Scholastic Eligibility for Interscholastic Sports and Activities

THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER RECOMMENDS

The Board rescind Board Report 12-0822-PO2, No-Pass/No-Play Scholastic Eligibility Policy, and adopt a new scholastic eligibility policy, named Scholastic Eligibility for Interscholastic Sports and Activities. This policy was posted for public comment from July 26, 2024 until August 26, 2024.

BACKGROUND: The first adopted No-Pass/No Play eligibility policy was Board Report 99-0421-PO3. The primary eligibility contingencies for this policy consisted of a student earning 2.0 credits during a semester as well as maintaining a 2.0 cumulative GPA. This policy was updated with Board Report 12-0822-PO2 to reconcile with the amended IHSA scholastic eligibility policy increased to 2 ½ credits earned as the eligibility contingency from 2.0 credits earned. It is recommended that the 2012 policy be rescinded and a new policy be adopted for the following reasons: (1) The context of the current policy is based on a 2 ½ or 3.0 credit/course load per semester, whereas the current normal course load for students is 3 ½ credits per semester. (2) The primary purpose of the CPS Board Report 12-0822- PO-2 (No-Pass/ No-Play Policy) requirements were to satisfy Section 34-18.17 of the Illinois School Code. It was also designed to utilize the vehicle of athletic participation to encourage academic performance and promote graduation eligible students. However, the standard of the current policy allows for students to be eligible for athletic participation yet potentially being or remaining off track for graduation. (3) The 2.0 minimum GPA contingency was not an absolute requirement for eligibility, but rather allowed conditional eligibility for students that did not meet that standard through an individual study plan (ISP) or school-based MTSS measures. With the current NCAA GPA standard of 2.3, the application of a GPA contingency in the policy must be revisited.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this policy is to enumerate uniform scholastic eligibility requirements for students in grades 9 through 12 who wish to participate in Illinois High School Association/Chicago Public Schools sponsored interscholastic athletics and activities. This policy is established to satisfy Section 34-18.17 of the Illinois School Code which requires the Board to establish a uniform policy that precludes high school students who fail to satisfy certain academic performance standards from participating in athletics and extracurricular activities.

POLICY TEXT

I. Definitions

• Illinois High School Association/Chicago Public Schools sponsored interscholastic athletics and activities: Interscholastic sports and activities offered by the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), as well as CPS program offerings that culminate in citywide competition.
• Extracurricular is used to describe extra, competitive activities that can be done by the students in a school but that are not part of the regular schedule of classes. Extracurricular activities are optional and not included as part of extended day activities designed to improve student connectedness and wellbeing.
• Credit Standard: The fixed number of ⅛ (or the nearest round number) of the credits needed to graduate from high school. (For the 2024-2025 school year, the number of credits needed to graduate high school is 24. The credit standard for the 2024-2025 school year is 3 (6 classes) and remains as long as the number of credits required for high school graduation is 24.
• Individual Study Plan (ISP): An executed agreement approved by the school principal, that is between school personnel and students/guardians pertaining to students with a cumulative GPA less than 2.3, or that have only passed 2 ½ credits/commonly 5 classes, in the previous semester. The ISP is a weekly plan to promote academic support for students participating in interscholastic sports, additionally providing the opportunity for them to maintain scholastic eligibility. For students with disabilities, the ISP should follow the student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP), which may have modified grading and promotion criteria that must be considered. For students who are English Learners (EL), the ISP should follow OMME’s EL Grading Guidance.
• Conditional Eligibility: Eligibility granted to students by the school principal (through a designee) upon the completion of the terms of a formally established Individual Study Plan.
• Week of Competition: A week of competition is defined to be from Monday to Sunday.

II. Applicability

Students in grades 9 through 12 who wish to participate in IHSA/CPS sponsored interscholastic athletics and activities must satisfy the following listed scholastic requirements.

• Previous Semester Eligibility Requirements:

  1. A student must have earned credits equal to or greater than the credit standard (for SY25, 3 credits, commonly 6 classes, based on 24 credits to graduate) in the previous semester to be eligible for interscholastic competition in the present semester.
  2. The student must have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.3 at the beginning of the semester. The most favorable GPA (weighted or unweighted) can be used to determine the GPA.
  3. A beginning freshman who has never attended any other secondary school will be eligible at once if entering at the opening of the semester. This entry must be prior to the 11th day of school per the ISHA.
  4. If the student has been enrolled and in attendance at the school ten days or more during any semester, the student will be counted as having been in attendance during said semester. If the student has been out of school for a semester or more, the previous semester will be understood to mean the last semester during which the student was a member of a high school for at least ten days.
  5. Students that are homeschooled must be enrolled at the member high school; this includes taking and passing at least one course at the member school each semester.

• Conditional Eligibility during the present semester eligibility can be granted to students who:

  1. Have only earned 2 ½ credits instead of the required 3 credits in the previous semester
     • Credits earned in summer school may be applied to previous semester requirements.
     • Credits earned in recovery classes in the present semester can only be applied to eligibility for the next semester. Progress in recovery classes does not affect present semester eligibility.
  2. Have a cumulative grade point average less than 2.3 while earning at least 2 ½ credits in the previous semester

• Present Semester Eligibility Requirements:

  1. The student must be enrolled in at least 2 ½ credit hours/commonly 5 classes, in order to be considered for scholastic eligibility in the present semester.
  2. The student must have passing grades according to the credit standard (3 credits based on 24 credits to graduate/commonly 6 classes) checked every week by the Principal or designee.
  3. Eligibility will be determined and approved every week, prior to the next week of competition by the high school principal or principal designee.
  4. For purposes of scholastic eligibility,
     • A student who accumulates two (2) or more unexcused absences from any class enrolled or a full day unexcused absence from school is ineligible for that day of competition.
     • A student who is issued a suspension (in school/out of school) for misconduct shall be ineligible for competition and practice during the term of the suspension or loss.
• Present Semester Conditional Eligibility Requirements: A student considered for conditional eligibility must establish and execute an Individual Study Plan (ISP) aligned to the CPS MTSS Integrity Memo and, for students with disabilities, the student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP), which may have modified grading and promotion criteria that must be considered. For students who are English Learners (EL), the ISP should follow OMME’s EL Grading Guidance.
• If a student fails to satisfy the weekly requirements of their ISP during the competition season, the student’s eligibility to participate must be withdrawn for the present week.

III. Interscholastic Sports

Additional eligibility procedures may apply to students participating in interscholastic sports that are governed by the Chicago Public Schools Athletics Constitution and Bylaws.

IV. Accountability

• The Principal (or Principal’s Designee) is responsible for the certification of student-athlete eligibility.
• The Network Chief Officer is responsible for working with the principal to ensure the policy is followed at the school level.
• The Office of Sports Administration will:
  • Address Issues of non-compliance according to the Chicago Public Schools Athletics Constitution and Bylaws.
  • Provide Guidelines for Scholastic Eligibility including best practices of tracking eligibility and strategy for implementing Individual Study Plans for students.
  • Approve the conditional eligibility of students requested by school principals (or principal designees) according to the policy.

The Effective Date for this Board Policy is the start of the second semester of the 2024-2025 school year.