Board Policy IDE(1) Competitive Interscholastic Activities Grades 9-12 - July 10, 2023 - DCSD Board Meeting Archive

Board Policy Manual
DeKalb County School District

Board Policy IDE(1): Competitive Interscholastic Activities, Grades 9-12 Status: ADOPTED

Original Adopted Date: 09/11/2000 | Last Revised Date: 07/11/2022 | Last Reviewed Date: 07/11/2022

Board Policy IDE(1): Competitive Interscholastic Athletics, Grades 6-12
Competitive Interscholastic Athletics, Grades 6-12
This policy applies to Competitive Interscholastic Athletics, including athletics for grades 6-12. This includes competitive
interscholastic activities specifically pertaining to organized athletic sports, which shall include cheerleading.
I. Competitive Athletics Grades 9-12

The Board of Education supports the offering of competitive interscholastic activities in grades 9-12 subject to reasonable
rules and regulations concerning eligibility to participate and on the condition that participation in such activities in grades 9-
12 shall not interfere with the academic achievement of participating students.
The Board endorses and adopts the requirements set forth in the Constitution and By-Laws of the Georgia High School
Association (GHSA), including any amendments thereto, for determining the eligibility of students in grades 9-12 to
participate in competitive interscholastic athletic activities.

Rules and regulations pertaining to competitive interscholastic athletics in grades 9-12 are contained in the Georgia High
School Association Constitution and By-Laws handbook, which is accessible online at https://www.ghsa.net/.

The students must meet all eligibility requirements, including but not limited to those related to enrollment, residency, credit
and annual physical examination s, for participation in high school athletics as defined by the Georgia High Schools
Association (GHSA).

Consistent with GHSA By-Laws Section 1.62(n), high school students in grades 9-12 enrolled full-time in District schools that
meet the United States Department of Education’s definition of a “magnet school” may participate in GHSA competitive
interscholastic athletic activities at the school they would ordinarily attend according to DeKalb County Board of Education
attendance policy (the “home school”). Magnet schools currently approved by the Board of Education for home school
athletic participation include DeKalb Early College Academy (DECA), DeKalb School of the Arts (DSA). Magnet student
participation shall be subject to all GHSA guidelines and restrictions. Parents/guardians shall be solely responsible for
providing all transportation necessary to the home school for participation in competitive interscholastic athletic activities.
II. Competitive Athletics Grades 6-8

The Board of Education supports the offering of competitive interscholastic activities in grades 6-8 subject to reasonable
rules and regulations concerning eligibility, physical examinations, time restrictions, seasonal practice, special provisions,
magnet schools, and home study participation.
A. Student Eligibility
1. The grading period shall be a semester as specified by the Board policy. The same period shall also be the
minimum length of the ineligibility period.

2. Students par cipa ng in compe ve inter-scholas c athle cs shall pass a minimum of ﬁve subjects carrying
credit toward grade promotion in the grading period immediately preceding participation.

a. Students initially enrolling in the first semester of the sixth grade are exempt from this requirement.

b. Exploratory subjects taken during the same semester are averaged to count as one subject for eligibility
purposes.

3. Students par cipa ng in any compe ve interscholas c athle cs shall be enrolled full me in the District’s
public schools and shall take a minimum of ﬁve subjects carrying credit toward grade promo on during the
grading period of par cipa on. This requirement shall be subject to the requirements of the Dexter Mosely
Act, outlined within Section III of this Policy.
4. Student eligibility shall be determined on the first school day of a semester. A student is eligible to
practice/condition for first semester activities if
the student passed a minimum of five subjects carrying credit toward grade promotion during the preceding
second semester.
a. A maximum of two subjects taken in summer school and carrying credit toward grade promo on may be
counted for eligibility purposes for participation in first semester activities.
b. If a student receives an incomplete for a subject that will be used to establish eligibility, make-up work
may be completed to change the incomplete to a grade provided that the opportunity is available to all
students.
c. Make-up work must be completed within 15 school days after the beginning of the second semester.
d. A student is ineligible un l make-up work is completed and the required passing grade(s) is/are recorded
in the student’s permanent record.
5. Independent study courses credit taken in summer school may not be used to gain eligibility.
6. Summer school credits earned in non-accredited home study programs or non-accredited private schools
may not be used to gain eligibility. For
summer school credits to be accepted for eligibility purposes from either private schools or home study
programs, the credits must be earned in
programs approved by the accrediting agency recognized by the State Board of Education in accordance
with Rule 160-5-1-.15.
7. Retention of students for athletic purposes is prohibited.

B. Physical Examinations
All students in grades 6 -8 who participate in competitive interscholastic athletics shall have an annual physical
examination prior to participation in any tryout, practice, or conditioning, whichever comes first. The physical
exam must be conducted by a licensed medical physician, doctor of Osteopathic medicine, nurse practitioner or
a physician’s assistant. The exam must be signed by an M.D., D.O., or by a Physician’s Assistant, or an Advance
Practice Nurse who has been delegated that task by an M.D., or D.O. The physical examination form shall
include the date that the exam was performed (month, day, year), the student’s name, and the physician’s
signature.
C. Time Restrictions for Activities
1. Competitive interscholastic athletics shall be conducted outside the school day.

2. Compe ve interscholas c athle cs group and/or individual prac ce on a day preceding a school day
may not begin prior to the end of the school day and must end no later than four hours a er the school
day ends.

3. Only one day or night each week preceding a school day may be used to schedule the same compe ve
interscholastic activity; tournaments are excluded from this restriction.

4. The number of games scheduled shall not exceed 60 percent of the number of regularly scheduled
games played by the high school varsity in any given sport. One tournament, not to exceed four games,
may be played in addition to the regular season games.
D. Seasonal Practice
1. Spring football prac ce shall be scheduled so that it does not interfere with
other regular season sports, academics, or assessments/final exams.

2. If an individual player is par cipa ng in the playoﬀs for one sport, the player
shall be excused from prac cing with any other school organized sport for the
duration of the playoffs.
3. Neither school personnel, sponsors nor coaches shall suggest, require, or
otherwise a empt to inﬂuence students to par cipate, prac ce and/or
condition for a competitive interscholastic activity during the school day.
E. Special Provisions
1. Special educa on students shall meet the same eligibility requirements as regular students, except that the
courses passed must be according to the student’s IEP. Special Olympics or other athle c programs designed
exclusively for students with disabilities are exempt.

2. Students who have not a ained ninth grade status but are par cipa ng in junior varsity athle cs shall abide by
the appropriate grade requirements.

3. Ineligible students are prohibited from practicing or dressing out for competitive interscholastic events.
4. To be eligible to par cipate in middle school interscholas c ac vi es, a student shall not be age 15 prior to
May 1st, preceding the year of participation.

5. Eighth grade students are eligible to par cipate on high school junior varsity teams at the feeder high school
only if the middle school does not offer the sport.

6. Par cipa on by a middle school student in a high school athle c program does not count toward the years for
high school participation.

F. Magnet School Student Participation
Middle school students enrolled full time in a District magnet school, specifically DeKalb Elementary School of
the Arts (DESA), Wadsworth Magnet School, and Kittredge Magnet School, may participate in competitive
interscholastic athletic activities at their “home school,” defined as the school they would ordinarily attend,
according to DeKalb County Board of Education attendance policy.

The following conditions must be met:

1. Students may not par cipate in compe ve interscholas c athle c ac vi es at their home school unless
the sport is not offered at the magnet school in which student is enrolled.

2. Students shall be required to comply with all DCSD eligibility requirements.

3. Students shall remain subject to all applicable requirements for con nued enrollment and par cipa on in
compe ve interscholas c athle c ac vi es at DeKalb Elementary School of the Arts, Wadsworth
Magnet, and Kittredge Magnet.

4. Parents/guardians shall be solely responsible for providing all transporta on necessary to the home
school for participation in competitive interscholastic athletic activities.
III. Additional Provisions
1. Home Study Students, Grades 6-12
Consistent with the Dexter Mosley Act, O.C.G.A. § 20-2-319.6, home study students in grades 6-12 shall
be eligible to participate in co-curricular activities and competitive interscholastic athletic activities under
the sponsorship, direction, and control of the resident school or resident school system, provided that the
home study students meet the requirements outlined within the Act.

2. Procedures and Regulations
The Superintendent or designee shall have the responsibility for developing and implementing uniform
procedures for regulating competitive interscholastic athletic activities in grades 6-12 that adhere to the
guidelines set forth.

Supporting Links
FIRST READ ~ Amendment to the Bylaws & Policies: Board Policy IDE (1), Competitive Interscholastic Athletics, Grades 6-12 -
https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/SU/KOAnyd8M4o0R40cROjaTdA==

Agenda Item