16. Extracurricular and Interscholastic Activities Eligibility and Access

Alabama law provides that nothing in the charter school act shall be construed to prevent a public charter school from forming an athletic team and participating in interscholastic athletics in the State of Alabama. If a public charter school elects for its students to participate in athletic contests or competitions, then the school shall pursue membership in the Alabama High School Athletic Association and shall adhere to all guidelines, rules, regulations, and bylaws as other member schools.

Alaska law explicitly allows charter school students in schools not providing extra-curricular and interscholastic activities to have access to those activities at non-charter public schools for a fee by a mutual agreement.

Arizona law is silent about charter eligibility and access.

Arkansas law is silent about charter eligibility and access.

California law does not explicitly address these matters. However, under the state’s statutorily defined “permissive” Education Code, these practices are permitted unless expressly prohibited. In practice, the California Interscholastic Federation’s policies tend to make it difficult for charter students to participate in activities in a local high school, even if the local district is amenable. As such, unless the charter school creates its own athletic programs, such activities are usually not an option for charter students.

Colorado law states that charter schools are eligible to participate in all extracurricular and interscholastic activities available to noncharter public schools and allows charter school students in schools not providing extracurricular and interscholastic activities to have access to those activities at noncharter public schools.

Connecticut law is silent about charter eligibility and access. 

Delaware law is silent about charter eligibility and access.

The District of Columbia government provides charter schools eligibility to participate in the State Athletic Association.

The state interscholastic association’s rules include charter schools in their definitions of schools eligible to participate in all such activities. Florida law provides that charter students are eligible to participate in an interscholastic activity at the public school that a student would otherwise have been assigned to.

Georgia law is silent about charter eligibility and access.

Hawaii law grants charter school students the same opportunity as students at department schools to participate in sports activities whether it be provided at the charter school or a comparable program at a department school.

Idaho law is silent regarding charter eligibility and access.

Illinois law is silent about charter eligibility and access.

Indiana law is silent about charter eligibility and access.

Iowa law is silent about charter eligibility and access.

Kansas law is silent about charter eligibility and access.

Louisiana law is silent about charter eligibility and access.

The law states that charter students have the right to participate in extracurricular and interscholastic activities not offered by their school to the same extent and subject to the same requirements as non-charter public school students. The law provides that non-charter schools may require such students to pay a portion of the cost of providing those activities.

Maryland law is silent about charter eligibility and access.

Massachusetts law is silent about charter eligibility and access.

Michigan law is silent about charter eligibility and access. Although charter schools are LEAs with all the rights and responsibilities associated with other district LEAs, silence on these provisions results in a level of uncertainty.

Minnesota law provides that charter high schools are eligible to participate in Minnesota High School League Activities if the charter school joins the League.Minnesota law provides that charter schools and traditional school districts may enter into agreements for charter school students to participate in their resident district if the charter school does not provide an interscholastic activity. The decision on whether to enter into such an agreement is at the discretion of the resident district.

State law provides that a charter school is eligible to participate in state-sponsored or district-sponsored athletic and academic interscholastic leagues, competitions, awards, scholarships, and recognition programs for students, educators, administrators, and schools to the same extent as non-charter public schools.

Missouri law is silent about charter eligibility and access.

Nevada law allows charter school students in schools not providing extra-curricular and interscholastic activities to have access to those activities at non-charter public schools by a mutual agreement.

The law provides the ability of public chartered school pupils to participate in programs and co-curricular activities in their resident district.

New Jersey regulations allow a secondary charter school student to participate in a sport at his or her school of residence, upon agreement of both principals, if the charter school does not offer that sport.

New Mexico law allows charter school students to participate in district activities sanctioned by the New Mexico Activities Association.

New York law provides that school districts may offer extra-curricular activities to resident charter students.

North Carolina law is silent about charter eligibility and access.

Ohio law provides that a student in a charter school shall be afforded the opportunity to participate in any extracurricular activities offered at the traditional public school that is operated by the school district and to which the student otherwise would be assigned.

Oklahoma law provides that a brick and mortar charter school may sign a co-op agreement with a school district allowing charter school students to play on district teams.
Oklahoma law provides that students enrolled full-time in the statewide virtual charter school governed by the statewide virtual charter school board shall not be authorized to participate in any activities administered by the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association. However, it provides that these students may participate in intramural activities sponsored by the statewide virtual charter school, an online provider sponsored by the statewide virtual charter school, or any other outside organization.

Oregon law provides charter school students with access to extracurricular and interscholastic activities at non-charter public schools.Oregon law is silent regarding charter eligibility and access.

Pennsylvania law provides that no district can deny the participation of charter school students in extra-curricular activities if such students can fulfill participation requirements and the charter school does not offer those activities. It also requires charter applications to detail any agreement with local districts regarding a student’s participation in extra-curricular activities.

Rhode Island law is silent regarding charter eligibility and access.

South Carolina law provides that a charter school is eligible for federally sponsored, state-sponsored or district-sponsored interscholastic leagues, competitions, awards, scholarships, grants, and recognition programs for students, educators, administrators, staff, and schools to the same extent as all other public schools.
South Carolina law allows charter school students in schools not providing extra-curricular and interscholastic activities to have access to those activities at the resident public school the students would otherwise attend.

Tennessee law is silent about charter eligibility and access.

Tennessee law provides clarity regarding which entity is the LEA responsible for providing special education services and regarding funding for low-incident, high-cost services.

Texas open enrollment charter schools are eligible to participate in University Interscholastic League extracurricular activities.

The law provides that charter school students are eligible to participate in all interscholastic leagues, competitions, awards, scholarships, and recognition programs available to non-charter public school students.Utah law allows charter school students to participate, on a state-established fee basis, in extracurricular activities at district schools, if those activities are not offered by the charter school.

Virginia law is silent about charter eligibility and access.

Statute notes that a charter school is eligible for state or district-sponsored interscholastic programs, awards, scholarships, or competitions to the same extent as other public schools. Statute explicitly states that the eligibility of a charter school student to participate in interscholastic activities is governed by the same oversight organization and subject to the same rules as students in traditional public schools. These rules allow for a charter school student in a charter school without athletics to participate at the resident public schools that the student would otherwise attend.

West Virginia law provides that a charter school eligible to participate in state-sponsored or district-sponsored athletic and academic interscholastic leagues, competitions, awards, scholarships, and recognition programs for students, educators, administrators, and schools to the same extent as non-charter public schools.

Wisconsin law is silent about charter eligibility and access.

Wyoming law is silent about charter eligibility and access.