Board Ponders Options Temporary Rules May Allow Non-Public Students To Take Part In School Activities

The state Board of Education is deciding how to implement a new law allowing students from home and private schools to take classes and participate in extracurricular activities at public schools.

But since the board’s regular rule-making process likely would take too long to allow participation this fall, it is considering a temporary rule that could take effect this summer.

While public school students establish academic eligibility for sports and other non-academic programs by earning passing grades, home and private school students will have to pass a standardized achievement test.

For elementary and junior high school students, that will be the Iowa Test of Basic Skills. Students of high school age will take the Tests of Achievement and Proficiency. A passing score would be in at least the 40th percentile compared with students around the nation.

An Idaho home-schooling group administers the standardized tests, and students who have already taken them could qualify for non-academic programs with their scores.

The Board of Education, which met Wednesday and Thursday in Boise, has not yet decided how to handle eligibility for students who have not been able to take one of the tests. It might waive the requirement the first year for students whose private teachers sign affidavits saying they believe the child would pass the test.

On Thursday, the board also approved a $500,000 expansion of achievement testing.

Students already take achievement tests in the fourth, eighth and 11th grades. But the education department also wants to test students in the third, fifth, sixth, seventh and ninth grades.

Board member Roy Mosman was the only member voting against the spending plan. Mosman said it was unclear whether the Legislature would provide money to continue expanded testing in the future.