Charter School Student Participation in

Extracurricular Activities at their Local School

Ohio law now allows for public charter school students to participate in extracurricular activities at their local traditional public school. The change was enacted in 2014, by House Bill 487, and can be found in the Ohio Revised Code Section 3313.357 (see the exact language below).

This change affects students of any public charter school (also called a community school).  Public charter school students are able to participate in activities, including sports, at the school they would attend if they did not choose to attend a charter school.

Parents and students are just discovering how this will work – and so are local school districts and administrative officials like superintendents and principals. We all need to work together to make it possible for students to enjoy these opportunities.

If you or any school district personnel ever have any questions, contact us at 1-866-380-2008 or Contact@MySchoolMyChoice.org. We will help in whatever way possible.

Ohio Revised Code 3313.537 Community school student participation in public school activities.

 (A) As used in this section, "extracurricular activity" means a pupil activity program that a school or school district operates and is not included in the school district's graded course of study, including an interscholastic extracurricular activity that a school or school district sponsors or participates in and that has participants from more than one school or school district.

(B)

(1) A student who is enrolled in a community school established under Chapter 3314. of the Revised Code or in a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics school established under Chapter 3326. of the Revised Code shall be afforded, by the superintendent of the school district in which the student is entitled to attend school under section 3313.64 or 3313.65 of the Revised Code, the opportunity to participate in that extracurricular activity at the district school to which the student otherwise would be assigned during that school year. If more than one school operated by the school district serves the student's grade level, as determined by the district superintendent based on the student's age and academic performance, the student shall be afforded the opportunity to participate in that extracurricular activity at the school to which the student would be assigned by the superintendent under section 3319.01 of the Revised Code.

(2) The superintendent of any school district may afford any student enrolled in community school or science, technology, engineering, and mathematics school, and who is not entitled to attend school in the district under section 3313.64 or 3313.65 of the Revised Code, the opportunity to participate in an extracurricular activity offered by a school of the district, if both of the following apply:

(a) The school in which the student is enrolled does not offer the extracurricular activity. 

(b) The extracurricular activity is not interscholastic athletics or interscholastic contests or competition in music, drama, or forensics.

(C) In order to participate in any extracurricular activity under this section, the student shall be of the appropriate age and grade level, as determined by the superintendent of the district, for the school that offers the extracurricular activity, and shall fulfill the same academic, nonacademic, and financial requirements as any other participant. 

(D) No school district board of education shall take any action contrary to the provisions of this section.

(E) No school or school district shall impose additional rules on a student to participate under this section that do not apply to other students participating in the same extracurricular activity. No school or school district shall impose fees for a student to participate under this section that exceed any fees charged to other students participating in the same extracurricular activity.

(F) No school district, interscholastic conference, or organization that regulates interscholastic conferences or events shall require a student who is eligible to participate in extracurricular activities under this section to meet eligibility requirements that conflict with this section.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 487, §1, eff. 9/17/2014.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. 25, HB 59, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2013.

Effective Date: 05-27-2005; 2007 HB119 09-29-2007

SOURCE: http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/3313.537


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