Credit Flexibility and the OHSAAPresentation to the Ohio Interscholastic

Athletic Administrators AssociationOctober 4, 2010

The Ohio High School Athletic Association

• Private, not-for-profit organization of member schools• Membership is voluntary• Rules are promulgated by a vote of the member

school principals and interpreted by the Commissioner’s office

• Membership authorized annually by each BOE or governing board

• The OHSAA operates independently of the Ohio Department of Education but seeks to work cooperatively with all groups involved in the education of secondary students in Ohio

Athletic Eligibility• Is a privilege• Is governed by rules expressed in Bylaw 4• Member schools, via their principals and other

administrators, must convey these standards to parents and students well in advance of participation

• OHSAA provides resources to assist schools in this communication

• Parents and students must sign off that they have read, understand and have had a chance to review these standards with the school administrator

Ohio Credit Flexibility Policy

• Students may earn credit in three ways– Traditional Coursework– Testing out or demonstrating mastery– Educational Options• Distance learning• Educational travel• Independent study• Internship• Community service

Bylaw 4-4-1 - Scholarship

– currently enrolled – enrolled in school the immediately preceding

grading period. – received passing grades in a minimum of five

one-credit courses or the equivalent each of which counts toward graduation during the preceding grading period

How will Credit Flex impact eligibility under 4-4-1?

• Student must be currently enrolled• In the preceding grading period the student must be

enrolled in and passing course work that will receive the equivalent of five one-credit courses

• The OHSAA intends to handle Credit Flex course work in much the same way as it currently handles PSEO and other educational options

• Academic accountability is extremely important!

How to handle Credit Flex and other educational options

• Insure that the student and parents understand the nature of this type of option and discuss OHSAA eligibility requirements with a school/athletic administrator prior to development of the student’s plan

• Make arrangements for the faculty member or other individual who is overseeing the student’s experience to provide the school with grades or a progress report when the school’s grading period is over

• Realize that the experience may not be completed when the grading period is over but that the work done to date will be used to provide a letter grade or an evaluation of pass/no pass

How to handle Credit Flex and other educational options

• Make certain that the students and their parents know that if no work has been completed or if the work is not of a level to receive a “Pass,” the course cannot be used as part of the five credit requirement found in 4-4-1.

• This is the notion of Accountability

Other matters to consider• It is expected that eligibility will not be negatively

impacted by either traditional coursework or educational options under the Credit Flex scenario

• Testing out or demonstrating mastery may not fit into the process due to the student not being academically engaged during a preceding grading period.

• Summer experiences cannot be used for scholastic eligibility

OHSAA Resources

• OHSAA Handbook• OHSAA Eligibility Guide for Students and Parents

http://www.ohsaa.org/eligibility/eligbulletin_09.pdf• Eligibility Guide for Guidance Counselors

http://www.ohsaa.org/eligibility/EligibilityGuide.pdf

The NCAA

• Although asked frequently, OHSAA staff cannot interpret the rules of the NCAA

• Contact a compliance administrator at an NCAA institution

• Go to the NCAA Eligibility Center at http://eligibilitycenter.org/ECWR2/NCAA_EMS/NCAA.html

Individual Learning Plan

• Student initiates a request to take a course via Credit Flex

• School counselor or faculty rep meets with the student to develop the plan

• Plan is signed by student, school officials and the parents

• If the student is an athlete, the athletic or school administrator must be included so that the eligibility compliance can be stipulated in the plan

Use of Credit Flex for Transfer to Gain an Athletic Advantage

• Concern about the use of credit flex to “transfer” to schools or programs to gain an athletic advantage.

• Exception 12 of transfer bylaw 4-7-2 was approved to close a “loophole” that might be used to participate in a “sports school” and use the Credit Flex option to preserve eligibility and gain an advantage

• This is not hypothetical• The OHSAA has already had inquires from a few

member schools about such an option

Transfer Exception #12• Permits a return to the same high school from a

“domestic” exchange program (whether credit flex is attempted or not) provided:– Program exists primarily for academic and educational

experiences– Student receives credit toward graduation while

involved in the program– The student will not be denied athletic opportunity;

however, if he/she does participate it must be secondary to the academic and educational experience.

Prospective Transfer, cont.

– The domestic program has a structured beginning and ending to the program

– The student shall be ineligible until ruled eligible by the Commissioner’s office

– New Exception 12 form has been created for your use: http://www.ohsaa.org/eligibility/4-7-2Guidance_Exc12.pdfYou can find this form in the Transfer Resource Center

Credit Flex Goals

• When Credit Flexibility options are used to support a student’s interest in future work or study, provide an individualized plan and a pace that fits the student’s needs while earning HS credits, the program will be successful

• If the Credit Flexibility Option is envisioned as a means to gain an interscholastic athletics advantage, the student may be deprived of the privilege of participation under current and/or future OHSAA rules

Any other Questions??

Thanks for your attention!!

Contact Us!

Dr. Deborah B. Moore, Ph.D. – dmoore@ohsaa.org

Associate Commissioner Or

Ms. Roxanne Price – rprice@ohsaa.org

Assistant CommissionerOHSAA

4080 Roselea PlaceColumbus, OH 43214

614-267-2501

General Sports Regulation 4.3

4.3) Participating in Non-Interscholastic Programs – Team Sports A member of an interscholastic squad sponsored by the Board of Education or other governing board in a team sport (Baseball, Basketball, Field Hockey, Football, Ice Hockey, Soccer, Softball and Volleyball) shall not participate in an athletic contest, tryouts or any type of training or practices on a non-interscholastic squad or as an individual in a team sport in the same sport during the school’s interscholastic sports season.

Sports Regulation 4.3 - Continued

• The goals are to:– protect the interscholastic volleyball season and insure full school control– Protect students’ eligibility– Protect students from injury

• In addition:– Volleyball season is short – eight weeks of competition including through the

state tournaments– Goal of many of our coaches’ associations and our member schools is to

maximize time with school coaching staff– Students have plenty of opportunity get outside the season instruction

and competition – Appears to be a conflict with Instructional Program Regulation 5.3 but 5.3 was

not adjusted when 5.2 was expanded

Volleyball

• Please help us to convey this to your staff, parents and to outside individuals in the “fee for service” industry

• We have sent a broadcast message to all athletic administrators, principals and 7-8th grade principals to this effect

• We have included this information in “This Week in Volleyball” - our weekly online bulletin

• Note – VB practice opens on August 1, 2011 for next school year

International Student Rule

• International Students – Bylaw 4-8-1 – Students are ineligible in Ohio member schools. Exceptions:– 1 – Student and parents move into Ohio or have lived

here – 2 – Visitor Exchange Program– 3 – Student is adopted by Ohio citizens– 4 – Student and parents are US citizens but the parents

reside outside the USA (missionaries, military, business, etc.)

Residence Rule• Out of State Parents – 4-6-3 – Student ineligible in

an Ohio member school. Exceptions:– 1. Change of legal custody for reasons that protect the

student– 2. Attend 15 days in grade 11– 3. Continuous enrollment from grade 1– 4. Continuous enrollment in a parochial elementary

school from grade 4-8– 5. East Liverpool exception– 6. Boarding school exception– 7. Military children – Please use OHSAA POA