Homeschool students could try out for high school sports, debate teams and other extracurricular activities under a bill approved this morning by the House of Delegates Education committee.

Del. Rob Bell, R-Albemarle, brought the bill because he said it’s unfair that homeschool students — whose families pay taxes that help support public schools — aren’t allowed to play high school sports, or participate in other activities regulated by the Virginia High School League.

“They just want to try out, they just want a chance,” Bell said.

The bill is being called the “Tebow” bill around the General Assembly, after Denver Broncos football player Tim Tebow, who was a homeschool student and played football for a Florida public high school.

Opponents argue that participation in sports and other activities is a privilege, not a right, for students, and that public school students are required to keep their grades up and their attendance record good to play. They also say that it’s unfair to pit public school students — who must abide by the school schedule and attend at least five classes per day — against homeschool students who may have easier schedules.

“You’ve got a lot more flexibility in your day, and that is not a level playing field,” said Del. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond.

A small committee room was filled with homeschool families for the hearing. Several homeschooled students spoke in favor of the bill, saying they want to be able to play with their friends and — if they’re good enough at a sport — attract college scholarships.

Patrick Foss testified that he’s one of the top-ranked soccer recruits nationally this year, and has a full athletic scholarship to play at the University of Virginia, but can’t play for the community in which he lives.

“I wonder what it’s like to play for a hometown crowd,” Foss said.

Matt Keyser, a former public school teacher who now homeschools his four kids in Charlottesville, said the local lacrosse coach would love for his son Ethan to play for the team, but VHSL rules don’t allow homeschool students to play for high school teams.

“There are real students being harmed,” Keyser said. “Going up against the Virginia High School League, if you don’t play ball with them, you don’t play ball.”

Representatives for associations of parents, teachers and athletic directors all opposed the bill, as does the VHSL.

Sarah Gross of the Virginia Parent Teacher Association said that participating in sports is “a privilege that should be reserved for public school students” and also a privilege those students have to earn. She said a “level playing field” means all students should be playing by the same rules, spending the same hours in class with the same free time to practice.

Some athletic directors said that while they have to regularly check their student athletes’ academic progress to make sure they’re eligible to play, homeschool students’ academic progress isn’t measured in the same way.

“We are going to have a standard of academic excellence for one group that is different for the other group,” said Hollie Godfrey, student activity coordinator  at First Colonial High School in Virginia Beach.

Bell’s bill has a sunset clause, which means it must be re-approved by the legislature in 2017.

“It says we give this a try for four years, see what happens,” Bell said.

The committee approved the bill, 14 to 8. It will now go to the full House of Delegates for a vote.