SESSION WATCH
THE BILL ITSELF

CS/CS/CS/SB 538

Extracurricular Activities

VERSION S 538 er · BACK TO THE SUMMARY · OFFICIAL RECORD

underlined language is being added; struck language is being deleted. Line numbers are the Legislature's own — the same ones amendments cite.

ENROLLED
2026 Legislature CS for CS for CS for SB 538, 1st Engrossed 2026538er
2 An act relating to extracurricular activities;
3 amending s. 1001.43, F.S.; authorizing district school
4 boards to adopt policies for the use of certain funds
5 to provide funding to specified persons relating to
6 extracurricular activities; prohibiting such funds
7 from being used as severance pay or compensation;
8 amending s. 1006.15, F.S.; providing and revising
9 definitions; revising eligibility requirements for a
10 student to participate in an interscholastic or
11 intrascholastic extracurricular activity; providing
12 construction; deleting obsolete provisions; requiring
13 governing organizations to adopt, maintain, and
14 enforce specified manuals or handbooks; requiring that
15 insurance provided by district school boards for
16 participants in extracurricular activities cover any
17 eligible student; deleting requirements for the
18 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) to
19 facilitate a program for private school students to
20 participate in an interscholastic or intrascholastic
21 sport; requiring the athletic director or other
22 appropriate administrator to maintain records for all
23 eligible students participating in interscholastic or
24 intrascholastic extracurricular activities at a member
25 school; revising requirements for a student to apply
26 to participate in an interscholastic or
27 intrascholastic extracurricular activity at certain
28 schools; authorizing a public school to assess an
29 activity fee for certain students; providing a
30 limitation on such fee; requiring such fee to be
31 annually approved by a district school board or
32 charter school governing board, as appropriate;
33 requiring each school to annually publish a complete
34 list of such fees on its website; requiring school
35 districts and charter schools to annually report such
36 fees to the Department of Education; requiring parents
37 to provide transportation to and from the school for
38 their students; providing indemnity for a school and
39 district school board under specified circumstances;
40 prohibiting a student from participating in
41 interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular
42 activities at two different schools within the same
43 school year unless the student meets specified
44 criteria; requiring the governing organization to
45 provide a certain determination of eligibility within
46 a specified timeframe; requiring the governing
47 organization to adopt specified bylaws; authorizing
48 the governing organization to adopt additional bylaws;
49 deleting provisions providing requirements for certain
50 student transfers; amending s. 1002.31, F.S.; deleting
51 obsolete language; conforming provisions to changes
52 made by the act; amending s. 1002.33, F.S.; conforming
53 a cross-reference and provisions to changes made by
54 the act; amending s. 1006.195, F.S.; conforming cross
55 references; amending s. 1006.20, F.S.; requiring the
56 FHSAA to adopt, maintain, and enforce specified
57 manuals or handbooks; requiring the FHSAA to ensure
58 that athletes may request certain exemptions or
59 accommodations; requiring the FHSAA to provide
60 accommodations under certain circumstances;
61 authorizing a student who is denied certain
62 eligibility to appeal a decision made by the governing
63 organization; requiring the governing organization to
64 adopt bylaws to establish a timeline for an appeals
65 process; providing a limitation on such timelines;
66 authorizing the executive director of the FHSAA to
67 rule on specified appeals; amending s. 1012.01, F.S.;
68 including extracurricular athletic administrators in
69 the broad classification of K-12 administrative
70 personnel; authorizing district school superintendents
71 to negotiate specified compensation; providing
72 requirements for such compensation; providing an
73 effective date.
75 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
77 Section 1. Paragraph (i) is added to subsection (2) of
78 section 1001.43, Florida Statutes, to read:
79 1001.43 Supplemental powers and duties of district school
80 board.—The district school board may exercise the following
81 supplemental powers and duties as authorized by this code or
82 State Board of Education rule.
83 (2) FISCAL MANAGEMENT.—The district school board may adopt
84 policies providing for fiscal management of the school district
85 with respect to school purchasing, facilities, nonstate revenue
86 sources, budgeting, fundraising, and other activities relating
87 to the fiscal management of district resources, including, but
88 not limited to, the policies governing:
89 (i) Use of voluntary donations and revenues generated by
90 authorized booster clubs or associations to provide funds to
91 athletic coaches, activity directors, or activity sponsors of an
92 extracurricular activity supported by the booster club or
93 association. Any policy authorizing payment by booster clubs or
94 associations may not control the provision of funds except that
95 such funds may not be used for severance pay or for compensation
96 as defined in s. 1012.22 and must comply with all applicable
97 laws.
98 Section 2. Section 1006.15, Florida Statutes, is amended to
99 read:
100 1006.15 Student standards for participation in
101 interscholastic and intrascholastic extracurricular student
102 activities; regulation.—
103 (1) SHORT TITLE.— This section may be cited as the “Craig
104 Dickinson Act.”
105 (2) DETERMINATION.— Interscholastic extracurricular student
106 activities are an important complement to the academic
107 curriculum. Participation in a comprehensive extracurricular and
108 academic program contributes to student development of the
109 social and intellectual skills necessary to become a well
110 rounded adult. As used in this section, the term
111 “extracurricular” means any school-authorized or education
112 related activity occurring during or outside the regular
113 instructional school day. In the determination of whether a
114 school offers an activity or a sport, the activity or sport must
115 meet the designation requirements of s. 1006.205(3)(a).
116 (3) (a) DEFINITIONS.— As used in this section and s. 1006.20,
117 the term :
118 (a) “Eligible student” means a home education student,
119 charter school student, private school student, Florida Virtual
120 School student, alternative school student, or traditional
121 public school student who wishes to participate in an
122 interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity.
123 (b) “Eligible to participate” :
124 1. Includes, but is not limited to, a student participating
125 in any of the following:
126 a. Tryouts . ,
127 b. Off-season conditioning . ,
128 c. Summer workouts . ,
129 d. Preseason conditioning . ,
130 e. In-season practice . ,
131 f. or Contests.
132 2. The term Does not mean that a student must be placed on
133 any specific team for interscholastic or intrascholastic
134 extracurricular activities.
135 (c) “Extracurricular” means any school-authorized or
136 education-related activity occurring during or outside the
137 regular instructional school day.
138 (d) “Governing organization” means any organization that
139 governs the interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular
140 activity of a school, including, but not limited to, the Florida
141 High School Athletic Association.
142 (4) ELIGIBILITY.—
143 (a) To be eligible to participate in interscholastic
144 extracurricular student activities, a student must:
145 1. Maintain a grade point average of 2.0 or above on a 4.0
146 scale, or its equivalent, in the previous semester or a
147 cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or above on a 4.0 scale,
148 or its equivalent, in the courses required by s. 1002.3105(5) or
149 s. 1003.4282.
150 2. Execute and fulfill the requirements of an academic
151 performance contract between the student, the district school
152 board, the appropriate governing association, and the student’s
153 parents, if the student’s cumulative grade point average falls
154 below 2.0, or its equivalent, on a 4.0 scale in the courses
155 required by s. 1002.3105(5) or s. 1003.4282. At a minimum, the
156 contract must require that the student attend summer school, or
157 its graded equivalent, between grades 9 and 10 or grades 10 and
158 11, as necessary.
159 3. Have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or above on
160 a 4.0 scale, or its equivalent, in the courses required by s.
161 1002.3105(5) or s. 1003.4282 during his or her junior or senior
162 year.
163 4. Maintain satisfactory conduct, including adherence to
164 appropriate dress and other codes of student conduct policies
165 described in s. 1006.07(2). If a student is convicted of, or is
166 found to have committed, a felony or a delinquent act that would
167 have been a felony if committed by an adult, regardless of
168 whether adjudication is withheld, the student’s participation in
169 interscholastic extracurricular activities is contingent upon
170 established and published district school board policy.
171 (b) Any student who is exempt from attending a full school
172 day based on rules adopted by the district school board for
173 double session schools or programs, experimental schools, or
174 schools operating under emergency conditions must maintain the
175 grade point average required by this section and pass each class
176 for which he or she is enrolled.
177 (c) A home education student must meet the requirements of
178 the home education program pursuant to s. 1002.41.
179 1. During the period of participation at a school, the home
180 education student must demonstrate educational progress as
181 required in paragraph (b) in all subjects taken in the home
182 education program by a method of evaluation agreed upon by the
183 parent and the school principal, which evaluation may include
184 review of the student’s work by a certified teacher chosen by
185 the parent; grades earned through correspondence; grades earned
186 in courses taken at a Florida College System institution, state
187 university, or district career center; standardized test scores
188 above the 35th percentile; or any other method designated in s.
189 1002.41.
190 2. The home education student must meet the same standards
191 of acceptance, behavior, and performance as required of other
192 students in extracurricular activities.
193 3. A student who transfers from a home education program to
194 a public school before or during the first grading period of the
195 school year is academically eligible to participate in
196 interscholastic extracurricular activities during the first
197 grading period, provided the student has a successful evaluation
198 from the previous school year pursuant to subparagraph 1.
199 (d) (c)1. A An individual home education student is eligible
200 to participate in an interscholastic or intrascholastic
201 extracurricular activity at the school in which he or she is
202 enrolled.
203 (e) An eligible student may participate in an
204 interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity at a
205 school other than the school in which the student is enrolled
206 if:
207 1. The school in which the student is enrolled does not
208 offer the same interscholastic or intrascholastic
209 extracurricular activity or the student is in a home education
210 program; and
211 2. The school at which the student will participate in the
212 interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity is
213 located in the school district in which the student resides.
214 (f) If no public or charter schools in the district in
215 which the student resides offer the interscholastic or
216 intrascholastic extracurricular activity, and an agreement
217 cannot be reached with a private school in the district in which
218 the student resides, the student may participate at a public,
219 charter, or private school that is appropriate for the student’s
220 grade level located outside of his or her school district. The
221 school at which the student participates pursuant to this
222 paragraph must be in a school district adjacent to the school
223 district in which the student resides.
224 (g) If a student has exhausted all options outlined above
225 for participation in an interscholastic or intrascholastic
226 extracurricular activity, the student may petition the executive
227 director of the applicable governing organization to explore
228 options for participation at a school not otherwise authorized
229 by this section.
230 (h) For purposes of this subsection, any participation by
231 an eligible student at a private school other than the school in
232 which the student is enrolled must be pursuant to an agreement
233 between the private school and the student. at the public school
234 to which the student would be assigned according to district
235 school board attendance area policies or which the student could
236 choose to attend pursuant to s. 1002.31, or may develop an
237 agreement to participate at a private school, in the
238 interscholastic extracurricular activities of that school,
239 provided the following conditions are met:
240 a. The home education student must meet the requirements of
241 the home education program pursuant to s. 1002.41.
242 b. During the period of participation at a school, the home
243 education student must demonstrate educational progress as
244 required in paragraph (b) in all subjects taken in the home
245 education program by a method of evaluation agreed upon by the
246 parent and the school principal which may include: review of the
247 student’s work by a certified teacher chosen by the parent;
248 grades earned through correspondence; grades earned in courses
249 taken at a Florida College System institution, university, or
250 trade school; standardized test scores above the 35th
251 percentile; or any other method designated in s. 1002.41.
252 c. The home education student must meet the same residency
253 requirements as other students in the school at which he or she
254 participates.
255 d. The home education student must meet the same standards
256 of acceptance, behavior, and performance as required of other
257 students in extracurricular activities.
258 e. The student must register with the school his or her
259 intent to participate in interscholastic extracurricular
260 activities as a representative of the school before
261 participation. A home education student must be able to
262 participate in curricular activities if that is a requirement
263 for an extracurricular activity.
264 f. A student who transfers from a home education program to
265 a public school before or during the first grading period of the
266 school year is academically eligible to participate in
267 interscholastic extracurricular activities during the first
268 grading period provided the student has a successful evaluation
269 from the previous school year, pursuant to sub-subparagraph b.
270 g. Any public school or private school student who has been
271 unable to maintain academic eligibility for participation in
272 interscholastic extracurricular activities is ineligible to
273 participate in such activities as a home education student until
274 the student has successfully completed one grading period in
275 home education pursuant to sub-subparagraph b. to become
276 eligible to participate as a home education student.
277 2. An individual home education student is eligible to
278 participate on an interscholastic athletic team at any public
279 school in the school district in which the student resides,
280 provided the student meets the conditions specified in sub
281 subparagraphs 1.a.-g.
282 (d) An individual charter school student pursuant to s.
283 1002.33 is eligible to participate at the public school to which
284 the student would be assigned according to district school board
285 attendance area policies or which the student could attend, or
286 may develop an agreement to participate at a private school, in
287 any interscholastic extracurricular activity of that school,
288 unless such activity is provided by the student’s charter
289 school, if the following conditions are met:
290 1. The charter school student must meet the requirements of
291 the charter school education program as determined by the
292 charter school governing board.
293 2. During the period of participation at a school, the
294 charter school student must demonstrate educational progress as
295 required in paragraph (b).
296 3. The charter school student must meet the same residency
297 requirements as other students in the school at which he or she
298 participates.
299 4. The charter school student must meet the same standards
300 of acceptance, behavior, and performance that are required of
301 other students in extracurricular activities.
302 5. The charter school student must register with the school
303 his or her intent to participate in interscholastic
304 extracurricular activities as a representative of the school
305 before participation. A charter school student must be able to
306 participate in curricular activities if that is a requirement
307 for an extracurricular activity.
308 6. A student who transfers from a charter school program to
309 a traditional public school before or during the first grading
310 period of the school year is academically eligible to
311 participate in interscholastic extracurricular activities during
312 the first grading period if the student has a successful
313 evaluation from the previous school year pursuant to
314 subparagraph 2.
315 7. Any public school or private school student who has been
316 unable to maintain academic eligibility for participation in
317 interscholastic extracurricular activities is ineligible to
318 participate in such activities as a charter school student until
319 the student has successfully completed one grading period in a
320 charter school pursuant to subparagraph 2. to become eligible to
321 participate as a charter school student.
322 (e) A student of the Florida Virtual School full-time
323 program may participate in any interscholastic extracurricular
324 activity at the public school to which the student would be
325 assigned according to district school board attendance area
326 policies or which the student could choose to attend pursuant to
327 s. 1002.31, or may develop an agreement to participate at a
328 private school, if the student:
329 1. During the period of participation in the
330 interscholastic extracurricular activity, meets the requirements
331 in paragraph (a).
332 2. Meets any additional requirements as determined by the
333 board of trustees of the Florida Virtual School.
334 3. Meets the same residency requirements as other students
335 in the school at which he or she participates.
336 4. Meets the same standards of acceptance, behavior, and
337 performance that are required of other students in
338 extracurricular activities.
339 5. Registers his or her intent to participate in
340 interscholastic extracurricular activities with the school
341 before participation. A Florida Virtual school student must be
342 able to participate in curricular activities if that is a
343 requirement for an extracurricular activity.
344 (f) A student who transfers from the Florida Virtual School
345 full-time program to a traditional public school before or
346 during the first grading period of the school year is
347 academically eligible to participate in interscholastic
348 extracurricular activities during the first grading period if
349 the student has a successful evaluation from the previous school
350 year pursuant to paragraph (a).
351 (g) A public school or private school student who has been
352 unable to maintain academic eligibility for participation in
353 interscholastic extracurricular activities is ineligible to
354 participate in such activities as a Florida Virtual School
355 student until the student successfully completes one grading
356 period in the Florida Virtual School pursuant to paragraph (a).
357 (h) A student in a full-time virtual instruction program
358 under s. 1002.45, including the full-time Florida Virtual School
359 program, a full-time school district virtual instruction
360 program, or a full-time virtual charter school, is eligible to
361 participate on an interscholastic athletic team at any public
362 school in the school district in which the student resides, or
363 may develop an agreement to participate at a private school,
364 provided the student:
365 1. During the period of participation in the
366 interscholastic extracurricular activity, meets the requirements
367 in paragraph (a);
368 2. Meets any additional requirements as determined by the
369 board of trustees of the Florida Virtual School, the district
370 school board, or the governing board of the virtual charter
371 school, as applicable;
372 3. Meets the same residency requirements as other students
373 in the school at which he or she participates;
374 4. Meets the same standards of athletic team acceptance,
375 behavior, and performance which are required of other students
376 in extracurricular activities; and
377 5. Registers his or her intent to participate in
378 interscholastic extracurricular activities with the school
379 before participation.
380 (i) An individual traditional public school student who is
381 otherwise eligible to participate in interscholastic
382 extracurricular activities may either participate in any such
383 activity at any public school in the school district in which
384 the student resides or develop an agreement to participate in
385 such activity at a private school, unless the activity is
386 provided by the student’s traditional public school. Such
387 student must:
388 1. Meet the same standards of acceptance, behavior, and
389 performance that are required of other students in
390 extracurricular activities at the school at which the student
391 wishes to participate.
392 2. Before participation, register with the school his or
393 her intent to participate in interscholastic extracurricular
394 activities as a representative of the school. The student must
395 be able to participate in curricular activities if that is a
396 requirement for an extracurricular activity.
397 (j)1. A school district or charter school may not delay
398 eligibility or otherwise prevent a student participating in
399 controlled open enrollment, or a choice program, from being
400 immediately eligible to participate in interscholastic and
401 intrascholastic extracurricular activities.
402 2. A student may not participate in a sport if the student
403 participated in that same sport at another school during that
404 school year, unless the student meets one of the following
405 criteria:
406 a. Dependent children of active duty military personnel
407 whose move resulted from military orders.
408 b. Children who have been relocated due to a foster care
409 placement in a different school zone.
410 c. Children who move due to a court-ordered change in
411 custody due to separation or divorce, or the serious illness or
412 death of a custodial parent.
413 d. Authorized for good cause in district or charter school
414 policy.
415 (5) (4) BEGINNING APPLICABILITY.— The student standards for
416 participation in interscholastic extracurricular activities must
417 be applied beginning with the student’s first semester of the
418 9th grade. Each student must meet such other requirements for
419 participation as may be established by the district school
420 board; however, a district school board may not establish
421 requirements for participation in interscholastic
422 extracurricular activities which make participation in such
423 activities less accessible to home education students than to
424 other students. Except as set forth in paragraph (3)(c),
425 evaluation processes or requirements that are placed on home
426 education student participants may not go beyond those that
427 apply under s. 1002.41 to home education students generally.
428 (6) (5) GOVERNING ORGANIZATION RESPONSIBILITIES.—All
429 governing organizations Any organization or entity that
430 regulates or governs interscholastic extracurricular activities
431 of public schools :
432 (a) Shall permit home education associations to join as
433 member schools.
434 (b) May Shall not discriminate against any eligible student
435 based on an educational choice of public, private, or home
436 education.
437 (c) Must adopt, maintain, and enforce sport-specific
438 manuals or handbooks that govern interscholastic competition,
439 which must comply with the requirements of s. 1006.20(2)(o).
440 (7) (6) PROHIBITED MEMBERSHIPS.— Public schools are
441 prohibited from membership in any governing organization that or
442 entity which regulates or governs interscholastic
443 extracurricular activities and discriminates against eligible
444 students in public, private, or home education.
445 (8) (7) INSURANCE.— Any insurance provided by district school
446 boards for participants in extracurricular activities must shall
447 cover any eligible the participating home education student. If
448 there is an additional premium for such coverage, the
449 participating home education student shall pay the premium.
450 (8)(a) The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA)
451 shall, in cooperation with each district school board and its
452 member private schools, facilitate a program in which a middle
453 school or high school student who attends a private school is
454 eligible to participate in an interscholastic or intrascholastic
455 sport at a member public high school, a member public middle
456 school, a member 6-12 public school, or a member private school,
457 as appropriate for the private school student’s grade level, if:
458 1. The private school in which the student is enrolled is
459 not a member of the FHSAA or the private school in which the
460 student is enrolled is a member of the FHSAA and does not offer
461 the sport in which the student wishes to participate.
462 2. The private school student meets the guidelines for the
463 conduct of the program established by the FHSAA’s board of
464 directors and the district school board or member private
465 school. At a minimum, such guidelines must provide a deadline
466 for each sport by which the private school student’s parents
467 must register with the member school in writing their intent for
468 their child to participate at that school in the sport.
469 (b) The parents of a private school student participating
470 in a member school sport under this subsection are responsible
471 for transporting their child to and from the member school at
472 which the student participates. The private school the student
473 attends, the member school at which the student participates in
474 a sport, the district school board, and the FHSAA are exempt
475 from civil liability arising from any injury that occurs to the
476 student during such transportation.
477 (c) For each academic year, a private school student may
478 only participate at the member school in which the student is
479 first registered under subparagraph (a)2. or makes himself or
480 herself a candidate for an athletic team by engaging in a
481 practice.
482 (9) SCHOOL RESPONSIBILITIES.—
483 (a) (d) The athletic director or other appropriate
484 administrator of each participating FHSAA member school shall
485 maintain the student records necessary for eligibility,
486 compliance, and participation for all eligible students
487 participating in interscholastic or intrascholastic
488 extracurricular activities at the school in the program .
489 (b) (e) Any private school that has a student who is seeking
490 wishes to participate in interscholastic or intrascholastic
491 extracurricular activities at another school this program must
492 make all student records related to that student , including, but
493 not limited to, academic, financial, disciplinary, and
494 attendance records, available upon request of the governing
495 organization FHSAA .
496 (c)1. Each public school may assess an activity fee to an
497 enrolled student. Each public school may asses an activity fee
498 to a student who is not enrolled but is eligible to participate
499 pursuant to this section, provided that such fee does not exceed
500 the greater of the following:
501 a. The fee students enrolled at the school pay to
502 participate in the activity; or
503 b. A reasonable fee based on the costs to the school, not
504 to exceed $400 per activity.
505 2. Annually by July 1, activity fees developed pursuant to
506 sub-subparagraph 1.b. must be approved by the district school
507 board or charter school governing board, as appropriate, after
508 being voted on as an action item. Each public school must
509 publish a complete list of fees developed under this paragraph,
510 by activity, on its website before the beginning of each school
511 year.
512 3. Each school district and charter school shall annually
513 report to the Department of Education all fees assessed pursuant
514 to this paragraph.
515 (d) Notwithstanding paragraph (c), a home education
516 student, pursuant to s. 1002.41, or a public school student
517 participating at a public school at which he or she is not
518 enrolled may only be assessed the fee paid by students enrolled
519 at the school to participate in the activity.
520 (e) The parents of the student participating in the
521 interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity must
522 provide for the transportation of the student to and from the
523 school at which the student participates. The school in which
524 the student is enrolled, the school at which the student
525 participates in the extracurricular activity, and the district
526 school board are exempt from civil liability arising from any
527 injury that occurs to the student during such transportation.
528 (10) STUDENT TRANSFERS.—
529 (a) A student may not participate in sports at two
530 different schools during the same school year, unless the
531 student:
532 1. Is a dependent child of active duty military personnel
533 whose move resulted from military orders;
534 2. Has been relocated due to a foster care placement in a
535 different school zone;
536 3. Has moved due to a court-ordered change in custody due
537 to separation or divorce, or the serious illness or death of a
538 custodial parent; or
539 4. Has been granted approval by the applicable governing
540 organization’s executive director.
541 (b) The governing organization must provide a determination
542 of eligibility to the requesting student within 14 days after
543 such a request is made.
544 (c) The governing organization shall adopt bylaws
545 establishing criteria for determining eligibility of students
546 pursuant to this section and an appeals procedure equivalent to
547 the appeals procedure set forth in s. 1006.20(7).
548 (11) APPLICABILITY.—Any organization that conducts a
549 school-related or school support-related function or activity is
550 subject to the requirements of this section.
551 (12) BYLAWS.—The governing organization may adopt
552 additional bylaws to implement this section.
553 (f) A student must apply to participate in this program
554 through the FHSAA program application process.
555 (9)(a) A student who transfers to a school during the
556 school year may seek to immediately join an existing team if the
557 roster for the specific interscholastic or intrascholastic
558 extracurricular activity has not reached the activity’s
559 identified maximum size and if the coach for the activity
560 determines that the student has the requisite skill and ability
561 to participate. The FHSAA and school district or charter school
562 may not declare such a student ineligible because the student
563 did not have the opportunity to comply with qualifying
564 requirements.
565 (b) A student may not participate in a sport if the student
566 participated in that same sport at another school during that
567 school year, unless the student meets one of the following
568 criteria:
569 1. Dependent children of active duty military personnel
570 whose move resulted from military orders.
571 2. Children who have been relocated due to a foster care
572 placement in a different school zone.
573 3. Children who move due to a court-ordered change in
574 custody due to separation or divorce, or the serious illness or
575 death of a custodial parent.
576 4. Authorized for good cause in district or charter school
577 policy.
578 (10) A student who participates in an interscholastic or
579 intrascholastic activity at a public school and who transfers
580 from that school during the school year must be allowed to
581 continue to participate in the activity at that school for the
582 remainder of the school year if:
583 (a) During the period of participation in the activity, the
584 student continues to meet the requirements specified in
585 paragraph (3)(a).
586 (b) The student continues to meet the same standards of
587 acceptance, behavior, and performance which are required of
588 other students participating in the activity, except for
589 enrollment requirements at the school at which the student
590 participates.
591 (c) The parents of the student participating in the
592 activity provide for the transportation of the student to and
593 from the school at which the student participates. The school
594 the student attends, the school at which the student
595 participates in the activity, and the district school board are
596 exempt from civil liability arising from any injury that occurs
597 to the student during such transportation.
598 Section 3. Subsection (6) of section 1002.31, Florida
599 Statutes, is amended to read:
600 1002.31 Controlled open enrollment; public school parental
601 choice.—
602 (6) (a) A school district or charter school may not delay
603 eligibility or otherwise prevent a student participating in
604 controlled open enrollment or a choice program from being
605 immediately eligible to participate in interscholastic and
606 intrascholastic extracurricular activities , except as provided
607 under s. 1006.15 .
608 (b) A student may not participate in a sport if the student
609 participated in that same sport at another school during that
610 school year, unless the student meets one of the following
611 criteria:
612 1. Dependent children of active duty military personnel
613 whose move resulted from military orders.
614 2. Children who have been relocated due to a foster care
615 placement in a different school zone.
616 3. Children who move due to a court-ordered change in
617 custody due to separation or divorce, or the serious illness or
618 death of a custodial parent.
619 4. Authorized for good cause in district or charter school
620 policy.
621 Section 4. Subsection (11) of section 1002.33, Florida
622 Statutes, is amended to read:
623 1002.33 Charter schools.—
624 (11) PARTICIPATION IN INTERSCHOLASTIC EXTRACURRICULAR
625 ACTIVITIES.—A charter school student is eligible to participate
626 in an interscholastic extracurricular activity at the public
627 school to which the student would be otherwise assigned to
628 attend, or may develop an agreement to participate at a private
629 school, pursuant to s. 1006.15 s. 1006.15(3)(d) .
630 Section 5. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (1) of
631 section 1006.195, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
632 1006.195 District school board, charter school authority
633 and responsibility to establish student eligibility regarding
634 participation in interscholastic and intrascholastic
635 extracurricular activities.—Notwithstanding any provision to the
636 contrary in ss. 1006.15, 1006.18, and 1006.20, regarding student
637 eligibility to participate in interscholastic and
638 intrascholastic extracurricular activities:
639 (1)(a) A district school board shall must establish,
640 through its code of student conduct, student eligibility
641 standards and related student disciplinary actions regarding
642 student participation in interscholastic and intrascholastic
643 extracurricular activities. The code of student conduct must
644 provide that:
645 1. A student not currently suspended from interscholastic
646 or intrascholastic extracurricular activities, or suspended or
647 expelled from school, pursuant to a district school board’s
648 suspension or expulsion powers provided in law, including ss.
649 1006.07, 1006.08, and 1006.09, is eligible to participate in
650 interscholastic and intrascholastic extracurricular activities.
651 2. A student may not participate in a sport if the student
652 participated in that same sport at another school during that
653 school year, unless the student meets the criteria in s.
654 1006.15(10)(a) s. 1006.15(3)(j) .
655 3. A student’s eligibility to participate in any
656 interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity may
657 not be affected by any alleged recruiting violation until final
658 disposition of the allegation pursuant to s. 1006.20(2)(b).
659 (b) Students who participate in interscholastic and
660 intrascholastic extracurricular activities for, but are not
661 enrolled in, a public school pursuant to s. 1006.15(4) s.
662 1006.15(3)(c)-(e) and (8), are subject to the district school
663 board’s code of student conduct for the limited purpose of
664 establishing and maintaining the student’s eligibility to
665 participate at the school.
666 Section 6. Paragraph (e) of subsection (7) of section
667 1006.20, Florida Statutes, is amended, and paragraph (o) is
668 added to subsection (2) of that section, to read:
669 1006.20 Athletics in public K-12 schools.—
670 (2) ADOPTION OF BYLAWS, POLICIES, OR GUIDELINES.—
671 (o) The FHSAA shall adopt, maintain, and enforce sport
672 specific manuals or handbooks that govern interscholastic
673 competition. The manuals or handbooks may include, but are not
674 limited to, timing, scoring, equipment, officiating, and athlete
675 safety. The FHSAA must ensure that athletes may request
676 exemptions or accommodations from real-time scoring requirements
677 not later than 72 hours before a sanctioned event. If a request
678 is made within the prescribed time, the FHSAA must provide
679 access to accommodations for such participants.
680 (7) APPEALS.—
681 (e) A student athlete or member school that receives an
682 unfavorable ruling from a committee on appeals or the executive
683 director shall be entitled to appeal that decision to the board
684 of directors at its next regularly scheduled meeting or called
685 meeting. The FHSAA’s bylaws must establish a timeline for
686 appeals relating to eligibility which may not exceed 20 days
687 after the date of receipt of the appeal. The board of directors
688 shall have the authority to uphold, reverse, or amend the
689 decision of the committee on appeals or the executive director .
690 In all such cases, the decision of the board of directors shall
691 be final.
692 Section 7. Paragraph (d) is added to subsection (3) of
693 section 1012.01, Florida Statutes, to read:
694 1012.01 Definitions.—As used in this chapter, the following
695 terms have the following meanings:
696 (3) ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL.—“Administrative personnel”
697 includes K-12 personnel who perform management activities such
698 as developing broad policies for the school district and
699 executing those policies through the direction of personnel at
700 all levels within the district. Administrative personnel are
701 generally high-level, responsible personnel who have been
702 assigned the responsibilities of systemwide or schoolwide
703 functions, such as district school superintendents, assistant
704 superintendents, deputy superintendents, school principals,
705 assistant principals, career center directors, and others who
706 perform management activities. Broad classifications of K-12
707 administrative personnel are as follows:
708 (d) Extracurricular activities administrator.—Included in
709 this classification is any athletic director or coach or any
710 activity director or sponsor specified by the district school
711 superintendent at the request of the individual. The district
712 school superintendent may negotiate individual compensation in
713 excess of compensation otherwise awardable pursuant to s.
714 1012.22. Such compensation may not exceed the compensation of
715 the highest paid administrator in the district.
716 Section 8. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.