SB 2179: The Tim Tebow Act

Senate Bill 2179, sponsored by Sen. Dennis DeBar, would allow homeschool students to participate in public school extracurricular activities, including sports.

Often dubbed the Tim Tebow Act after the Heisman quarterback who was homeschooled but able to play football for his local high school in Florida, similar legislation has been moving across the country to the point that having such rules in some form is the norm, not the exception. 

In fact, every neighboring state allows homeschoolers to participate in extracurricular activities. Though regularly changing, there are at least 33 states, ranging from Vermont to Louisiana, with such a law. 

While the rules may vary, and in some cases, they are adopted by local high school associations, the sentiment is that just because you are a homeschooler doesn’t mean that you can’t participate in activities at the local public school. After all, you pay the same property taxes that fund that school. 

While homeschoolers in Mississippi generally enjoy favorable academic freedoms, similar bills have been introduced for years in Mississippi without success. But that was before the pandemic-inspired shift to homeschooling greatly increased the number of homeschoolers. 

Since that time, homeschooling is the fastest growing education sector in the country and in Mississippi, it has grown by more than 40 percent, one of the most dramatic increases in the country. There are now about 25,000 homeschool students in the state today.  

Empower Mississippi supports this legislation. 

Senate Bill 2179 died in committee on February 4. However, a similar bill, House Bill 1617, passed the House of Representatives and will now be considered by the Senate Education Committee. You can read that bill here.