Code: IDE(1)
160-5-1-.18 COMPETITIVE INTERSCHOLASTIC ACTIVITIES IN
GRADES 6 -12.
(1) DEFINITIONS.
(a) Competitive Interscholastic Activities – Any organized competition between
schools that is held outside the regular instructional day. This does not include
vocational clubs, academic bowls, geography bees, spelling bees, science fairs, math
bowls, or specific subject area fairs.
(b) Competitive Interscholastic Athletics – A competitive interscholastic activity
specifically pertaining to any organized athletic sport which shall include
cheerleading.
(c) Course – any subject with a state approved course number as defined in Rule
160-4-2-.20 LIST OF STATE-FUNDED K-8 SUBJECTS AND 9 -12 COURSES
FOR STUDENTS ENTERING NINTH GRADE IN 2008.
(d) Full-Time – A student enrolled and attending the full six segments as defined in
the Quality Basic Education Act or the equivalent thereof.
(e) Georgia High School Association – The association with which the State
Board of Education has a cooperative relationship to establish statewide regulations
for 9-12 interscholastic competitive activities.
(f) Local Education Agency (LEA) – local school system pursuant to local board
of education control and management.
(g) Physician - a doctor of medicine or osteopathy licensed by the Georgia
Composite Medical Board pursuant to Article 2, Chapter 34, Title 43 of the Official
Code of Georgia Annotated.
(2) REQUIREMENTS.
(a) Each local board of education shall adopt a policy regulating competitive
interscholastic activities.
(b) The school principal shall regulate competitive interscholastic activities in his or
her school and shall ensure that all staff members adhere to local board of education
policies, and rules of the State Board of Education.
(c) A student wishing to participate in interscholastic competitive activities shall be
enrolled full-time in a public school during the semester of participation.
(d) Retention of students for athletic purposes is prohibited.
(e) Middle Grades Requirements.
1. These provisions are considered as minimum standards for each LEA to abide by
or surpass in its efforts to maintain the highest possible standards relative to its
competitive interscholastic activities.
(i) Student Eligibility.
(I) For determining student eligibility, the grading period shall be a semester. The
same period shall also be the minimum length of the ineligibility period.
(II) Students participating in competitive interscholastic activities shall pass a
minimum of 70% of courses carrying credit toward grade promotion in the semester
immediately preceding participation.
I. Students initially enrolling in the first semester of the sixth grade are exempt from
this requirement.
II. An exploratory course that is comprised of several multi-week courses taken
during the same period of the day within the semester shall be averaged to count as
one subject for eligibility purposes.
III. If more than one exploratory course is taken during a semester during two
different periods of the day, then each course shall be individually calculated into the
average to determine student eligibility.
(III) Student eligibility shall be determined on the first school day of a semester.
I. A maximum of two courses taken in summer school and carrying credit toward
grade promotion may be counted for eligibility purposes for participation in first
semester activities.
II. If a student receives an incomplete for a subject that will be used to establish
eligibility, he/she may complete make-up work that will change the incomplete to a
grade provided this opportunity is available to all students.
A. Make-up work must be completed within 14 school days after the start of the
semester.
B. A student is ineligible until make-up work is completed and the required passing
grade(s) is/are recorded in the student’s permanent record.
(IV) Independent study course credit taken in summer school may not be used to
gain eligibility.
(V) Summer school credits earned in non-accredited home study programs or nonaccredited
private schools may not be used to gain eligibility. For summer school
credits to be accepted for eligibility purposes from either private schools, or home
study programs, the credits must have been earned in programs approved by an
accrediting agency recognized by the State Board of Education in accordance with
Rule 160-5-1-.15 ACCEPTANCE OF TRANSFER CREDIT AND/OR GRADES.
ii. Physical Examinations.
(I) All students who participate in competitive interscholastic athletics or
cheerleading shall have an annual physical examination prior to participation in any
tryout, practice or conditioning, whichever comes first. The physical examination
form shall indicate whether the student is cleared without restriction, cleared with
recommendations for further evaluation or treatment, specify whether the student is
cleared for certain sports or all sports, and be signed by a physician or legally
authorized designee. The physical examination form shall also include the date that
the exam was performed (month, day, and year), the student’s name, gender, age, and
date of birth.
(iii) Special Provisions.
(I) Special education students shall meet the same eligibility requirements as regular
students, except that the courses passed must be according to the student’s IEP.
Special Olympics or other athletic programs designed exclusively for students with
disabilities are exempt.
(II) Pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 20-2-2161 local school systems shall facilitate the
opportunity for transitioning children of military families’ inclusion in extracurricular
activities, regardless of application deadlines, to the extent they are otherwise
qualified. The meaning and determination of military children shall be as provided in
O.C.G.A. § 20-2-2130 and O.C.G.A. § 20-2-2131.
(III) Local boards of education may allow schools within their jurisdiction to join
leagues or appropriate associations for the purpose of formulating and enforcing
uniform rules of eligibility and play. Nothing in this rule shall be deemed to authorize
the use of state or local tax dollars for membership in these organizations.
(3) EXTERNAL RELATIONSHIP.
(a) The State Board of Education supports a cooperative relationship with the
Georgia High School Association (GHSA) in establishing statewide regulations for 9-
12 interscholastic competitive activities. A local board of education may allow a
school within its jurisdiction to join GHSA; however, nothing in this rule shall be
deemed to authorize the use of state or local tax dollars for membership in GHSA.
(b) The State School Superintendent or designee serves as a member of the State
Executive Committee of the GHSA. Reports shall be made to the State Board of any
changes in the Georgia High School Association Constitution and Bylaws.
Authority O.C.G.A. § 20-2-240.
Adopted: October 12, 2011 Effective: November 1, 2011