Homeschool Students

Eligibility Requirements for TMEA Activities
Homeschool Rule:  A student representing a homeschool must enter the audition process in the same region as the public school district in which the student’s home address is located. Homeschool classification is considered to be the same as the public high school in which boundary the student resides. A homeschool student may not participate after the end of the fourth year following the first audition entry once they declare high school status.

Sponsor:  Each student’s TMEA Active member director or member sponsor must be in attendance at all TMEA auditions and any other TMEA activities in which the student is involved. Each Region shall define written guidelines determining the use of proxies.

Who can be a member sponsor?

• A parent of a homeschooler who is an Active TMEA Member
• A private lesson teacher who is an Active TMEA Member
• A director of a homeschool or community music group who is an Active TMEA Member

What are the sponsor’s responsibilities?

• Attend Region Meetings.
• Enter the student into the contest via the TMEA website.
• Be familiar with TMEA Region and State contest rules and dates.
• Be present and prepared to serve at all auditions when the homeschool student is involved. Some Regions will require the homeschool member/sponsor to provide a competent judge if the member/sponsor is not qualified to serve on a judging panel.
• Be present as a chaperone for Region Concert/Clinic (and beyond if the HS student advances).
• Be present as chaperone in San Antonio if HS student is selected for All-State.

Region Alignment Information

• TMEA is divided into 33 Regions, and 15 Small School Regions.
• To find your Region, first determine the school district in which the homeschool student resides. Complete a school district search on the TMEA website to find the Region (e.g., the homeschooler would attend Westwood HS in Austin but it is within the Round Rock ISD boundaries. Searching for Round Rock ISD will show it is in Region 26).
• Find Your Region

TMEA Region Meetings

• There are two Region Meetings per year, one typically before school starts in the fall and another in the spring.
• Region meeting schedule

Membership Instructions

• Join TMEA
• The TMEA Membership year is from July 1 through June 30 of the following year.
• You must be an Active member to access high school Area/All-State band and orchestra audition excerpts posted on the TMEA website as well as enter students into contests.

Contest Entries

• Entry Instructions
• The campus name should be Last Name + Homeschool (e.g., Lopez Homeschool).
• The Homeschool Campus will be responsible for all campus and individual student fees associated with the contest.

Audition Material

• Each Region is semi-autonomous and may select different audition material.
• Attend your Region Meetings for information regarding audition material.
• You must be an Active member to access high school Area/All-State band and orchestra audition excerpts posted on the TMEA website.