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RATIONALE/OBJECTIVE:
The Cobb County School District (District)
establishes standards under which students will be allowed to participate in
competitive interscholastic activities.
RULE:
Additional information regarding
eligibility, Georgia High School Association materials, and the District’s
athletic guidelines are available to parents/guardians, students, and staff
from the District Web site, the school Athletic Directors, and the District
Athletic Office.
A. GENERAL FACTORS AFFECTING OR
DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY:
1. Attendance zones, as established by the Cobb County Board
of Education, shall be
one of the determining factors
regarding the eligibility of a student participating in
competitive interscholastic
activities (athletics, band and auxiliary unit, chorus,
cheerleading, etc.). In order for a
student to be eligible to participate in competitive
interscholastic activities that are
sponsored by the District, State Board of Education,
Georgia High School Association (GHSA),
Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA),
or other sponsoring organization
(Sponsor), the student shall attend the school in the
approved attendance zone.
2. Whether a student attends a school as a transfer student,
as provided in
Administrative
Rule JFABC (Admissions/Withdrawals: Transfer
Students), is also a
determining factor in eligibility.
3. Violation of the Interscholastic/Extracurricular
Activities Code of Conduct
(Administrative
Rule JJICA) will affect student eligibility.
4. All students participating in competitive interscholastic
activities in the District must
adhere to the rules and regulations
of the Georgia High School Association (GHSA),
Georgia Board of Education Policies,
and/or the policies/Rules of the Cobb County
Board of Education/District. Academic
requirements of the GHSA and policies of the
Georgia Board of Education for
student participation shall be applicable to all middle
and high school students in any
school-sponsored competitive interscholastic
activities including all GHSA/GMEA/Sponsor-sanctioned
programs. Therefore, to
participate in any school-sponsored
competitive interscholastic activity, middle and
high students must:
a. Have passed a minimum of five
courses or equivalent block courses which carry
credit toward grade
promotion or graduation in the quarter/semester prior to their
participation;
b. Be enrolled as a full-time
student. A full-time student is a student who is taking a
minimum of
five courses or equivalent block courses which carry credit toward
grade
promotion or graduation during the quarter/semester grading period of
participation; and
c. Be on-track for graduation.
B. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADES
9-12: NO PASS/NO PARTICIPATE:
1. Competitive interscholastic activities:
Competitive interscholastic
activities - any school-sponsored program involving
competition between individuals or
groups representing two or more schools.
Cheerleading is included in this
definition.
2. On track:
A high school student must be on
track for graduation. The number of units (academic
credits) leading toward graduation
will adhere to the following schedule.
a. First-year students shall have
earned two and one-half (2 ½) units beginning with
the second
semester.
b. Second-year students shall have
earned four (4) units.
c. Third-year students shall have
earned ten (10) units.
d. Fourth-year students shall have
earned sixteen (16) units.
3. Physical Examinations:
All students in grades 9-12 who
participate in competitive interscholastic athletics
and cheerleading shall have an annual
physical examination anytime after the final
GHSA state championship of the
preceding school year and prior to participation in
any tryout, practice, conditioning,
and games whichever comes first. The physical
examination form shall indicate
approval for participation and be signed by a doctor of
medicine or a doctor of osteopathy.
The physical examination form shall include the
date that the exam was performed
(month, day, year), the student's name and the
physician's signature.
4. Date and Time Restrictions:
a. The dates for practice and play
officially adopted by the GHSA shall be followed.
b. Competitive interscholastic
activities with dates not set by GHSA shall be
considered
in-season for the entire school year.
c. Competitive interscholastic
activities and all individual and group practice for such
activities by
students in grades 9-12 shall be conducted outside the school day.
d. Time Restrictions for Students:
Students will be governed by all GHSA
Constitution
and By-Laws involving limits of participation.
5. Students must be enrolled as full-time students in
9th-12th grade in order to
participate in high school
competitive interscholastic activities.
C. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADES
6-8: NO PASS/NO PARTICIPATE:
1. Competitive interscholastic activities:
a. Any school-sponsored program
involving competition between individuals or groups
representing
two or more schools (e.g., spelling bee competition beyond the
school,
science fair competition beyond the school level, MathCounts, honor
band/orchestra/chorus).
b. Excluded from this definition are
competitive athletic programs in grades 6-8.
c. Students in grade eight who
participate in tryouts and practice for high school
cheerleading
squads as well as spring practice for high school football teams are
included in
this definition.
2. Physical Examinations:
All 8th grade students who try out
for 9th grade competitive interscholastic athletics
and cheerleading shall have an annual
physical examination prior to participation in
any tryout, practice or conditioning,
whichever comes first. The physical examination
form used must be GHSA approved and
shall indicate approval for participation and be
signed by a doctor of medicine or a
doctor of osteopathy.
3. Time Restrictions for Activities:
a. Competitive interscholastic
activities and all individual and group practice for such
activities by
students in grades 6-8 shall be conducted outside the school day.
b. For students in grades 6-8,
competitive interscholastic activities and group and
individual
practice on a day preceding a school day may not begin prior to the end
of the school
day and must end no later than four (4) hours after the end of the
school day of
the host school.
c. For students in grades 6-8, only
one day or night each week preceding a school
day may be used to
schedule the same competitive interscholastic activity;
tournaments are
excluded from this restriction.
4. Retention of students for athletic purposes
(red-shirting):
a. Red-shirting is prohibited.
b. If a school chooses to retain a
student in grade 6, 7, or 8 who has passing grades,
the school
shall document the educational reasons for the retention. Written
documentation
shall include the following information:
c. A parent/guardian written request
outlining the reasons for requesting the retention
and/or a
school-initiated written request with accompanying written approval of
the request
by the parent/guardian.
d. Statements from two professional
sources from outside the school justifying the
retention for
educational reasons.
e. Written approval of the retention
request and justification of the retention for
educational reasons
by the principal, the superintendent and by two teachers
(other than
athletic coach) who have taught the student.
f. Required documentation shall be
available prior to the retention of the student and
shall be maintained
in the student's permanent record.
D. ACCOUNTABILITY:
1. Each school principal shall ensure that all staff members
adhere to these requirements.
2. Any certified staff member employed by a local board of
education who violates this
rule shall be subject to referral to the
Professional Standards Commission. Such
referrals shall have no adverse effect on
the compliance status of schools or systems.
3. This rule shall be enforced through the application of
Public School Standards.
Violations cited through the
Standards review process shall be referred to the state
superintendent of schools or designee
for investigation and/or technical assistance.
E. WAIVERS:
1. The provisions of this Administrative Rule reflect the
requirements of the Georgia Board
of Education and the Georgia High
School Association. Requests for waiver of this rule
may be made to the Georgia Department
of Education and to the Georgia Board of
Education. The request may be made by
the student, the student's parent/guardian,
the student's principal, the District
or the Cobb County Board of Education. Such
requests shall include the following
information:
a. Basis for request.
b. Documentation of medical
conditions, if appropriate.
c. Grade report and transcripts for
student.
d. Principal's statement regarding
request.
e. Activity in which student wishes
to participate.
2. All non-competitive activities shall be governed by local
school rules and regulations.
Adopted: 7/25/85
Reclassified an Administrative Rule: 9/1/04
Revised: 7/10/86; 2/12/87; 8/13/87; 10/08/87; 3/24/88; 6/8/88; 6/14/89;
1/10/90; 5/9/90; 5/29/90; 5/23/91; 8/14/91; 7/23/92; 7/23/98, 7/22/99,
8/24/00; 8/10/05 |