In 1987, homeschooling officially became legal in Minnesota. At the beginning of 2020, the US Census showed that 4.6% of students in Minnesota were being homeschooled, but by October of that same year, that number had risen to 9.7% and continues to grow each year. Nationwide, 11.1% of students were being homeschooled at the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year. Those statistics are reflected in Fillmore County as well with approximately 300 school aged children being homeschooled in 2023. So why such a big increase? Thirty years ago, most homeschooled families cited religion as their reason for homeschooling, but that is no longer the case. Today, school safety, drug use, and negative peer pressure are the top reasons with others being dissatisfaction with curriculum, a desire to provide moral instruction and a focus on family life, and being able to customize a child’s education to fit their specific needs.
Some of the children currently being educated at home are second generation homeschoolers which means that one or both of their parents were also homeschooled, but many are first generation for whom homeschooling is a new and unfamiliar endeavor. With the steady rise in numbers of homeschool families has also come some confusion about what exactly their requirements and rights are.
According to the Minnesota Department of Education, the educational requirements for homeschoolers to follow are reading, writing, literature, fine arts, math, science, history, geography, economics, government, citizenship, health and physical education. There is no requirement to track days or hours spent “in school.” Parents who are planning to homeschool or are continuing to homeschool are required to send a letter of intent to their local school district each year as education in Minnesota is mandatory. A standardized test of the parent’s choice must be given to each student annually and records kept showing what the child has studied each year.
Online school through the public school system is becoming more common as well and is not to be confused with homeschooling, although some people use the terms interchangeably as both options involve being educated in a home setting generally with parental involvement. Children who are enrolled in online school are considered public school students and have different options available to them through their local school district.
Just like public school students, homeschooled students have access to a variety of educational opportunities available to them. Several homeschool groups exist in Fillmore County that allow families to network with other homeschoolers for field trips, get-togethers, extracurricular classes, tutoring, and more. But many people also want their children to be able to participate in extracurricular activities through a public school, such as sports, one-act play, speech, drama, etc., but they aren’t sure what they’re eligible for. And just as families aren’t always aware of their rights and requirements as homeschoolers, school districts may not be aware either. So what exactly does Minnesota law say?
Minnesota Statute 123B.49 Subd. 4 reads “Board control of extracurricular activities. (a) The board must take charge of and control all extracurricular activities of the teachers and children of the public schools in the district. Extracurricular activities means all direct and personal services for pupils for their enjoyment that are managed and operated under the guidance of an adult or staff member. The board shall allow all resident pupils receiving instruction in a home school as defined in section 123B.36, subdivision 1, paragraph (a), to be eligible to fully participate in extracurricular activities on the same basis as public school students.”
Julie Johnson, a representative of Minnesota Association of Christian Home Educators clarified what that means. “Minnesota law allows resident homeschooled students to participate in extracurricular activities on the same basis as public school students. Extracurricular activities in public schools primarily consist of athletic programs but also encompass fine arts such as visual arts, speech and debate, one-act drama, and music. These activities are typically held outside regular school hours and do not count toward high school credit.” Representative Greg Davids concurred and added that if there is a gray area, the school board would then step in and determine the best course of action.
Homeschool mom Sarah Sprague agreed. “By law, homeschooled kids have to be given the opportunity to try out; they do not have to be given a place on the team. We’ve had a great experience. My eldest has been to State four times for sports and once for music so far. It has been mutually beneficial for both us and the district (Rushford-Peterson.)
Experiences from homeschooling families in Fillmore County seem to be mixed, but mostly positive. Many reported that their child or children have participated or are currently participating in extracurricular activities through their local school district. Among those who were refused, the most common reason was that they had inquired about activities in a district that they didn’t reside in. Public school students are allowed to open enroll in a nearby school district and can then take extracurriculars in that district. As homeschooled students are not open enrolled, they are limited to participating in whatever the district they live in offers.
Several Fillmore County school superintendents also commented on homeschoolers taking part in extracurricular activities in their district. “We encourage homeschool families to take advantage of these opportunties,” Chatfield Public Schools Superintendent Edward J. Harris said.
Lanesboro Superintendent Matt Schultz noted that the school follows the state statutes as well as the rules set by MSHSL regarding homeschooled students. “I believe we have a good relationship with homeschool families living in our district boundary,” he said. Kingsland Superintendent Scott Klavetter said that when the district receives a letter of intent to homeschool, they try to encourage families to reach out to the school with questions or to find out ways in which the district can support them. At the Rushford-Peterson district, families can attend a Homeschool Parent Meeting at the school on September 18 which will focus on how the district and homeschool families can work together to strengthen the education of all students in that district. “We do have many homeschool students that participate in extracurriculars here at the school and we encourage their participation,” Superintendent Ben Bernard said. “We are making a special effort to reach out to homeschool families this year to see if there are ways we can further work together.”
For more information on the rights and responsibilities of homeschool families and public school districts, visit education.mn.gov/MDE/fam/nphs/home/ or mache.org/mn-law/.
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