Houston homeschooled children may be able to participate in public school extracurriculars if 'Tim Tebow Bill' clears Senate

A bill aiming to bring public school extracurricular activity opportunities to homeschooled children cleared the Texas House this week. 

House Bill 547, also known as the Tim Tebow Bill and the University Interscholastic League (UIL) Equal Access Bill, Texas would become the 36th state to maintain policies allowing for homeschooled student participation in public school extracurricular activities, according to a House Research Organization analysis. 

"The passage of HB 547 is a tremendous step forward for the homeschoolers of Texas," Texas Home School Coalition President Tim Lambert said in a press release. "According to the Census Bureau, over 12% of the students in Texas were homeschooling as of last September/October. That would be well over 750,000 students."

Dallas Morning News stated its support for legislation that brings equity in UIL access for home schooled students. In a recent editorial, the publication said that, despite homeschooling's growing stature as part of Texas' educational system, it is unfortunate that home schoolers are "unable to take part in extracurricular activities at their local public school, even when their parents are paying property taxes to support those activities."

The editorial called out the Texas Legislature for breaking under pressure from Texas public school coaches, teachers and education groups that oppose equal access to extracurriculars for homeschooled children, noting "that needs to change" because it is "unfair to taxpaying parents and their kids."

"Everyone involved would benefit from the participation of homeschool athletes, band members and others," the editorial board wrote. 

Since opportunities for sports and other extracurricular endeavors outside of public schools has been so limited in the past, the analysis said that this opportunity is important for the state's growing homeschool population. 

The U.S. Census Bureau reported that the amount of Texas school-aged children opting for homeschooling instead of public school almost tripled in 2020 from 4.5% in the spring to 12.3% in the fall. 

The trend is similar in Houston alone. In the same time frame, the Houston metro jumped from 4% of all school-aged children being homeschooled in spring 2020 to 10.8% in the fall. 

The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.