A legislative subcommittee is considering whether Virginia should allow home-schooled students to participate in public school athletics.

The House of Delegates education subcommittee plans to meet
Tuesday to consider ways that home-schooled students can participate in sports. Options could include recommending
legislation that would require school divisions to allow home-schoolers to participate if they meet some version of public
schools' academic eligibility requirements.

The Virginia High School League, along with state superintendents and school boards associations, oppose allowing home-schoolers to participate in public school sports.

Republican Del. Rob Bell introduced legislation last year to allow home-schoolers access, but it didn't survive the full education committee. The subcommittee subsequently was formed to
study and develop recommendations on the issue, and Tuesday's
gathering is its third and final meeting.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)