Thanks to the Opportunity Scholarship Program, North Carolina families now have the freedom to choose the school that best fits their children's academic and personal development needs. But for many families who’ve chosen private or home education, that decision comes at the cost of giving up access to team sports, music programs, and extracurricular activities offered by public schools.

Senate Bill 48 (SB 48 – 2025) aims to fix that.

This bill would allow students—regardless of school type—whose current school does not offer a particular sport or extracurricular activity to participate in that program at their base public high school.

But this isn’t just about supporting private or homeschool students. It’s also about supporting public schools themselves.

When families leave public school systems—often to meet specific learning or values-based needs—those schools don’t just lose students. They lose athletes. Musicians. Student leaders. Volunteers. Boosters. And sometimes, entire programs struggle to stay afloat.

SB 48 brings those students back into the fold—not into the classroom, but onto the field, into the band room, or onto the stage.

It rebuilds rosters. It boosts morale. It strengthens community engagement. And it helps public school programs thrive with local talent that still lives in the neighborhood—even if the student attends school elsewhere.

We, the undersigned, believe:

• No student should have to give up the chance to play sports, join clubs, or participate in school activities because of the school they attend.
• Families should not have to choose between the right academic environment and the benefits of team-based growth and leadership.
• Public school programs benefit from wider community involvement, even from non-enrolled students.

SB 48 is a fair, flexible, and mutually beneficial step forward. We urge the North Carolina General Assembly to pass this bill and ensure that all students—regardless of educational path—have access to the opportunities that make our school communities strong.