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To: Education
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Senator(s) DeBar
SENATE BILL NO. 2070
AN ACT TO ENACT THE TIM TEBOW ACT TO AUTHORIZE HOMESCHOOLED 1
STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERSCHOLASTIC EXTRACURRICULAR 2
ACTIVITIES SPONSORED BY OR ENGAGED IN BY THE PUBLIC SCHOOL TO 3
WHICH THE STUDENT WOULD BE ASSIGNED ACCORDING TO DISTRICT SCHOOL 4
BOARD ATTENDANCE POLICIES; TO PROVIDE CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS FOR 5
SUCH STUDENTS; TO PROVIDE THAT TRANSPORTATION OF THE STUDENT TO 6
THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SHALL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PARENT, 7
GUARDIAN OR STUDENT; TO PROHIBIT A PUBLIC SCHOOL FROM 8
DISCRIMINATING AGAINST SUCH STUDENT IN THE SELECTION OF 9
INTERSCHOLASTIC EXTRACURRICULAR TEAM MEMBERS; TO PROVIDE THAT SUCH 10
PARTICIPATION SHALL BE CONSIDERED A PRIVILEGE AND NOT A RIGHT, AND 11
THAT NOTHING IN THE ACT SHALL BE INTERPRETED TO CREATE A CAUSE OF 12
ACTION; TO CREATE THE "HOMESCHOOL EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY FUND" 13
AS A SPECIAL FUND WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION; TO PROVIDE 14
THAT DISTRICTS MAY RECEIVE $2,250.00 PER HOMESCHOOL STUDENT WHO 15
PARTICIPATED IN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES IN THE PRIOR YEAR; TO 16
REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO REPORT DISBURSEMENTS TO THE 17
OFFICE OF THE STATE AUDITOR; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 18
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 19
SECTION 1. (1) As used in this section, unless the context 20
requires otherwise: 21
(a) "Homeschool" means a legitimate home instruction 22
program as provided under Section 37-13-91(3)(c). 23
(b) "Interscholastic extracurricular activity" means 24
any school-authorized sport or activity sanctioned by the 25
Mississippi High School Activity Association. 26
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(c) "Appropriate documentation," for purposes of this 27
section, means: 28
(i) The results of a nationally recognized 29
standardized test or its equivalence determined by the Mississippi 30
Department of Education; 31
(ii) A portfolio of the previous year's school 32
work demonstrating the student's proficiency appropriate for his 33
or her grade level at the discretion of the school principal or 34
counselor staff; or 35
(iii) If the student was enrolled in a public, 36
private, parochial or charter school during the immediately 37
preceding school year, the student's academic transcript from that 38
school. 39
(2) (a) A student enrolled in a homeschool shall be 40
eligible to participate in interscholastic extracurricular 41
activities sponsored by or engaged in by the public school to 42
which the student would be assigned according to district school 43
board attendance policies; provided, that homeschooled students 44
who leave a public school during the school year are subject to 45
the same transfer protocols that apply to public-to-public 46
transfers. A student eligible under this section who is selected 47
to participate in extracurricular activities shall: 48
(i) Pay any participation or activity fee in an 49
amount equal to the fee charged to public school participants; 50
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(ii) Adhere to the same standards of behavior, 51
responsibility, performance and code of conduct as any other 52
participants in the extracurricular activity; 53
(iii) Adhere to the same academic standards as 54
other participants, with those standards confirmed by appropriate 55
documentation provided by the student to the public school 56
providing the extracurricular activity in which the student will 57
participate. A parent or person standing in parental relation to 58
a homeschooled student participating in the extracurricular 59
activity must periodically, in accordance with the school's 60
grading calendar, provide written verification to the school 61
indicating that the student is receiving a passing grade in each 62
course or subject being taught; 63
(iv) Register with the school his or her intent to 64
participate in extracurricular activity as a representative of the 65
school before the beginning date of the semester for the activity 66
in which he or she wishes to participate; and 67
(v) Comply with the same physical examination, 68
immunization, insurance, age and semester eligibility requirements 69
as other students participating in the activity. 70
(b) Transportation of the student to the public school 71
to participate in interscholastic extracurricular activities shall 72
be the responsibility of the parent, guardian or student. The 73
student may use the same transportation as other students as long 74
as additional expenses are not incurred by the district. 75
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(c) A public school shall not discriminate against a 76
student eligible under this section in the selection of 77
interscholastic extracurricular team members. 78
(3) Participation in an interscholastic extracurricular 79
activity is a privilege and not a right. Nothing in this act 80
shall be interpreted to create a cause of action on behalf of a 81
student against a public school or public school district official 82
or against an interscholastic extracurricular activities 83
association. 84
(4) With respect to a homeschooled student's education 85
program, nothing in this section shall be construed to permit an 86
agency of the state, a public school district or any other 87
governmental body to exercise control, regulatory authority or 88
supervision over a homeschooled student or parent or person 89
standing in parental relation to a homeschooled student beyond the 90
control, regulatory authority or supervision required to 91
participate in league activity. 92
(5) School districts may apply to the State Department of 93
Education for additional funding to cover the cost of any 94
homeschooled students participating in extracurricular activities. 95
(6) Application for funds must be made to the Department of 96
Education on or before January 30 of each school year. 97
(7) The application must include the number of homeschool 98
students participating in extracurricular activities in the prior 99
school year, the activities in which the homeschool student 100
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ST: Tim Tebow Act; allow homeschooled children
to participate in extracurricular activity
within their school district.
participated and such other information as required by the 101
Department of Education. 102
(8) There is created in the State Treasury a special fund to 103
be designated the "Homeschool Extracurricular Activity Fund" to be 104
administered by the Department of Education. 105
(9) Districts applying for funds under this section shall 106
receive Two Thousand Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($2,250.00) per 107
homeschool student that participated in extracurricular activities 108
in the prior year. Distributions shall be made by the Department 109
of Education from the "Homeschool Extracurricular Activity Fund." 110
The Department of Education shall allocate funds to the Homeschool 111
Extracurricular Activity Fund as needed to ensure the fund never 112
exhausts. 113
(10) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a 114
school district to request funding. 115
(11) The Department of Education shall report disbursements 116
made under this section to the Office of the State Auditor, on a 117
form prescribed by the Office of the State Auditor, on July 1, 118
2026, and every two (2) years thereafter. 119
(12) This section may be known and cited as the "Tim Tebow 120
Act." 121
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 122
and after July 1, 2026. 123