Amends GS 115C-12 by creating a new subsection (23a) and amends GS 115C-47(4) to provide that the powers and duties of the State Board of Education and local boards of education include providing specified students with the opportunity to participate in interscholastic athletics programs. Requires the State Board of Education and local boards of education to adopt rules that allow public high school students who attend schools that do not have interscholastic athletics programs in any given sport to participate in the sport at the public high school closest to the student's school which has a program in that sport, subject to the terms and conditions applicable to a regularly enrolled member of that school's student body. Also, that a home-schooled student may likewise participate in sports programs at the base public high school for the student's home address. Authorizes the public school providing an opportunity for students who attend other schools to participate in interscholastic athletics programs to charge a reasonable fee for participation to the student who is not enrolled in that school as established by the local board of education under GS 115C-47(6).

Makes a conforming change to GS 115C-47(6) regarding the administration of the fee charged to participating students in sports and other extracurricular activities.

Effective when the act becomes law and applies beginning with 2017-18 school year.