Online charter students eligible for high school sports

Question from Jackie:

Are kids able to participate in athletic programs in their designated school district, even if they don't attend that school? Examples would be a home-schooled student or a student who attends a charter — or private school.

Answer:Arizona Republic education reporter Mary Beth Faller took this one under her wing, and set out to find some answers. This is what she found:

"High-school sports is governed by the Arizona Interscholastic Association.

"The AIA permits home-schooled students and those who attend online charter schools to play sports at the AIA-member schools in the students' attendance areas — if the member schools' governing boards approve.

"Online students must meet the same eligibility requirements as students in the AIA-member school — maintaining passing grades in all subjects and making progress toward promotion.

"If a student plays for a district school and then switches to an online school during the year, he or she is ineligible for any sports for the remainder of the school year.

"The schools may charge fees to home-schooled or online students to cover the cost of athletics.

"If a student attends a private or charter school that does not have a sports team, the student cannot play for the team of another school unless he or she transfers there.

"Ron Halbach, tournament director of the Arizona Interscholastic Association, says: 'It is very important that when parents are choosing the high school for their student that they choose a school that offers everything that they and their child may want to be involved in, both academically and athletically.' "

Here is the link to the AIA's rules on eligibility:

http://aiaonline.org/files/65/article-15-student-eligibility-rules.pdf

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