Participation in Interscholastic Extracurricular Student Activities
1006.15 F.S. addresses high school athletics and students who attend a school for a Program of Choice. Specifically, the legislation:
- non-traditional students must register with the school his/her intent to participate in interscholastic athletics as a representative of the school before participation (FHSAA Bylaw 9.2.2).
- defines the term “eligible to participate” to include, but not be limited to, a student participating in tryouts, off-season conditioning, summer workouts, preseason conditioning, in-season practice, or contests. The term does not mean that a student must be placed on any specific team for interscholastic or interscholastic extracurricular activities.
- a student may participate in a sport if the student participated in that same sport at another school during that school year if the student meets specified criteria for exemption or could participate at their previous school for the remainder of that school year (FHSAA Bylaw 9.2.2.7).
- authorizes a non-member private school student to participate in a sport at any public high school if the private school is not a member of FHSAA, has 200 or less students in the corresponding grade levels and must not sponsor the sport.
- allows a student who transfers during the school year to seek to immediately join an existing team if the roster for the specific interscholastic or interscholastic extracurricular activity has not reached the activity’s identified maximum size and if the coach for the activity determines that the student has the requisite skill and ability to participate.
- Home education students participating in interscholastic and interscholastic extracurricular student activities; must register at the school prior to the home education student participating in the activity.
- Any student who attends a district special school, St Johns Virtual or St. Johns Technical High School, may participate at any public high school within the district the student resides (FHSAA Bylaw 9.2.2.3).
- A student enrolled at a public school within the St. Johns County School District, may participate at another school within the St. Johns County School District, if their school does not offer the sport (FHSAA Bylaw 9.2.2.7).
Regulations on student standards for participation in interscholastic and interscholastic extracurricular student activities are specified in 1006.15 F.S.., also known as the “Craig Dickinson Act.” The term “extracurricular” means any school-authorized or education-related activity occurring during or outside the regular instructional school day.
In order to participate in an interscholastic extracurricular student activity, a student must have a cumulative unweighted GPA of 2.0 or above in the previous semester or a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale in the courses required by statute for high school graduation. A student who is academically eligible at the beginning of a semester will continue to be academically eligible for that entire semester. Likewise, a student who is academically ineligible at the beginning of a semester will continue to be academically ineligible for that entire semester. The student’s eligibility for each successive semester will depend upon his/her cumulative GPA at the conclusion of the previous semester. (FHSAA 9.4.1.2) Middle school students taking a high school credit course during their middle school years will have the grades calculated for their GPA at the conclusion of the fall semester of their 9th grade year.
A student may raise or lower his/her cumulative GPA by attending summer school or its graded equivalent if:
- The summer school or its graded equivalent is regularly scheduled and regularly organized under the direction of a district school board or private school
- All coursework taken by the student is completed before the first day of classes in the subsequent semester
- All courses taken by the student, in which he/she receives a grade, whether during the regular academic year of summer school, or its graded equivalent, must be used to calculate the student’s cumulative GPA. (FHSAA 9.4.1)
Student participation is also governed by the district’s Code of Conduct for Athletic Participation and the policies of the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA). Otherwise, qualified students with disabilities may not be excluded from participation in extracurricular activities on the basis of disability or the need for accommodations.
For 9th and 10th Graders – for the purpose of participation in interscholastic activities
When the GPA of a student who is participating in an interscholastic extracurricular activity/team falls below 2.0 on a 4.0 scale in the courses required by statute for high school graduation, the school shall, in conjunction with the student and parent/legal guardian, write and monitor an academic performance contract until such time as the student’s cumulative GPA reaches 2.0 or higher. Students are still considered part of the interscholastic activity/team. Students who qualify for an academic performance contract must have sat out of competition the full semester immediately following becoming academically ineligible, regardless of the level of participation (i.e., varsity, sub-varsity, middle school, etc.); during which time, or thereafter, the student must have entered into and fulfilled the requirements of the contract before participating in interscholastic competition the subsequent semester (a) The student signs an academic performance contract with his/her school as per Bylaw 9.4.1.5; and (b) The student sits out the semester of ineligibility; and (c) The student earns a 2.0 GPA on a 4.0 unweighted scale in all courses taken during the semester of ineligibility. Participation in supplemental instruction programs is strongly recommended for students affected by this requirement. At a minimum, the contract must require that the student attend summer school between grades 9 and 10 or grades 10 and 11, as necessary.
For 11th and 12th Graders
During his or her junior or senior year, each student is required to have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or above on a 4.0 scale in the courses required by statute for high school graduation.
Courses in which a state End-of-Course (EOC) assessment is given, must be included in the cumulative GPA for eligibility. At the conclusion of the first semester, schools must include the grade the student earned in all EOC courses up to that point; this might necessitate a hand calculation of the GPA for student athletes if the course has not been concluded at the end of the first semester. Upon conclusion of the course or the school year, schools must include the final grade the student earned in all EOC courses, including the percentage of the grade from the EOC mandated by state statute. A student whose cumulative GPA falls below the minimum 2.0 due to the final results of the EOC courses will not subject the school to penalties due to that student’s participation in contests during the previous semester(s) regarding the academic requirement.
HB 797 passed in July 2011 allows middle or high school students who attend a non-FHSAA member private school with less than 125 students to play a sport not offered at their private school at the public school that is zoned for the address at which the student resides. The student must comply with all FHSAA regulations, including eligibility requirements regarding age and limits of eligibility, and local school regulations during the time of participation.
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
College-bound student athletes will need to meet more rigorous academic rules to receive a scholarship at NCAA Division I colleges or universities. A student who enters a NCAA Division I college or university on or after August 1, 2016 (entered ninth grade 2012-2013), will need to meet new academic rules in order to receive athletics aid (scholarship), practice, or compete during their first year. The changes include the following:
- Minimum core-course GPA of 2.300 required
- Change in GPA and test-score index (sliding scale)
- Ten core courses required before the seventh semester of the senior year. Must have 2 years of the same foreign language
Credit recovery courses are not NCAA eligible (typically taken in Summer School or through Edmentum software). Courses re-taken should be in a brick-and-mortar setting or Florida Virtual School or St. Johns Virtual School.
A student who entered a NCAA Division II college or university after August 1, 2013, is required to complete 16 core courses. Parents should indicate college athletic interest on the Returning Student Verification each year and work with the school counselor to review coursework to ensure the student is taking all required and approved NCAA coursework. Students should register on the NCAA Clearinghouse website.
For information on the rules, visit http://web1.ncaa.org/hsportal/exec/links?linksSubmit=ShowActiveLinks.
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)
- Receive a high school diploma from an accredited high school
- Minimum core course GPA 2.3+
- Meet one of the following:
- Minimum score of 18 on ACT or 970 on SAT
- Minimum score of 2.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale or
- Graduate in the top half of your class