Access to Sports & Activities

A. Access to public school sports and activities is governed by state law, eligibility rules, and local policy.

Generally, legislators have argued that everyone pays taxes; however, not everyone directly receives services funded through those tax dollars. In addition, some believe public school programs are intended only for enrolled students, and families who choose nonpublic school options, such as homeschooling, are viewed as opting out of those programs.

Access to public high school sports and activities has an additional barrier: Virginia High School League (VHSL) eligibility rules. VHSL, a private nonprofit organization, governs public high school interscholastic athletics and many competitive activities. Generally, VHSL eligibility rules require students to be enrolled full-time in a member school; homeschoolers cannot meet this requirement. For public school students to participate in VHSL-regulated sports and activities, divisions must adhere to VHSL policy.

Lastly, local policy varies across school divisions; some divisions may allow limited participation by nonpublic school students in certain programs, while others may not. Please contact your local public school division to learn about their policy.