Home schooling can offer freedom and flexibility for students, but in Connecticut, it also prevents them from participating in high school sports. A push this year aims to change that.

A bill would let home-schooled students join public school sports teams. The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference currently bans home-schoolers from public school sports.

Ethan Florian, of Harwinton, is a 16-year-old 10th-grader who is home-schooled, and who loves to play basketball and soccer. For now, he has to play for a private school at a cost of $600 per year, his mother says.

The state School Board Association opposes the plan to let home-schooled students join over concerns about academic eligibility.

Brad Florian suggests one option could be some kind of test to qualify.

Ethan says he just wants a level playing field.

"We're part of the community, we're doing things to help our community, so why shouldn't we be included?" he says.

A state task force is examining the issue, along with a host of other athletic rules.