S.C. Code Regs. § § 43-244.1

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 10, October 25, 2024

Section 43-244.1 - Interscholastic Activities: Academic Requirements for Participation

I. To participate in interscholastic activities, students in grades 9-12 must have passed at least four academic courses, including each unit the student takes that is required for graduation, with an overall passing average in the preceding semester. Academic courses must be defined as those courses of instruction for which credit toward high school graduation is given. These may be required or approved electives.

A. An ineligible student shall not be allowed to participate in any interscholastic activity.

B. Interscholastic activities shall be defined as all school-sponsored activities for which preparation occurs outside of the regular school day. Individuals or members of groups involved in activities which include out-of-school practice on more than one occasion weekly shall meet eligibility requirements.

C. Academic course shall be defined as any approved course of instruction in the secondary curriculum, required or elective, for which one unit of credit or its equivalent is awarded on a yearly basis, or one-half unit of credit or its equivalent is awarded on a semester basis. If more than one unit of credit is awarded on a yearly basis in a particular subject, this subject shall count as more than one academic course. (Example: A subject taught for three units of credit shall be considered the equivalent of three academic courses.)

D. To be eligible in the first semester, each student must have passed four academic courses that were completed during the second semester of the previous school year.

E. To be eligible in the second semester, each student in grades 9 through 12 must pass at least four academic courses during the first semester.

F. Those courses specifically mandated for a high school diploma shall be considered required courses. A course may not be considered as an elective until all requirements in that subject area have been met. When a student is enrolled in more than four required courses, he must pass four required courses to be eligible for interscholastic activities. When a student is enrolled in four or less required courses, he must pass each required course.

G. Credit courses used for eligibility purposes must be courses that are applicable as credit toward a state high school diploma. If a student has met or is meeting all requirements for graduation and is enrolled in college credit courses, these college credit courses may be used to meet eligibility requirements.

H. Credits earned in a summer school approved by the State Department of Education may be applied toward first semester eligibility if all other requirements of this regulation are met. Academic deficiencies may not be made up through enrollment in correspondence courses or adult education programs.

I. Each student graduating prior to 1987 and needing only 18 units for a South Carolina high school diploma shall be required to pass at least four of the following subjects when enrolled:

1. Language Arts I, II, III, IV (or Remedial English, developmental reading, or remedial reading when taken to meet language arts requirements for graduation)

2. U. S. History

3. Economics

4. Government

5. Other Social Studies (additional one unit taken to meet graduation requirements)

6. Mathematics (to meet two-unit requirement for graduation).

7. Natural Science (to meet one-unit requirement for graduation).

8. Physical Education or ROTC (to meet one-unit requirement for graduation)

J. Each student entering the ninth grade for the first time in the 1983-84 school year or graduating in 1987 or thereafter and needing 20 units for a South Carolina high school diploma shall be required to pass at least four of the following subjects when enrolled:

1. Language Arts I, II, III, IV (or remedial English, with emphasis on reading and functional English, developmental reading, or remedial reading when taken to meet language arts requirements for graduation)

2. U. S History

3. Economics

4. Government

5. Other Social Studies (additional one unit taken to meet graduation requirements)

6. Mathematics (to meet three-unit requirement for graduation). If an approved course in computer science is taken to count as one unit of the mathematics requirement, this course will be considered a required course.

7. Natural Science (to meet two-unit requirement for graduation). If a student is taking the six units in a specific occupational area in lieu of the second unit required in natural science, all courses taken to accumulate these six units shall be considered required courses.

8. Physical Education or ROTC (to meet one-unit requirement for graduation)

K. Each student must maintain an overall passing average during the preceding semester in order to be eligible for participation in interscholastic activities.

1. Each student's overall passing average shall be determined by a numerical average or the district's grading system that determines pass/fail of all courses taken during the previous semester. A passing average shall be consistent with the district's established grading systems.

2. Overall passing average for first semester eligibility shall be determined using numerical scores or the district's grading system to determine pass/fail on all courses completed during the previous semester. (Note: Courses taken during summer school must be included in the determination of this average. If a course is repeated in summer school, the highest grade would be used in determining this average.)

3. Overall passing average for second-semester eligibility shall be determined by using numerical scores or the district's grading system that determines pass/fail on all courses taken during first semester.

L. If interscholastic activities are connected with curriculum experiences in a regular classroom situation (e.g., band, chorus, vocational), a student determined to be ineligible will be allowed to continue as part of the class and earn the grade and credit(s) for that course. Ineligible students will not be allowed to participate in interscholastic activities and shall not be penalized or have the course grade lowered because of their ineligibility to participate in those activities.

II. All activities currently under the jurisdiction of the South Carolina High School League shall remain in effect.

III. The monitoring of all other interscholastic activities is the responsibility of the local board of trustees.

A. Local boards of trustees shall develop and implement a system of monitoring the eligibility of students in grades 9-12 within the individual school districts who are involved in interscholastic activities not under the jurisdiction of the S.C. High School League.

B. The State Department of Education shall provide schools and school districts with a monitoring format for reporting to the local boards of trustees. This format shall be designed to monitor requirements of this regulation and all necessary implications.

C. Eligibility for any interscholastic activity shall be determined and reported prior to participation in that activity. Eligibility for each student will continue from first semester through the 95th day of the school year allowing five days for grades to be averaged and recorded after the end of the first semester.

D. Compliance with this portion of the regulation shall be reported to the State Department of Education through the assurances portion of the Basic Educational Data System accreditation process for district superintendents and boards of trustees.

E. Failure to comply with this regulation shall result in an accreditation deficiency for the local board of trustees.

IV. Those students diagnosed as handicapped in accordance with the criteria established by the State Board of Education and satisfying the requirements of their Individualized Education Plan (IEP) as required by Public Law 94-142 shall be permitted to participate in interscholastic activities.

A. Each student in grades 9-12 classified as handicapped and being served by a program designed for his/her handicapping condition that does not lead to a state high school diploma will be considered eligible for participation if he/she is successfully meeting the requirements of his/her Individual Education Plan.

B. Each student in grades 9-12 classified as handicapped and being served in a program leading to a state high school diploma shall be required to meet the requirements previously stated in this regulation for eligibility to participate in interscholastic activities.

V. Any local board of trustees in its discretion is authorized to impose more stringent standards than those contained in this section for participation in interscholastic activities by students in grades 9-12.

VI. The provisions for eligibility in interscholastic activities shall take effect at the beginning of the second semester of the 1984-85 school year.

A. Eligibility for participation in interscholastic activities for first semester of the 1984-85 school year will be determined by previously existing rules and regulations of the S. C. High School League and/or local school districts and will not be influenced by the requirements of this regulation.

B. Beginning with second semester of the 1984-85 school year and thereafter, each student must meet requirements of this regulation (59-39-160) in order to be eligible for participation in interscholastic activities.

S.C. Code Regs. § 43-244.1