Permits school districts to allow nonpublic school students to participate in resident district high school interscholastic athletics in certain circumstances.

A1447

ASSEMBLY, No. 1447

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman ERIK K. SIMONSEN

District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)

SYNOPSIS

���� Permits school districts to allow nonpublic school
students to participate in resident district high school interscholastic
athletics in certain circumstances.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.

��

An Act
concerning interscholastic athletics programs and
supplementing chapter 11 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

����� 1.��
a.� A board of education may permit a student who attends a nonpublic
school and meets the eligibility requirements for student athletes established
by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association to try out for,
and participate in, a school-sponsored high school interscholastic athletics
team or squad in the student�s district of residence in accordance with the
same criteria established for students enrolled in the district if the
nonpublic school does not sponsor a high school interscholastic athletics team
or squad in the sport in which the student wishes to participate.�

����� b.�
Any controversy concerning a student�s compliance with the eligibility
requirements for student-athletes established by the New Jersey State
Interscholastic Athletic Association shall be adjudicated by the association in
accordance with its constitution and by-laws.� A student who attends a
nonpublic school and wishes to compete on a school-sponsored high school
interscholastic athletics team or squad in the student�s resident district
shall:

����� (1)�
provide proof of residence in the district; and

����� (2)�
meet the requirements for participation established by the school district for
students enrolled in the district including, but not limited to, requirements
regarding physical examinations, insurance, fees, age, and academics.� A
nonpublic school student shall comply with the same standards of behavior,
responsibilities, and performance as all other members of the team or squad.

����� c.
�
A student who withdraws from a school district to
enroll in a nonpublic school and who is ineligible to participate in
interscholastic athletics at the time of withdrawal from the school district
due to failure to meet academic, behavioral, or eligibility standards, shall be
ineligible to compete in interscholastic athletic competition in accordance
with the rules of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.

�������
d.�� A board of education may charge a student who
participates in a school-sponsored high school interscholastic athletics team
or squad pursuant to this section, other than a student with financial
hardship, a fee no greater than the actual cost per pupil of participating in
the sport.� The criteria for determining financial hardship shall be the same
as the Statewide eligibility standards established by the State Board of
Education for free and reduced price meals pursuant to the State school lunch
program.

����� e.�� Nothing
in this section shall be construed to require a school district to provide
transportation services or pay transportation costs associated with a nonpublic
school student�s participation in interscholastic athletics pursuant to the
provisions of this section.

����� f.��� Nothing
in this section shall be construed to require a school district to change the
schedules, procedures, or participation requirements of an interscholastic
athletics team or squad to accommodate a nonpublic school student who wishes to
participate in interscholastic athletics pursuant to the provisions of this
section.

���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect on the first day of the third month next following the date of
enactment.

STATEMENT

���� This bill requires school
districts to allow students who attend nonpublic schools to try out for, and
participate in, a high school interscholastic athletics team or squad in the
student�s district of residence if the nonpublic school does not sponsor a high
school interscholastic sports team or squad in the sport in which the student
wishes to participate.� The nonpublic school student is required to provide
proof of residence in the district, and to meet the sports participation
requirements established by the district for students enrolled in the district
such as physical examination, insurance, fees, age, and academic requirements.�
The nonpublic school student is also required to comply with the same standards
of behavior, responsibilities, and performance as all other members of the team
or squad.

���� A board of education may
charge a nonpublic school student, other than a student with financial
hardship, a fee no greater than the actual cost per pupil of participating in
the sport.�