Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §5026 is enacted to read:

§5026.__Participation in private school activities by students

enrolled in equivalent instruction programs

1.__Cocurricular and extracurricular activities.__A student enrolled in an equivalent instruction program approved by the commissioner pursuant to section 5001-A, subsection 3, paragraph A, subparagraph (3) may participate in an interscholastic, cocurricular or extracurricular activity with a private school.__A student enrolled in a private school may participate in an interscholastic, cocurricular or extracurricular activity with another private school if the student's school does not offer the activity.

2.__Interscholastic organizations.__An organization that governs or organizes an interscholastic, cocurricular or extracurricular activity in the State and includes a public school as a member may not deny a student or that student's team or school eligibility to participate in the activity because the student is enrolled in an equivalent instruction program approved by the commissioner pursuant to section 5001- A, subsection 3, paragraph A, subparagraph (3) and participating in the activity pursuant to subsection 1.__A public school may not join or belong to an organization that violates the provisions of this subsection.

SUMMARY

This bill allows a home schooled student to participate in an interscholastic, cocurricular or extracurricular activity at a private school and a student enrolled in a private school to participate in an interscholastic, cocurricular or extracurricular activity at another private school if the student's school does not provide the activity. This bill also forbids interscholastic organizations to deny the eligibility of a student or that student's team or school in an interscholastic, cocurricular or extracurricular activity because the student is home schooled but participating with a private school and forbids public schools from belonging to such interscholastic organizations.