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HCPSS / POLICIES

Policy 10030 – Contests Sponsored by Outside Organizations

The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for student participation in contests sponsored by outside organizations.

Policy Document

Implementation Procedures

I. Policy Value Statement

The Board of Education of Howard County (Board) recognizes that many contests sponsored by local, state, and national outside organizations are both meritorious and well-intended. The Board further encourages student participation in contests provided they relate to the educational program of studies and benefit students educationally.

II. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for student participation in contests sponsored by outside organizations.

III. Standards

  1. The contest must benefit students educationally, relate to the educational program, and be weighed against loss of instructional time.

  2. Student participation in contests is limited to those that:

    1. Provide for appropriate and adequate supervision for the duration of the event.

    2. Incur participation cost that is minimal to the students, school, and community.

    3. Provide equitable access to participation, ensuring that all students—regardless of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, disability, language proficiency, gender, or other potential barriers—have a fair opportunity to participate.

    4. Establish clear guidelines to ensure that contests are intentionally inclusive of all Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) students, except in cases where inclusivity would conflict with the contest’s intended purpose or outcome.

    5. Ensure that contest materials and entry processes are accessible to students with disabilities.

    6. Do not promote or advertise a product or an ideology.

    7. Are consistent with HCPSS goals.

  3. The principal/designee will direct families to Multilingual Family Services for students who need language assistance to participate in contests.

  4. Ownership of copyright in any work submitted for contests belongs to the student-author and/or creator of the work and any subsequent use or application of the work without the expressed written permission of the student-author and/or creator of the work may violate federal copyright laws.

  5. The involvement of teachers and/or principals in any student contest is subject to Policy 2070 Ethics.

  6. All collecting, grading, classifying, and judging of contests will be the sole responsibility of the sponsoring group or its designated representative and any student materials will be returned to the student at the conclusion of the contest.

  7. Contests that utilize school time or involve extensive travel by students or supervising staff members are subject to the provisions of Policy 8100 Field Trips.

  8. Participation in any contest will be voluntary for school staff and for students.

IV. Responsibilities

  1. Directors of Schools will review the provisions of this policy with school-based administrators annually.

  2. Directors of Schools will approve contests for participation by HCPSS affiliated teams and groups. The Director of Schools will design a process by which contests can be submitted for approval by staff or outside organizations.

  3. School-based administrators will approve the participation of their schools in contests.

  4. The Office of Family and Community Partnerships will create and maintain a database of approved contests.

V. Delegation of Authority

The Superintendent is authorized to develop appropriate procedures for the implementation of this policy within the limits set forth by this policy.

VI. Definitions

Within the context of this policy, the following definitions apply:

  1. Contest – A competitive activity or event that includes all of the following components:

    1. Educational benefit to students.

    2. Voluntary participation for students and teachers.

    3. Submission judged by the sponsoring organization only.

  2. Outside Organization – A public or private, for-profit or not-for-profit group other than the HCPSS.

VII. References

A. Legal

  • 17 U.S.C. Section 210(a)

B. Board Policies

C. Relevant Data Sources

  • Contest Approvals

D. Other

VIII. History

ADOPTED: November 13, 1973

REVIEWED: January 17, 2024

MODIFIED:

REVISED:

  • September 13, 1990

  • June 9, 2005

  • June 14, 2012

  • March 26, 2026

EFFECTIVE: July 1, 2026

Policy History Key

  • Adopted-Original date the Board took action to approve a policy
  • Reviewed-The date the status of a policy was assessed by the Superintendent’s Standing Policy Group
  • Modified-The date the Board took action to alter a policy that based on the recommendation of the Superintendent/designee did not require a comprehensive examination
  • Revised-The date the Board took action on a that policy based on the recommendation of the Superintendent/designee needed a comprehensive examination
  • Effective-The date a policy is implemented throughout the HCPSS, typically July 1 following Board action.