The state Board of Education is slated to consider ratifying changes to the Florida High School Athletic Association bylaws next week, which would include a provision allowing student-athletes to continue playing sports if they have graduated early.
Changes to FHSAA bylaws must be approved by the state education board before they can go into effect. During a meeting next week, the board will consider approval of a slew of changes.
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For example, one change would allow athletes to continue to participate “with the student’s cohort at the school in which the student graduates early” if certain requirements are met.
Under the proposal, students who graduate early would have to comply with schools’ policies “regarding access to the school facilities and grounds during normal operating hours” and could not participate in collegiate athletics.
Another proposed change that could get final approval next week would allow students in a Florida Personalized Education Program to participate in athletics at public and private schools.
The program, also known as PEP scholarships, was established as part of a sweeping voucher law (HB 1) approved by the Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2023.
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The law, in part, allows families to access state-backed vouchers that essentially are an education savings account.
The vouchers can be spent on a range of purchases for home-educated students, such as instructional materials, contracted services provided by public schools, and part-time tutoring services.
The FHSAA bylaws already allow home-schooled students to participate in sports.
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