Policy Would Prohibit Home-Schooled Students From Participating in Sports

The Caldwell-West Caldwell Board of Education will vote next month on revisions to the district’s policies that would prevent home-schooled students from participating in interscholastic sports. 

The proposed policy changes come as a result of a recent change to the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s (NJSIAA) bylaws that state home-schooled students may participate in interscholastic sports if the district allows.

Superintendent of Schools Daniel Gerardi said the administration’s recommendation is to be consistent with how private school students are treated by the district and not allow home-schooled students to participate in sports.

“These [home-schooled] students are treated as private school students in every other respect,” Gerardi said. 

Gerardi said the district is not aware of any high school-aged students being home schooled in Caldwell and West Caldwell. He said the district does know of two families who home school children of middle and elementary school ages, noting there may be more.

“Parents no longer have to report [to the district] that they are home schooling,” Gerardi said.

He added, every 6- to 16-year-old is required by law to attend a public school or its equivalent.