The Arkansas Science Olympiad requires that all participants in Science Olympiad compete as a member of a team, not as an individual. Students may participate on only one team. To this end the Arkansas Science Olympiad adopts the following policy on Public, Private and Charter, Home, and Virtual school students.
Public Schools
Public school students may participate in the Science Olympiad only in the public school they currently attend. Public school students may not participate on another school’s team except under the following circumstances:
- Sixth (6th) grade students may compete in either Division B for the school they currently attend or in Division A for the elementary school they formerly attended.
- Ninth (9th) grade students may compete in either Division C for the school they currently attend or in Division B for the elementary school they formerly attended.
Small Public Schools
While Science Olympiad is a team activity the Arkansas Science Olympiad recognizes the fact that public schools with smaller populations may not be able to field a team of 15 students. The following policy is adopted by the Arkansas Science Olympiad. Very small public schools may combine students into one team if and only if the total enrollment of the combined schools is 300 students or less.
Private and Charter Schools
Private schools, “governor” schools, charter schools, and any other school that is qualified by the state of Arkansas and is housed in a single geographic location, may form Science Olympiad teams from among the students in their student body, regardless of where that student’s home of origin is located. Such schools may not solicit or enlist public school or home-schooled students on their teams.
Home Schooled Students
Since Science Olympiad is a team activity all home schooled students who wish to participate must be a member of a team. Home school teams can be formed by students who live within the boundaries of two contiguous (side-by-side) geographic counties within the state of Arkansas.
Home school students should be placed in the division (elementary (Division A), middle (Division B) or high school (Division C)) according to where their age would place them if in a graded school situation. A student may compete with a higher division team than their age indicates, but not a lower one. No home school student is eligible to compete on any public or nonpublic school team. All liability is the responsibility of the home school. All other restrictions regarding students on a team apply.
