Academic Eligibility Procedures: Secondary Grades 7-12
In order to implement Board of Education Policies #5200 and 5280, the following are the procedures that will guide our secondary schools with establishing Academic Eligibility.
- All extracurricular and cocurricular activities affected by the Academic Eligibility Policies of the Board of Education are listed in this report under the heading of “Student Activity Programs.” New extracurricular or cocurricular activities added during the school year will also be subject to this policy. Any activity that normally originates from a subject class is not included under the Academic Eligibility policies. School functions that are considered social activities (proms, dances, spectators at school events, pep rally, senior trip, etc.) are not included in the Academic Activity procedures.
- A student who fails two or more subjects on a report card or five-week progress report shall be considered ineligible for participation in all extracurricular or cocurricular activities. Each five-week progress report or quarterly report card will be used to establish the eligibility status for students. A student who is currently failing or fails two or more subjects may practice or take part in extracurricular meetings, but can not participate in any games, trips, or events related to that activity. Students may, however, travel to an away competition as a spectator, provided they do not miss any instructional time. This includes traveling to any event or competition away from the Valley Central campus as part of a group or interscholastic team.
- After a list of ineligible students is produced by the Academic Advisor, a copy of the list will be distributed to all coaches and advisors. An academically ineligible student will be informed by his/her coach or advisor. This list will become effective upon distribution.
- When a student has failed two or more classes, he/she must wait two weeks, after the ineligible list is distributed, to regain eligibility. When the two-week period falls within a lengthy vacation (Winter/Spring holiday), the ineligibility period may be extended up to five days. Incomplete grades will be considered a failing grade until the student makes up the work. An incomplete grade can be converted to a passing grade prior to the end of the two-week probationary period. If a student drops a course of study and is failing, the student will have to wait until the end of the next grading period to regain eligibility. When a student moves to a lower level of course of study, the grade of the initial class will establish eligibility status. The teacher of the new level class will have two weeks to evaluate the student for eligibility.
- At the end of the two-week period, the student must be evaluated by his/her subject teacher to regain eligibility. The teacher will establish, at his/her discretion, the appropriate criteria for each individual student to regain eligibility. Teachers should evaluate the student for the two-week period only. Said teachers will use a check-off form, provided by the Academic Advisor, indicating satisfactory or unsatisfactory progress for the two-week period only. Stating the student is making satisfactory progress during the two-week period does not infer that a student is passing the quarter or the subject class. Students must continue to do satisfactory work for the remainder of the report period or find themselves on the ineligibility list. The student is responsible for picking up and delivering the form to the subject teacher of his/her failing class. This form will be returned by the subject teacher to the Academic Advisor, or a designated representative, at the end of the two-week probationary period. It will be the responsibility of the Academic Advisor to inform the coach or advisor of any change in the student’s eligibility status.
- If a student does not regain eligibility after the two-week probationary period, the student will be prohibited from practice and participation in all extracurricular/cocurricular activities until the next Academic Eligibility List can be produced. If this student is still failing after the subsequent reporting period, he/she must wait until the next report period (5 weeks) to regain eligibility. Practice or participation in all extracurricular/ cocurricular activities will be prohibited until the student regains eligibility.
- A student who fails two or more full or half-year courses, at the conclusion of a marking period, will be declared academically ineligible. In order to regain eligibility after failing two or more courses in January or June, a student must demonstrate that he/she is meeting eligibility requirements after a two-week probationary period. Each teacher must sign a form indicating satisfactory progress after the two-week period. A course of study, failed in June, may be made up by passing an equivalent summer school course at Valley Central or any other valid summer program. If a course of study is not available at an accredited summer school, the student will be declared ineligible until meeting the above-described procedures. Students returning in the fall will be able to practice and participate without restrictions but are subject to review by the Academic Advisor after two weeks of the new school year (September).
Cross-ref:
- 5280-R, Interscholastic Athletics Regulation
Adoption date: March 11, 2002
Reviewed: May 22, 2017