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Policy 7120 – Selection of Coaches and Advisors of High School Extracurricular Activities

The purpose of this policy is to establish criteria for the employment of both interscholastic athletic coaches and advisors of high school extracurricular activities that are Board-sanctioned and for which coaches or advisors receive stipends.

Policy Document

Implementation Procedures

I. Policy Statement

The Board of Education of Howard County believes that a comprehensive and well-rounded program of education-based student extracurricular activities will be made available to high school students in the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS). To provide high quality instruction and supervision during these activities, the Board also believes it is essential that the advisors and interscholastic athletic coaches of these activities have appropriate qualifications and training for their responsibilities.

II. Purpose

III. Definitions

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

Advisor – An individual who instructs, supervises, and provides leadership to students in an approved extracurricular activity. Advisors are categorized in the following hierarchy:
1. Certificated Advisor
2. Emergency Advisor
3. Volunteer Advisor
Certificated Advisor – Teacher or other certificated employee of the HCPSS who instructs, supervises, and provides leadership to students in an approved extracurricular activity.
Certificated Coach – Teacher or other certificated employee who instructs student athletes in the fundamentals of a competitive sport and directs individual/team strategies.
Certificated Employee – An HCPSS employee possessing either a current teaching certificate in the state of Maryland or other acceptable teaching certification.
Coach – An individual who instructs student athletes in the fundamentals of a competitive sport and directs individual/team strategies. Coaches are categorized in the following hierarchy:
1. Certificated Coach
2. Credentialed Coach
3. Emergency Coach
4. Volunteer Coach
Credentialed Coach – An individual who, after July 1, 2010, possesses Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA)/Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) Coaches Certification prior to the start of their fourth year as an emergency coach.
Education-Based Activities – Approved extracurricular activities that promote learning while contributing to the educational program of the HCPSS and to the development of good citizenship.
Emergency Advisor – An individual who instructs, supervises, and provides leadership to students in an approved extracurricular activity in the absence of a regularly appointed certificated advisor.
Emergency Coach – An individual who instructs student athletes in the fundamentals of a competitive sport and directs individual/team strategies in the absence of a certificated coach or credentialed coach.
Extracurricular Activities – HCPSS-sponsored activities available to students beyond the regular school day, which are voluntary and not required for the satisfactory completion of a particular class.
Interscholastic Athletics – Approved athletic competition between or among two or more high schools.
Volunteer Advisor – An individual who assists a certificated advisor or emergency advisor. This is a non-compensated position.
Volunteer Coach – An individual who assists a certificated coach, a credentialed coach, or an emergency coach in the instruction of fundamentals and the implementation of individual/team strategies. This is a non-compensated position.

IV. Standards

This policy covers Board-sanctioned extracurricular activities for which coaches or advisors receive stipends.
All coaches and advisors will be teachers or other certificated employees of the HCPSS, provided they are qualified and acceptable.
If a qualified and acceptable certificated coach/advisor is not available, high schools may employ either a credentialed coach or an emergency coach/advisor.
If a qualified and acceptable certificated coach is not available, high schools may employ a credentialed coach if the individual:
1. Possesses MPSSAA/MSDE Coaches Certification for coaches.
2. Has two years of successful coaching as an emergency coach in the HCPSS.
3. Has spent the third year as a successful emergency coach at the school of hire in the position of hire.
4. Is eligible to hold a Maryland teaching certificate.
An emergency coach or emergency advisor must at minimum:
1. Be at least 21 years old.
2. Possess a high school diploma or equivalent.
Schools may permit a volunteer coach/advisor to assist their paid coaching/advising staff if the individual:
1. Is at least 21 years old.
2. Possesses a high school diploma or equivalent.
3. Works under the direction of the head coach/advisor only. (Exceptions may be granted by the Coordinator of Athletics for volunteer coaches or by the principal for volunteer advisors.)
In sports having more than one coach, emergency coaches may not comprise more than 50 percent of the sport staff for any team.
A school may have one volunteer coach/advisor for every paid coach/advisor in a particular sport/activity. Beyond the number of volunteer coaches/advisors allocated above, a school may also have two additional volunteer coaches/advisors per sport/activity.
Prior to reporting for his/her assignment, all coaches are required to complete approved training in the following:
1. New coach orientation which includes HCPSS policies regarding educational equity, bullying, and safety.
2. A one-credit course in the care and prevention of athletic injuries (being enrolled in this course is acceptable).
3. A safety and risk management training session on bloodborne pathogens.
4. A concussion education training session.
5. A Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)/Automated External Defibrillator (AED) course.
6. Child abuse reporting training consistent with Policy 1030 Child Abuse and Neglect.
7. A sudden cardiac arrest training session.
8. A heat illness prevention training session.
The assignment of a coach or advisor will be voluntary and is only for one season/year.
All coaches/advisors will be processed by Human Resources prior to reporting for their assignment.
All coaches must attend the annual rules clinic sponsored by the HCPSS.
The principal/designee will assess the qualifications and acceptability of candidates for coaches/advisors and will make recommendations for employment.
Final approval of all coaches will be given by the Coordinator of Athletics.
Final approval of all advisors will be made by the principal.
The principal/designee will evaluate coaches/advisors annually.
Stipends for certificated, credentialed, and emergency coaches, and certificated and emergency advisors will be paid exclusively by the HCPSS. Coaches/advisors may not accept compensation from any other individual or organization.
Volunteer coaches/advisors may not accept compensation from any organization or individual.
If an individual coaches activities that run concurrently, he/she will be compensated for only one activity unless approved by the Coordinator of Athletics.
Elimination of an activity by the Board may result in an appointment not being renewed.

V. Responsibilities

The Coordinator of Athletics will:
1. Ensure all new coaches attend new coach orientation.
2. Have final approval of all coaches.
3. Ensure that coaches have completed a course in the care and prevention of athletic injuries.
4. Ensure that coaches have completed a session on bloodborne pathogens.
5. Ensure that new coaches have completed a CPR/AED course.
Principals will:
1. Have final approval of all advisors.
2. Ensure that coaches have completed a concussion education session.
3. Ensure that coaches have renewed CPR/AED certification.
4. Ensure that coaches have completed a sudden cardiac arrest session.
5. Ensure that coaches have completed a heat illness prevention session.
6. Ensure all coaches attend the annual rules clinic.
Principals/designees will recommend coaches/advisors for hire and will evaluate them annually.
The Office of Human Resources will ensure:
1. Processing of coaches/advisors.
2. Child abuse reporting training.
3. Fingerprinting.
4. Reviewing the coach/advisor applicant’s employment history, per Section 6-113.2 of the Education Article.

VI. Delegation of Authority

The Superintendent is directed to develop and implement regulations and procedures for selecting and assigning interscholastic athletic coaches and advisors.

VII. References

A. Legal

Title IX of Public Law (Pub. L. 92-318, Title IX, June 23, 1972)
The Annotated Code of Maryland, Education Article, Title 7, Subtitle 4B, The Fitnessand Athletic Equity for Students with Disabilities Act of 2008
COMAR 13A.06.03, Interscholastic Athletics in the State
Maryland House Bill 486 Education-Personnel Matters-Child Sexual Abuse and Sexual Misconduct Prevention

B. Other Board Policies

C. Relevant Data Sources

D. Other

The Handbook of the Maryland Public Schools Secondary Athletic Association
National Federation of High Schools Handbook
Howard County Interscholastic Sports Policies and Procedures Handbook

VIII. History

ADOPTED: July 9, 1992

REVIEWED:

MODIFIED: February 12, 2015

REVISED: May 28, 1992, May 27, 1999, January 13, 2011, May 14, 2020

EFFECTIVE: July 1, 2020

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.