RCS Home School TSSAA/TMSAA Athletic Participation Guidelines

Rutherford County Schools

RCS Home School Administrative Procedure

 

The TSSAA requires home school students to have a legal residence within the school district where he/she will be participating, if participating with a public school.

TSSAA Update: The parent or guardian must make application for participation in athletics to the principal of the member school in which the home school athlete wishes to try out and possibly participate before the first official practice date for that sport.

**The TSSAA has updated their homeschool procedures beginning with the 24-25 school year which are listed below.
Homeschool students who have established a high school athletic record while living within the geographic boundaries of their school system but outside the territory (Zone) of their public school will now be ineligible for participating in athletics. The TSSAA state office recommends that these students be grandfathered in to allow them to complete their high school/middle school eligibility at the school where they have established an athletic record.  Also, grandfathered homeschool middle students that are rising 9th graders, will have to return to their zoned schools or apply for a TSSAA hardship for an opportunity to continue on out of zone to their feeder high school.  The TSSAA now classifies homeschool students as Non-Traditional Students. (See TSSAA Link Below) All Homeschool Students must participate at their zoned(territory) school.
Non-Traditional Student Participation | TSSAA

 

RCS Home School Procedures:

  1. Parent must contact Debbie Smotherman in RCS attendance office ([email protected] or 615-893-5812 ext. 22127) to register their child as a home school student.

 

  1. Parent must make contact through email of their students' “intent to participate” in sports to the following people: Debbie Smotherman (RCS Attendance Office) Principal, Coach, and the Athletic Director at their zoned school.

 

  1. Ms. Smotherman will determine if the home school meets qualifications that would allow the student to try out for sports at their zoned RCS school.

 

  1. When verified the home school meets qualifications, Ms. Smotherman will notify the personnel at the zoned school via email. 

 

       5.Parents will need to provide proof of residence to the school that they are in the correct zone by providing two of the                                  following: Utility Bill (gas, water, electric, etc. Mortgage or Lease

 

  1. School Administrators, Athletic Directors and Coaches are responsible for verifying that home school students trying out/practicing for their teams are zoned for their school before allowing them to practice.

 

 

   ** Note - A homeschool student may tryout at their zoned school prior to receiving verification from Ms. Smotherman, provided all other required FinalForms paperwork (physical, etc.) has been submitted.  The student may not participate in further practices/games until verification is received.