On July 9, 2025, Governor Kehoe signed into law some changes regarding homeschooling, private schooling, and public schooling. This eases restrictions on students not attending the public schools. It also allows these students to participate in extracurricular activities.
Part 1
Parents are no longer required to sign their school letter or delay unenrolling their children if they have given them something in writing as to their educational intentions. A parent should continue to send the school their withdrawal letter or intention to homeschool.
NEW 167.042 If a parent, guardian, or other person having charge, control, or custody of the child makes a written notification of their intent to pursue other educational options under section 167.031, and requests that the child be dropped from the public school district rolls where the child legally resides, such school shall comply with the request and remove said child from the rolls promptly.
This makes it easier on parents. However, sending a notice of intent to educate the student outside of the public school realm allows the school system to gain knowledge. If a neighbor calls to report a truancy of your child not at the public school, the superintendent can reply that that child has been removed, per the parents. In other words, the school knows that this student is not truant.
Part 2
This allows any student to try out/ or participate in any extracurricular activities. The student is Not required to attend any class in the public school to participate.
167.790 3. A school district or charter school shall not prohibit a student who is receiving instruction at any school from having the opportunity to participate, contingent upon the successful completion of a tryout if applicable, in any event or activity offered by the charter school or by the school district. It goes on to say that it cannot require a student who is receiving instruction at a school as a full-time equivalent student to attend any class.
This was a big move that took several years to work out the wording.
