Tim Tebow Law by State: Where Homeschoolers Can Play Public School Sports

Your eighth grader wants to play basketball for the local high school, and someone tells you to "look up the Tim Tebow law." That is useful advice — if your state has one.

Tim Tebow laws are equal-access statutes or athletic-association rules that allow homeschooled students to try out for and compete on public school athletic teams. They are named after Tim Tebow, who was homeschooled in Florida and played football for his local public high school under that state's 1996 equal-access provision before going on to win a Heisman Trophy at the University of Florida.

As of 2026, over 35 states permit homeschool students to access public school sports through explicit statutes or state athletic association bylaws. But the rules vary widely.

States With Statutory Equal Access

These states have laws on the books granting homeschoolers the right to participate:

Arizona — A.R.S. § 15-802.01. Must live in the school's attendance zone. Same academic proof required as enrolled students. No extra fees beyond what public school students pay.

Arkansas — Ark. Code Ann. § 6-15-509. Portfolio or progress report required. Zoned district residence. Equal fee structure.

Colorado — C.R.S. § 22-33-104.5. Standardized test score (13th percentile or above) or evaluation. District may charge up to 150% of normal activity fees.

Florida — Fla. Stat. § 1006.15 (Craig Dickinson Act). The parent and school principal agree on an educational-progress evaluation for all home-program subjects; listed methods include teacher review, correspondence or college/career-center grades, standardized scores above the 35th percentile, or another method under § 1002.41. Home-education students may participate at a public school in their resident district, with adjacent-district options when no in-district public or charter school offers the sport and a private-school agreement is unavailable.

Georgia — O.C.G.A. § 20-2-319.6 (Dexter Mosley Act). Annual progress report required. Must enroll in at least one qualifying course per semester. 12-month sit-out period if withdrawing from public school.

Idaho — Idaho Code § 33-512(12). Dual enrollment or standardized testing proof. District boundaries apply.

Iowa — Iowa Code § 299A.8. Dual enrollment option or progress report. District resident.

Missouri — Mo. Rev. Stat. § 167.790 / SB 819. Written progress attestation by primary instructor. MSHSAA transfer rules apply.

Ohio — R.C. § 3313.5312. Academic assessment or quarterly progress report. Zoned district. OHSAA transfer restrictions apply.

Pennsylvania — 24 P.S. § 13-1327.1(f.1). Annual portfolio evaluation by a qualified evaluator.

Tennessee — T.C.A. § 49-6-3050. Annual progress verification and testing. 12-month sit-out for public-to-homeschool transfers.

Washington — RCW 28A.200.010 / WIAA Rule 18.5. Annual assessment or certified teacher evaluation. WIAA semester limits apply.

This is not an exhaustive list — several other states (Alabama, Indiana, Louisiana, and others) have either statutes or athletic association bylaws that grant access.

States With Local or District Discretion

Some states leave the decision to individual school boards or athletic association rules:

Michigan — MHSAA enrollment and academic rules / pending HB 5979. Access depends on local district policy.

New Jersey — NJSIAA bylaws allow participation if the local school board permits it. Policy varies widely by district.

Texas — UIL Constitution Sec. 447. The local school board must opt in. Requires parent academic progress report and standardized test. Strict varsity transfer restrictions. (Also check Texas homeschool sports access for details.)

Virginia — Va. Code § 22.1-253.13:2. Dual enrollment in two or more courses is tied to state funding; athletic access remains a district option.

New York — Pending legislation (S4037 / A5313) would establish statutory access. Currently no guaranteed right.

States That Prohibit Access

A small number of states explicitly bar homeschoolers from public school teams:

• California — CIF Blue Book Rule 201 requires full-time enrollment in a CIF member school.
• Illinois — IHSA By-Law 3.011 requires enrollment for 25 credit hours at a member school.
• West Virginia — WVSSAC rules currently prohibit homeschool participation on public school teams.

Watch-Outs Across All States

Transfer sit-out rules. Georgia's Dexter Mosley Act makes a student who withdraws from public school to begin a home study program ineligible at the resident public school for 12 months from the filing of the formal Notice of Intent. Tennessee has a similar provision. Check your state's transfer rules before making the switch mid-year.

Course enrollment mandates. Georgia requires homeschool athletes to enroll in at least one qualifying course provided by the public school each semester of athletic participation.

Semester and age limits. Most state athletic associations limit eligibility to eight consecutive semesters following 9th grade entry. Attempting to repeat 9th grade while homeschooling can trigger the clock and breach these limits.

When Public School Access Is Not Available

If your state blocks access, your athlete still has competitive options: independent homeschool leagues (NCHBC, NCSAA, NACA), private school co-ops, and club/travel team circuits. College coaches recruit from all of these pathways.

The Homeschool Athletics & NCAA Eligibility Guide includes the full 50-state equal-access matrix alongside alternative competitive pathways, tryout notification strategies, and the documentation requirements that college coaches expect — regardless of which pathway your athlete takes.

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