Bill
SB 48
Expands access by allowing public, private, and home‑schooled students to join a sport or activity at the nearest eligible public school if their own lacks a program, with fees and
Status & Effective Date
- Amends G.S. 115C‑407.55 and G.S. 115C‑47(6).
- Becomes effective upon enactment and applies beginning with the 2025–2026 school year.
Purpose
- To expand access to interscholastic athletics and other extracurricular activities for students whose own school (public, private, or home school) does not offer a program in a given sport or activity.
Key provisions
- Eligibility when a student’s public high school lacks a program:
- A student enrolled in a public high school that does not offer a particular sport may participate in that sport at the nearest public high school that does offer it.
- Participation is “subject to the terms and conditions applicable to a regularly enrolled member” of that host high school’s student body.
- Eligibility for private‑school and home‑school students:
- A private school or home‑schooled student may participate at the base public high school for the student’s residential address (the “base” school).
- If the base public high school does not offer the sport, the student may participate at the closest public high school to the base school that does.
- Participation is subject to the same terms and conditions as regularly enrolled students.
- Fees and local board authority:
- Local boards of education may charge a “reasonable fee” for participation by students who are not enrolled in the host public high school.
- The fee authority is exercised consistent with G.S. 115C‑47(6) (see publication requirement below).
- Transparency requirement for local boards (amendment to G.S. 115C‑47(6)):
- Local boards must publish a schedule of approved fees, charges, and solicitations — including any fees established to allow non‑enrolled students to participate in sports/extracurriculars — on the local school administrative unit’s website by October 15 each school year.
- If the schedule is revised, the board must publish the revised schedule within 30 days.
Who is affected
- Students: public, private, and home‑schooled students who lack access to a program in a particular sport or extracurricular activity at their school.
- Public high schools: athletic departments and administrators that will host visiting/non‑enrolled participants and apply eligibility rules.
- Local boards of education: responsible for setting, approving and publishing any participation fees and for related policy changes.
- Parents/guardians and local communities: may be affected by transportation, scheduling, fee, and safety considerations.
Potential impacts and considerations
- Increased student access to athletics and activities, which can support student well‑being and opportunities.
- Administrative implications for host schools (eligibility verification, roster management, insurance, tryouts, playing time, discipline, and facility use).
- Possible costs to non‑enrolled students via local board–set fees; boards must balance revenue/administrative costs with equity concerns.
- Potential interactions with existing league/association eligibility rules (e.g., conference or state association rules) that schools must reconcile with the law.
- Transportation, liability, and competitive‑balance issues that local districts will need to address in policies and procedures.
Practical next steps for districts
- Review and update local policies on participation by non‑enrolled students.
- Decide whether to charge fees, set amounts, and publish the approved schedule by Oct. 15 (and within 30 days of any revision).
- Establish processes for eligibility verification, tryouts, insurance, transportation, and safety for visiting participants.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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