An Act To Amend The Laws Of Delaware Relating To Homeschool Student Participation In Extracurricular Activities.
HB350 directs the Delaware Department of Education to study and make recommendations on whether and how homeschool students could participate in extracurricular activities offered by public schools, charter schools, and vocational-technical school districts. The bill defines extracurricular activities broadly to include sports, performances, contests, displays, and club activities, and it frames the issue as one of educational choice, student development, and access to opportunities that may be costly to obtain privately.
Rather than immediately changing eligibility rules, the bill requires the Department to work with school districts and other school types to evaluate the advisability and feasibility of a pilot program, identify which activities may or may not be suitable for homeschool participation, and consider eligibility criteria, costs, impacts on public school students, and possible partnerships with nonpublic schools. The Department must submit its findings and recommendations by December 31, 2027, and the act expires once notice of that report is published in the Register of Regulations.
HB350 does not directly create a statewide right for homeschool students to join extracurricular activities. Instead, it temporarily places a reporting and study requirement into Delaware law, requiring the Department of Education to gather information and issue recommendations that could inform future legislation or a pilot program. The bill affects the Department of Education, school districts, charter schools, vocational-technical school districts, homeschool families, and potentially nonpublic schools, but it does not itself amend the underlying eligibility rules for extracurricular participation.
The bill appears generally favorable toward homeschool participation in school activities. Its findings emphasize educational choice, social and emotional benefits for students, and the possibility that extracurricular access can be expensive in the private market. The absence of recorded committee testimony or votes limits the ability to measure opposition, but the sponsor list and the bill’s framing suggest a collaborative, exploratory approach rather than a confrontational one.
The main points of potential contention are whether homeschool students should be allowed to participate in public school activities at all, and if so, under what conditions. The bill specifically anticipates disputes over capacity limits, tryout and proof-of-ability requirements, differences among activity types, grade-level distinctions, costs, and the possible impact on currently enrolled public school students. Another likely issue is whether participation should be limited to a student’s school of residence or extended to charter and vocational-technical schools, and whether nonpublic schools should also be involved.