Homeschool Sports Eligibility in Alabama
Only by enrolling in some classes. Alabama has no law opening public school teams to homeschoolers, but state athletic association rules let a homeschooler play for the public school serving the family's address after enrolling in its electives.
How homeschool participation works
The Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) sets the rules in its handbook. A homeschooler plays for the member public school that serves the area where the parents live, never a private member school, and enrolls there at the start of the semester.
The school counts the homeschool's own grades for the core subjects and its own grades for the electives the student takes there.
A student who leaves public school for homeschool after failing AHSAA academic rules sits out for one year.
Rules that decide participation
Enrollment deadline
Your child enrolls at the member public school no later than the third day of the semester.
Homeschool report and form
Your child is reported as a homeschooler to the local superintendent, and you turn in the AHSAA homeschool form to the school.
Core grades
Each year from grade 7 through the first semester of grade 12, you submit four core course grades from the homeschool.
Electives at the school
A student in grades 9 through 12 takes two electives through the school, and a student in grade 7 or 8 takes one.
Before the season
First step
Ask the athletic director at the public school that serves your address which electives your child can take there, before the semester starts.
When to start
Enroll in the electives by the third day of the semester before the season, since a later start rules your child out for that semester.
School that fits around the season
Lessons start at your child's level and go wherever practice and travel do. We grade the work as it is submitted and keep the grades and transcript a school or league may ask to see.
$149/month per child after the trial.