student who transfers from the Florida Virtual School

345
full-time program to a traditional public school before or

346
during the first grading period of the school year is

347
academically eligible to participate in interscholastic

348
extracurricular activities during the first grading period if

349
the student has a successful evaluation from the previous school

350
year pursuant to paragraph (a).

351
(g) A public school or private school student who has been

352
unable to maintain academic eligibility for participation in

353
interscholastic extracurricular activities is ineligible to

354
participate in such activities as a Florida Virtual School

355
student until the student successfully completes one grading

356
period in the Florida Virtual School pursuant to paragraph (a).

357
(h) A student in a full-time virtual instruction program

358
under s. 1002.45, including the full-time Florida Virtual School

359
program, a full-time school district virtual instruction

360
program, or a full-time virtual charter school, is eligible to

361
participate on an interscholastic athletic team at any public

362
school in the school district in which the student resides, or

363
may develop an agreement to participate at a private school,

364
provided the student:

365
1. During the period of participation in the

366
interscholastic extracurricular activity, meets the requirements

367
in paragraph (a);

368
2. Meets any additional requirements as determined by the

369
board of trustees of the Florida Virtual School, the district

370
school board, or the governing board of the virtual charter

371
school, as applicable;

372
3. Meets the same residency requirements as other students

373
in the school at which he or she participates;

374
4. Meets the same standards of athletic team acceptance,

375
behavior, and performance which are required of other students

376
in extracurricular activities; and

377
5. Registers his or her intent to participate in

378
interscholastic extracurricular activities with the school

379
before participation.

380
(i) An individual traditional public school student who is

381
otherwise eligible to participate in interscholastic

382
extracurricular activities may either participate in any such

383
activity at any public school in the school district in which

384
the student resides or develop an agreement to participate in

385
such activity at a private school, unless the activity is

386
provided by the student’s traditional public school. Such

387
student must:

388
1. Meet the same standards of acceptance, behavior, and

389
performance that are required of other students in

390
extracurricular activities at the school at which the student

391
wishes to participate.

392
2. Before participation, register with the school his or

393
her intent to participate in interscholastic extracurricular

394
activities as a representative of the school. The student must

395
be able to participate in curricular activities if that is a

396
requirement for an extracurricular activity.

397
(j)1. A school district or charter school may not delay

398
eligibility or otherwise prevent a student participating in

399
controlled open enrollment, or a choice program, from being

400
immediately eligible to participate in interscholastic and

401
intrascholastic extracurricular activities.

402
2. A student may not participate in a sport if the student

403
participated in that same sport at another school during that

404
school year, unless the student meets one of the following

405
criteria:

406
a. Dependent children of active duty military personnel

407
whose move resulted from military orders.

408
b. Children who have been relocated due to a foster care

409
placement in a different school zone.

410
c. Children who move due to a court-ordered change in

411
custody due to separation or divorce, or the serious illness or

412
death of a custodial parent.

413
d. Authorized for good cause in district or charter school

414
policy.

415
(5)
(4)

BEGINNING APPLICABILITY.—
The student standards for
416 participation in interscholastic extracurricular activities must
417 be applied beginning with the student’s first semester of the
418 9th grade. Each student must meet such other requirements for
419 participation as may be established by the district school
420 board; however, a district school board may not establish
421 requirements for participation in interscholastic
422 extracurricular activities which make participation in such
423 activities less accessible to home education students than to
424 other students.
Except as set forth in paragraph (3)(c),

425
evaluation processes or requirements that are placed on home

426
education student participants may not go beyond those that

427
apply under s. 1002.41 to home education students generally.

428
(6)
(5)

GOVERNING ORGANIZATION RESPONSIBILITIES.—All

429
governing organizations

Any organization or entity that

430
regulates or governs interscholastic extracurricular activities

431
of public schools
:
432 (a) Shall permit home education associations to join as
433 member schools.
434 (b)
May

Shall
not discriminate against any eligible student
435 based on an educational choice of public, private, or home
436 education.
437
(c) Must adopt, maintain, and enforce sport-specific

438
manuals or handbooks that govern interscholastic competition,

439
which must comply with the requirements of s. 1006.20(2)(o).

440
(7)
(6)

PROHIBITED MEMBERSHIPS.—
Public schools are
441 prohibited from membership in any
governing
organization
that

or

442
entity which regulates or governs interscholastic

443
extracurricular activities and
discriminates against eligible
444 students in public, private, or home education.
445
(8)
(7)

INSURANCE.—
Any insurance provided by district school
446 boards for participants in extracurricular activities
must

shall

447 cover
any eligible

the participating home education
student.
If

448
there is an additional premium for such coverage, the

449
participating home education student shall pay the premium.

450
(8)(a) The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA)

451
shall, in cooperation with each district school board and its

452
member private schools, facilitate a program in which a middle

453
school or high school student who attends a private school is

454
eligible to participate in an interscholastic or intrascholastic

455
sport at a member public high school, a member public middle

456
school, a member 6-12 public school, or a member private school,

457
as appropriate for the private school student’s grade level, if:

458
1. The private school in which the student is enrolled is

459
not a member of the FHSAA or the private school in which the

460
student is enrolled is a member of the FHSAA and does not offer

461
the sport in which the student wishes to participate.

462
2. The private school student meets the guidelines for the

463
conduct of the program established by the FHSAA’s board of

464
directors and the district school board or member private

465
school. At a minimum, such guidelines must provide a deadline

466
for each sport by which the private school student’s parents

467
must register with the member school in writing their intent for

468
their child to participate at that school in the sport.

469
(b) The parents of a private school student participating

470
in a member school sport under this subsection are responsible

471
for transporting their child to and from the member school at

472
which the student participates. The private school the student

473
attends, the member school at which the student participates in

474
a sport, the district school board, and the FHSAA are exempt

475
from civil liability arising from any injury that occurs to the

476
student during such transportation.

477
(c) For each academic year, a private school student may

478
only participate at the member school in which the student is

479
first registered under subparagraph (a)2. or makes himself or

480
herself a candidate for an athletic team by engaging in a

481
practice.

482
(9) SCHOOL RESPONSIBILITIES.—

483
(a)
(d)
The athletic director
or other appropriate

484
administrator
of each
participating FHSAA member
school shall
485 maintain the
student
records necessary for eligibility,
486 compliance, and participation
for all eligible students

487
participating in interscholastic or intrascholastic

488
extracurricular activities at the school

in the program
.
489
(b)
(e)
Any
private
school that has a student who
is seeking

490
wishes
to participate in
interscholastic or intrascholastic

491
extracurricular activities at another school

this program
must
492 make all
student
records
related to that student
, including, but
493 not limited to, academic, financial, disciplinary, and
494 attendance records, available upon request of the
governing

495
organization

FHSAA
.
496
(c)1. Each public school may assess an activity fee to an

497
enrolled student. Each public school may asses an activity fee

498
to a student who is not enrolled but is eligible to participate

499
pursuant to this section, provided that such fee does not exceed

500
the greater of the following:

501
a. The fee students enrolled at the school pay to

502
participate in the activity; or

503
b. A reasonable fee based on the costs to the school, not

504
to exceed $400 per activity.

505
2. Annually by July 1, activity fees developed pursuant to

506
sub-subparagraph 1.b. must be approved by the district school

507
board or charter school governing board, as appropriate, after

508
being voted on as an action item. Each public school must

509
publish a complete list of fees developed under this paragraph,

510
by activity, on its website before the beginning of each school

511
year.

512
3. Each school district and charter school shall annually

513
report to the Department of Education all fees assessed pursuant

514
to this paragraph.

515
(d) Notwithstanding paragraph (c), a home education

516
student, pursuant to s. 1002.41, or a public school student

517
participating at a public school at which he or she is not

518
enrolled may only be assessed the fee paid by students enrolled

519
at the school to participate in the activity.

520
(e) The parents of the student participating in the

521
interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity must

522
provide for the transportation of the student to and from the

523
school at which the student participates. The school in which

524
the student is enrolled, the school at which the student

525
participates in the extracurricular activity, and the district

526
school board are exempt from civil liability arising from any

527
injury that occurs to the student during such transportation.

528
(10) STUDENT TRANSFERS.—

529
(a) A student may not participate in sports at two

530
different schools during the same school year, unless the

531
student:

532
1. Is a dependent child of active duty military personnel

533
whose move resulted from military orders;

534
2. Has been relocated due to a foster care placement in a

535
different school zone;

536
3. Has moved due to a court-ordered change in custody due

537
to separation or divorce, or the serious illness or death of a

538
custodial parent; or

539
4. Has been granted approval by the applicable governing

540
organization’s executive director.

541
(b) The governing organization must provide a determination

542
of eligibility to the requesting student within 14 days after

543
such a request is made.

544
(c) The governing organization shall adopt bylaws

545
establishing criteria for determining eligibility of students

546
pursuant to this section and an appeals procedure equivalent to

547
the appeals procedure set forth in s. 1006.20(7).

548
(11) APPLICABILITY.—Any organization that conducts a

549
school-related or school support-related function or activity is

550
subject to the requirements of this section.

551
(12) BYLAWS.—The governing organization may adopt

552
additional bylaws to implement this section.

553
(f) A student must apply to participate in this program

554
through the FHSAA program application process.

555
(9)(a) A student who transfers to a school during the

556
school year may seek to immediately join an existing team if the

557
roster for the specific interscholastic or intrascholastic

558
extracurricular activity has not reached the activity’s

559
identified maximum size and if the coach for the activity

560
determines that the student has the requisite skill and ability

561
to participate. The FHSAA and school district or charter school

562
may not declare such a student ineligible because the student

563
did not have the opportunity to comply with qualifying

564
requirements.

565
(b) A student may not participate in a sport if the student

566
participated in that same sport at another school during that

567
school year, unless the student meets one of the following

568
criteria:

569
1. Dependent children of active duty military personnel

570
whose move resulted from military orders.

571
2. Children who have been relocated due to a foster care

572
placement in a different school zone.

573
3. Children who move due to a court-ordered change in

574
custody due to separation or divorce, or the serious illness or

575
death of a custodial parent.

576
4. Authorized for good cause in district or charter school

577
policy.

578
(10) A student who participates in an interscholastic or

579
intrascholastic activity at a public school and who transfers

580
from that school during the school year must be allowed to

581
continue to participate in the activity at that school for the

582
remainder of the school year if:

583
(a) During the period of participation in the activity, the

584
student continues to meet the requirements specified in

585
paragraph (3)(a).

586
(b) The student continues to meet the same standards of

587
acceptance, behavior, and performance which are required of

588
other students participating in the activity, except for

589
enrollment requirements at the school at which the student

590
participates.

591
(c) The parents of the student participating in the

592
activity provide for the transportation of the student to and

593
from the school at which the student participates. The school

594
the student attends, the school at which the student

595
participates in the activity, and the district school board are

596
exempt from civil liability arising from any injury that occurs

597
to the student during such transportation.

598 Section 3. Subsection (6) of section 1002.31, Florida
599 Statutes, is amended to read:
600 1002.31 Controlled open enrollment; public school parental
601 choice.—
602 (6)
(a)
A school district or charter school may not delay
603 eligibility or otherwise prevent a student participating in
604 controlled open enrollment or a choice program from being
605 immediately eligible to participate in interscholastic and
606 intrascholastic extracurricular activities
, except as provided

607
under s. 1006.15
.
608
(b) A student may not participate in a sport if the student

609
participated in that same sport at another school during that

610
school year, unless the student meets one of the following

611
criteria:

612
1. Dependent children of active duty military personnel

613
whose move resulted from military orders.

614
2. Children who have been relocated due to a foster care

615
placement in a different school zone.

616
3. Children who move due to a court-ordered change in

617
custody due to separation or divorce, or the serious illness or

618
death of a custodial parent.

619
4. Authorized for good cause in district or charter school

620
policy.

621 Section 4. Subsection (11) of section 1002.33, Florida
622 Statutes, is amended to read:
623 1002.33 Charter schools.—
624 (11) PARTICIPATION IN INTERSCHOLASTIC EXTRACURRICULAR
625 ACTIVITIES.—A charter school student is eligible to participate
626 in an interscholastic extracurricular activity
at the public

627
school to which the student would be otherwise assigned to

628
attend, or may develop an agreement to participate at a private

629
school,
pursuant to
s. 1006.15

s. 1006.15(3)(d)
.
630 Section 5. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (1) of
631 section 1006.195, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
632 1006.195 District school board, charter school authority
633 and responsibility to establish student eligibility regarding
634 participation in interscholastic and intrascholastic
635 extracurricular activities.—Notwithstanding any provision to the
636 contrary in ss. 1006.15, 1006.18, and 1006.20, regarding student
637 eligibility to participate in interscholastic and
638 intrascholastic extracurricular activities:
639 (1)(a) A district school board
shall

must
establish,
640 through its code of student conduct, student eligibility
641 standards and related student disciplinary actions regarding
642 student participation in interscholastic and intrascholastic
643 extracurricular activities. The code of student conduct must
644 provide that:
645 1. A student not currently suspended from interscholastic
646 or intrascholastic extracurricular activities, or suspended or
647 expelled from school, pursuant to a district school board’s
648 suspension or expulsion powers provided in law, including ss.
649 1006.07, 1006.08, and 1006.09, is eligible to participate in
650 interscholastic and intrascholastic extracurricular activities.
651 2. A student may not participate in a sport if the student
652 participated in that same sport at another school during that
653 school year, unless the student meets the criteria in
s.

654
1006.15(10)(a)

s. 1006.15(3)(j)
.
655 3. A student’s eligibility to participate in any
656 interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity may
657 not be affected by any alleged recruiting violation until final
658 disposition of the allegation pursuant to s. 1006.20(2)(b).
659 (b) Students who participate in interscholastic and
660 intrascholastic extracurricular activities for, but are not
661 enrolled in, a public school pursuant to
s. 1006.15(4)

s.

662
1006.15(3)(c)-(e) and (8),
are subject to the district school
663 board’s code of student conduct for the limited purpose of
664 establishing and maintaining the student’s eligibility to
665 participate at the school.
666 Section 6. Paragraph (e) of subsection (7) of section
667 1006.20, Florida Statutes, is amended, and paragraph (o) is
668 added to subsection (2) of that section, to read:
669 1006.20 Athletics in public K-12 schools.—
670 (2) ADOPTION OF BYLAWS, POLICIES, OR GUIDELINES.—
671
(o) The FHSAA shall adopt, maintain, and enforce sport

672
specific manuals or handbooks that govern interscholastic

673
competition. The manuals or handbooks may include, but are not

674
limited to, timing, scoring, equipment, officiating, and athlete

675
safety. The FHSAA must ensure that athletes may request

676
exemptions or accommodations from real-time scoring requirements

677
not later than 72 hours before a sanctioned event. If a request

678
is made within the prescribed time, the FHSAA must provide

679
access to accommodations for such participants.

680 (7) APPEALS.—
681 (e) A student athlete or member school that receives an
682 unfavorable ruling from a committee on appeals
or the executive

683
director
shall be entitled to appeal that decision to the board
684 of directors at its next regularly scheduled meeting or called
685 meeting.
The FHSAA’s bylaws must establish a timeline for

686
appeals relating to eligibility which may not exceed 20 days

687
after the date of receipt of the appeal.
The board of directors
688 shall have the authority to uphold, reverse, or amend the
689 decision of the committee on appeals
or the executive director
.
690 In all such cases, the decision of the board of directors shall
691 be final.
692 Section 7. Paragraph (d) is added to subsection (3) of
693 section 1012.01, Florida Statutes, to read:
694 1012.01 Definitions.—As used in this chapter, the following
695 terms have the following meanings:
696 (3) ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL.—“Administrative personnel”
697 includes K-12 personnel who perform management activities such
698 as developing broad policies for the school district and
699 executing those policies through the direction of personnel at
700 all levels within the district. Administrative personnel are
701 generally high-level, responsible personnel who have been
702 assigned the responsibilities of systemwide or schoolwide
703 functions, such as district school superintendents, assistant
704 superintendents, deputy superintendents, school principals,
705 assistant principals, career center directors, and others who
706 perform management activities. Broad classifications of K-12
707 administrative personnel are as follows:
708
(d) Extracurricular activities administrator.—Included in

709
this classification is any athletic director or coach or any

710
activity director or sponsor specified by the district school

711
superintendent at the request of the individual. The district

712
school superintendent may negotiate individual compensation in

713
excess of compensation otherwise awardable pursuant to s.

714
1012.22. Such compensation may not exceed the compensation of

715
the highest paid administrator in the district.

716 Section 8. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.