Wamego’s USD 320 Board of Education discussed allowing home-schooled students to participate in elective activities. At a Monday meeting, Superintendent Denise O’Dea said she’d been contacted by parents with a request to allow their home-schooled students to participate in sporting activities and band. She said the District has allowed this in the past due to a reimbursement rate, but due to Block Grant funding, there is no longer any reimbursement. She suggested the board treat elective participation by home-schooled students the same as out-of-district students adhering to the district’s recent policy change. The policy grandfather’s existing participants, their siblings and family members of district employees, but will not entertain any new requests, due to recent funding cuts.
President Rob Adams questioned the exclusion citing these students pay the required fees associated with the activities. However, another problem was cited with the increased numbers in the Middle School band. The band has to be split, so admitting non-enrolled students to participate increases the demand. A motion was made to treat home-schooled students the same as out-of-district students by adhering to the existing policy. Approval was given by a vote of 6 to 0.
