South Carolina Code of Regulations
Chapter 43 - STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
Article 19 - INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM
Section 43-244.1 - Interscholastic Activities: Academic Requirements for Participation
Universal Citation: SC Code Regs 43-244.1
Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 3, March 22, 2024
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.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. South Carolina may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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