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Policy 9070 Implementation Procedures - Academic Eligibility for High School Extracurricular Activities

Policy Document

Implementation Procedures

I. Summer School

  1. For calculating eligibility, review and original credit course grades earned in summer school will be used in lieu of the grade earned in the same course during the fourth marking period of the same school year.

    1. A student may enroll in an original credit course in summer school for the purpose of receiving full credit for the course if the student has completed the eighth grade and has never been enrolled in the course or has previously been enrolled in the course and failed more than two quarters.

    2. A student may enroll in a review credit course in summer school if the student has completed the course and passed at least two quarters.

    3. Fourth quarter eligibility is determined by courses from the current school year. Students may not take additional courses over the summer beyond credit recovery to improve their grade point average (GPA).

  2. Determining eligibility using summer school grades:

    1. Substitute grades earned in summer school (review and/or original credit).

    2. Compute new GPA and check for no more than two failing grades.

    3. Students become eligible if the new GPA is 2.0 or above and no more than two failing grades remain.

II. Transfer Students

  1. Within County

    A student transferring to a different school within Howard County will use the grade report from the prior school to determine eligibility for that specific activity.

  2. Out of County

    A student moving into the county who wishes to participate in extracurricular activities must meet the eligibility requirements of this policy. The student’s eligibility will be determined by the student’s grades during the last full quarter of attendance in their previous school.

III. Students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP)

  1. If a student with an IEP becomes academically ineligible to participate in extracurricular activities, the student and/or their parent may contact the principal of the school and request convening an IEP Team meeting to determine whether or not the student’s ineligibility is the direct result of not being provided a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) and that the failure to provide FAPE led to the student being academically ineligible.

  2. The IEP Team will convene at the earliest possible date following receipt of a request.

    1. In the case of athletic activities, the student may begin practicing with the team once the request is made to the principal. The student may not participate in any games until the IEP Team determines that ineligibility should be waived.

    2. In the case of nonathletic activities, the student may begin participating in preparatory activities (e.g., practices, rehearsals, etc.) once the request is made to the principal. The student may not participate in special events associated with that activity (e.g., performances, field trips, etc.) until the IEP Team determines that ineligibility should be waived.

  3. The IEP Team will make a determination as to whether or not the student’s academic ineligibility is a direct result of not being provided a FAPE and the failure to provide FAPE led to the students being academically ineligible. The IEP Team will notify the principal immediately of the determination.

    1. If the IEP Team determines that the student’s ineligibility is due to not being provided FAPE and that the failure to provide FAPE led to the student being academically ineligible the principal will grant a waiver and declare the student eligible. The student may begin full participation in the extracurricular activities immediately.

    2. If the IEP Team determines that FAPE was provided, then the student is not eligible to continue further participation in extracurricular activities.

IV. Students with a Section 504 Plan

  1. If a student with a Section 504 Plan becomes academically ineligible to participate in extracurricular activities, the student and/or their parent may contact the principal of the school to request that the local Section 504 Team convene to determine whether a failure to provide the student FAPE led to the student’s ineligibility.

  2. The Section 504 Team will convene at the earliest possible date following receipt of a request.

    1. In the case of athletic activities, the student may begin practicing with the team once the request is made to the principal. The student may not participate in any games until and unless the Section 504 Team determines that the ineligibility should be waived.

    2. In the case of nonathletic activities, the student may begin participating in the preparatory activities (e.g., practices, rehearsals, etc.) once the request is made to the principal. The student may not participate in special events associated with the activity (e.g., performances, field trips, etc.) until the Section 504 Team determines that the ineligibility should be waived.

  3. The Section 504 Team will make a determination as to whether a failure to provide the student FAPE led to the student’s ineligibility and will notify the principal immediately of that determination.

    1. If the Section 504 Team determines that FAPE was not provided and led to the student being ineligible, the principal will grant the waiver and declare the student eligible. The student may begin full participation in extracurricular activities immediately.

    2. If the Section 504 Team determines that ineligibility is not a result of a failure to provide FAPE, the student is not eligible to continue further participation.

V. Monitoring

Policy 9070 implementation procedures will be overseen by the Division of Schools.

VI. History

ADOPTED: July 23, 1981

REVIEWED: December 13, 2018

MODIFIED:

REVISED:

  • May 9, 1991

  • January 28, 1993

  • August 22, 1996

  • May 25, 2000

  • January 27, 2005

  • April 25, 2013

  • November 7, 2024

EFFECTIVE: July 1, 2025

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.