Posted by Howard Richman on November 10 2005 at 20:41:26:
The PA Senate Republicans issued the following press release today about the signing ceremony:
HowardPA Governor Signs Regola Bill Opening Extracurricular Activities to Home-Schooled Students
HARRISBURG, Pa., Nov. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Senator Bob Regola´s (R-39) legislation to open extracurricular activities to home-educated students was signed into law today by Governor Ed Rendell.
Senate Bill 361 is Regola´s first bill to clear the General Assembly. It marks the culmination of a more than 10-year effort to pass legislation opening extracurricular activities to home-schooled students.
"The Legislature and the Governor have worked together to knock down the barriers that kept so many Pennsylvania students from participating in activities outside the classroom," Regola said. "This is a tremendous victory for those students and their families."
The law amends the Public School Code to give home-schooled students the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities such as clubs, music ensembles, sports and theatrical productions.
Regola noted that extracurricular activities are by definition outside the academic programs and settings of public schools, so it was not incompatible for home-schooled students to participate as well.
"For the 2003-04 school year, there were 24,000 students enrolled in home education programs, but only about half of Pennsylvania´s 501 school districts allowed them to participate in activities," Regola said. "This law will open the rest of the districts, which is a great step forward to having our public schools and home school families work together and create the best possible educational opportunities for our young people."