"Tim Tebow Act"; create to authorize homeschool students to participate in public school extracurricular activities.

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To: Education
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Roberson

HOUSE BILL NO. 609

AN ACT TO BE KNOWN AS THE "TIM TEBOW ACT"; TO DEFINE CERTAIN 1
TERMS; TO AUTHORIZE STUDENTS ENROLLED IN A HOMESCHOOL TO 2
PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC SCHOOL INTERSCHOLASTIC EXTRACURRICULAR 3
ACTIVITIES; TO PRESCRIBE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A STUDENT ENROLLED 4
IN A HOMESCHOOL TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERSCHOLASTIC EXTRACURRICULAR 5
ACTIVITIES; TO PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION AGAINST HOMESCHOOL STUDENT 6
SELECTION OR PARTICIPATION IN SUCH ACTIVITIES; TO PROVIDE THAT 7
PARTICIPATION IN AN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY IS A PRIVILEGE AND 8
NOT A RIGHT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 9
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 10
SECTION 1. (1) This section shall be known and may be cited 11
as the "Tim Tebow Act." 12
(2) As used in this section, the following words and phrases 13
have the meanings ascribed in this subsection unless the context 14
clearly indicates otherwise: 15
(a) "Homeschool" means a legitimate home instruction 16
program as described under Section 37-13-91(3). 17
(b) "Interscholastic extracurricular activity" means 18
any school-authorized sport or activity sanctioned by the 19
Mississippi High School Activities Association. 20
(c) "Appropriate documentation" means: 21
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(i) The results of a nationally recognized 22
standardized test or its equivalent as determined by the State 23
Department of Education; 24
(ii) A portfolio of the student's school work from 25
the previous year demonstrating the student's proficiency 26
appropriate for the student's grade level, as determined in the 27
discretion of the school principal or counselor; or 28
(iii) If the student was enrolled in a public, 29
private, parochial or charter school during the preceding school 30
year, records evidencing the student's eligibility based on the 31
student's academic success at that school. 32
(3) (a) A student enrolled in a homeschool is eligible to 33
participate in interscholastic extracurricular activities 34
sponsored or engaged in by the public school to which the student 35
would be assigned according to the attendance policies adopted by 36
the school board of the local school district. A homeschool 37
student who leaves a public school during the school year is 38
subject to the transfer protocols that apply to transfers from one 39
(1) public school to another public school. A student who is 40
eligible under this section and selected to participate in an 41
extracurricular activity must: 42
(i) Adhere to the same standards of behavior, 43
responsibility, performance and code of conduct as other 44
participants in the extracurricular activity; 45
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(ii) Adhere to the same academic standards as 46
other participants, with those standards confirmed by appropriate 47
documentation provided by the student to the public school 48
providing the extracurricular activity in which the student 49
participates. However, if the documentation provided gives the 50
local school board reasonable suspicion that the documentation is 51
false in its claims of satisfaction of academic standards and 52
grade placement the student may be administered a grade-level 53
placement examination. Additionally, students allowed to 54
participate in public school extracurricular activities must 55
participate in the statewide testing program, but shall be a 56
separate category for allocating levels of proficiency, which 57
shall not impact the local district of participation's 58
accountability rating; 59
(iii) Register with the school the student's 60
intent to participate in the extracurricular activity as a 61
representative of the school before the beginning date of the 62
semester during which the extracurricular activity in which the 63
student wishes to participate is offered; and 64
(iv) Comply with the same physical examination, 65
immunization, insurance, age and semester eligibility requirements 66
as other students participating in the extracurricular activity. 67
(b) Transportation of a student being educated in a 68
homeschool to a public school to participate in interscholastic 69
extracurricular activities is the responsibility of the parent, 70
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ST: "Tim Tebow Act"; create to authorize
homeschool students to participate in public
school extracurricular activities.
guardian or student. The student may use the same transportation 71
as other students so long as additional expenses are not incurred 72
by the school district. 73
(c) In selecting the members of an interscholastic 74
extracurricular team, a public school shall not discriminate 75
against a student being educated in a homeschool who is eligible 76
to participate under this section. 77
(4) Participation in an interscholastic extracurricular 78
activity is a privilege and not a right. Nothing in this act 79
shall be interpreted to create a cause of action on behalf of a 80
student against a public school or public school district official 81
or against an interscholastic extracurricular activities 82
association. 83
(5) With respect to a homeschool student's education 84
program, nothing in this section shall be construed to permit an 85
agency of the state, a public school district or any other 86
governmental body to exercise control, regulatory authority or 87
supervision over a homeschool student or parent or person standing 88
in parental relation to a homeschool student beyond the control, 89
regulatory or supervision required to participate in league 90
activity. 91
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 92
and after July 1, 2026. 93