Section 3313.5321
(A) As used in this section:
(1) "Community school" means a community school established under Chapter 3314. Of the Revised Code.
(2) "Extracurricular activity" has the same meaning as in section 3313.537 of the Revised Code.
(3) "High school" means a school that serves any of grades nine through twelve.
(4) "Neighboring school" means either of the following:
(a) For a board of education, any of the following:
(i) A high school operated by the board of education other than the high school in which the student is enrolled;
(ii) A high school operated by a school district that directly borders the board of education's school district;
(iii) If the board of education's school district borders Lake Erie, a high school operated by an island school district;
(iv) Any other public high school that is located within the territory of either the board of education's school district or a school district that directly borders the board of education's school district.
(b) For a school governing body, any of the following:
(i) A high school operated by the board of education of the school district in which the other public high school is located;
(ii) A high school operated by a school district that directly borders the school district in which the other public high school is located;
(iii) A different other public high school that is located within the territory of either of the following:
(I) The school district in which the other public high school is located;
(II) A school district that directly borders that school district in which the other public high school is located.
(5) "Other public high school" means a community school or STEM school that is a high school.
(6) "School governing body" means the governing authority of a community school or the governing body of a STEM school.
(7) "STEM school" means a STEM school established under Chapter 3326. of the Revised Code.
(B) Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, each school district board of education and school governing body that operates a high school that offers an extracurricular activity and is a member school of an organization that regulates interscholastic athletics shall adopt a policy that permits a student who is enrolled in a neighboring school that does not offer that extracurricular activity to petition to participate in that activity at the board of education's or school governing body's high school. Each policy shall include all of the following:
(1) The form and manner in which a neighboring school student may petition to participate in an extracurricular activity;
(2) A requirement that both the superintendent of the school district in which the student is enrolled and the neighboring school's superintendent or chief administrative officer approves the student's participation in the extracurricular activity. The superintendent of the school district in which the student is enrolled must also certify that the student has not participated in the extracurricular activity at that school district during that school year.
(3) A requirement that, if the student is enrolled in a school district that operates multiple high schools, the student must first petition to participate in an extracurricular activity at another high school operated by the district if one offers the activity. If a student is not approved to participate in an activity at another school operated by the student's district, the student may petition to participate in the extracurricular activity under the policy at a high school that is not operated by the student's district.
(C) A student shall not participate in the same extracurricular activity under this section at more than one high school operated by a school district or other public high school in any one school year.
(D) If a high school operated by a school district or other public high school participates in any regular season contest for an extracurricular activity and subsequently ceases offering that activity before the conclusion of the activity's season, a student enrolled in that school is not eligible to petition to participate in that activity under this section until the next school year.
(E) A student is not eligible to petition to participate in an extracurricular activity under this section solely because the school in which the student is enrolled does not offer the competition level at which the student wishes to participate, such as a varsity, junior varsity, or freshman team.
(F) A board of education or school governing body that operates a high school and is a member school of an organization that regulates interscholastic athletics may partner with a neighboring school to establish a single team for an activity if neither school has a sufficient number of students willing to participate in the extracurricular activity. A sufficient number of students shall mean the sum of:
(the minimum number of students required for competition in an extracurricular activity during play) + (half of that number, rounded up to the nearest whole).
(G) In order to participate in any extracurricular activity under this section, the student shall be of the appropriate age and grade level, as determined by the superintendent of the district, at the school that offers the extracurricular activity, and shall fulfill the same academic, nonacademic, and financial requirements as any other participant, including trying out for a position on any activity.
Last updated August 12, 2026 at 9:35 AM
Available Versions of this Section
- October 6, 2026 – Enacted by Senate Bill 276 - 136th General Assembly [ View October 6, 2026 Version ]