Policy 5560: Eligibility For Student Activities
  1. PURPOSE
    Offering students a well-rounded education is more than excellence in core curricular areas. Students properly prepared for the adult world should be given opportunities to experience activities both as an individual and as a member of a group. Extracurricular activities, co-curricular activities and athletics connect student interests with their academic pursuits, increase leadership learning, group dynamics and cooperation skills. Student activities should be seen as complementary to their academic program, not as competition with it. Participation in these activities, while important and worthwhile, continues to be a privilege and not a right of students. The purpose of this policy is to establish the minimum requirements for eligibility for participation in student activities that promote participation, but recognize the supremacy of the student’s academic progress.
  2. GENERAL STATEMENT OF POLICY
    1. This policy applies to all extracurricular activities, co-curricular activities, and Minnesota State High School League covered activities available to students through the Minneapolis Public Schools. The academic eligibility requirements do not apply to student enrichment activities; however attendance requirements and leadership eligibility requirements do apply to student enrichment activities.
    2. In addition to the specific requirements of this policy and any regulations promulgated for its implementation, the Board of Education adopts the policies of the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) regarding student eligibility for covered activities.
      1. Students who violate the policies of the MSHSL shall be subject to discipline both under the rules of the MSHSL and under the District’s disciplinary and other policies.
      2. The MSHSL eligibility rules apply to covered activities when competitions, contests or meets involve only Minneapolis Public Schools, as well as inter-district competitions, contests or meets.
  3. ATHLETIC PROGRAMS – GENERAL ELIGIBILITY
    1. Students must have a medical examination prior to participation in any athletics program and must be approved for the chosen activity through this examination prior to participation, try-out, rehearsal or practice.
    2. Secondary students who are residents of the City of Minneapolis and who are enrolled in a home school may participate in the athletic programs of the high school in whose attendance area they live.
    3. Secondary students who are enrolled in an autonomous school under contract with the District as a contract alternative school and who are residents of the City of Minneapolis may participate in the athletic programs of the high school in whose attendance area they live.
    4. Students who are enrolled in a charter school, whether or not the charter school is a District authorized charter school, may not participate in District- governed school athletic programs unless a cooperative agreement for participation as required by MSHSL rules is entered into between the charter school and the District.
    5. Students who are enrolled in a District site-governed school are eligible to participate in the athletic programs of that school alone.
    6. Students who are enrolled full time or part time at a college through the post-secondary enrollment options program are eligible to participate in the athletic programs of the high school in which they are enrolled and from which they will graduate.
    7. Students in grades seven and eight are eligible to participate in the athletic programs of the school of their enrollment. Seventh and eighth grade students may also participate in MSHSL covered athletic programs in the high school in whose attendance area they live.
    8. Students are eligible to participate in athletics for a maximum of eight (8) semesters beginning with their entry into grade nine (9), or their first participation on any interscholastic team of any district high school after enrollment in grade nine (9) or above, whichever is first, regardless of whether or not students are actively participating in any activity in any semester following enrollment as a ninth grade student. Participation in high school athletics by a student enrolled in seventh or eighth grade shall not count toward the accumulation of the eligible semesters.
  4. EXTRA-CURRICULAR PROGRAMS, AND STUDENT ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES –GENERAL ELIGIBILITY
    1. Students who are residents of the City of Minneapolis and who are enrolled in a home school may participate in the extra-curricular programs of the high school in whose attendance area they live. The district is under no obligation to proactively seek such participation, but shall, upon request of the student or parent of a homeschool student, provide information regarding these activities to the student or parent.
    2. Students who are enrolled in an autonomous school under contract with the District as a contract alternative school and who are residents of the City of Minneapolis may participate in the extra-curricular programs and student enrichment activities of the high school in whose attendance area they live. The district is under no obligation to proactively seek such participation, but shall, upon request of a student, parent or contract alternative school provide information regarding these activities to the requestor.
    3. Students who are enrolled in a charter school, whether or not the charter school is a District authorized charter school, may not participate in District- governed extracurricular activities; however if the extra-curricular activity is a covered activity under MSHSL rules and if a cooperative agreement for participation as required by MSHSL rules is entered into between the charter school and the District, the student may participate in MSHSL covered extra-curricular activities. Students enrolled in a charter school may not participate in district sponsored student enrichment activities.
    4. Students who are enrolled in a District site-governed school are eligible to participate in the extra-curricular and student enrichment activities of that school alone.
    5. Students who are enrolled full time or part time at a college through the post-secondary enrollment options program are eligible to participate in extra-curricular and student enrichment activities of the high school in which they are enrolled and from which they will graduate.
    6. Students in grades six, seven and eight are eligible to participate in the extracurricular and student enrichment activities of the school of their enrollment.
    7. Where a school has a cooperative team with another Minneapolis Public School, the students eligible to participate in teams or activities of one of the cooperating schools is eligible to participate on the cooperative team.
  5. CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES – GENERAL ELIGIBILITY
    1. Only those students enrolled in the school at which a co-curricular activity is offered may participate in the co-curricular activity. Cooperative co-curricular activities shared between Minneapolis Public Schools may be participated in by students enrolled at either of the cooperating schools.
    2. Students who are enrolled in a District site-governed school are eligible to participate in the co-curricular activities of that school alone.
    3. Students who are enrolled full time or part time at a college through the post-secondary enrollment options program are eligible to participate in co-curricular activities of the high school in which they are enrolled and from which they will graduate.
  6. ACADEMIC ELIGIBILITY
    1. Students with an Individual Education Plan (IEP) shall have their academic eligibility determined in light of the terms of the IEP.
    2. Students with an Individual Accommodation Plan (IAP or 504 plan) may have their academic eligibility determined in light of the terms of the IAP, if the accommodations in the plan have a direct relationship to participation in activities.
    3. Students must be on track for graduation in order to be academically eligible.
    4. Ninth Grade Eligibility:
      1. All entering ninth grade students are academically eligible in their first semester for all high school activities.
      2. For ninth grade student second semester academic eligibility in each quarter is established by any of the following:
        1. a cumulative grade point average (G.P.A.) of 2.0, or
        2. a G.P.A. of 2.0 in the previous quarter marking period.
    5. Other Grades Eligibility:
      1. Students in grades ten to twelve academic eligibility in each quarter is established by any of the following:
        1. a cumulative G.P.A. of 2.0 or greater; or
        2. a G.P.A. of 2.0 in the previous quarter marking period.
      2. If a grading period ends during an athletic season or activity period, students must continue to meet the eligibility requirements of paragraph 6.E.1 above in order to remain eligible.
    6. If try-outs and practices occur prior to the release of grades for the previous grading period, students may participate in those try-outs and practices but no competitions, contests or meets until academic eligibility is established.
    7. Students must be enrolled in at least five (5) credit granting courses in the grading periods in which the activity or athletic season runs, subject to the following exceptions:
      1. Students who are seniors who do not require five (5) quarter credits per grading period in order to meet graduation requirements must be enrolled in the number of credits required during the grading period to keep them on track for graduation by the end of the school year.
      2. Students who do not require five quarter credit granting courses during the grading period(s) in which the activity or athletic season runs in order to meet minimum credit acquisition requirements may apply to the principal for a waiver of the requirement of enrollment down to the number of credit granting courses required to keep them on track for graduation.
  7. ATTENDANCE ELIGIBILITY
    1. Students must be in attendance in all of their classes on the day of any practice, tryout, competition, contest or meet, unless the student has a qualifying excused absence for their absence.
    2. Students who have been removed from instruction or suspended may not participate in any activity on the day(s) of their removal from instruction or suspension, regardless of the timing of any reentry conference.
    3. Students who do not have an attendance rate of at least ninety percent (90%) during the week of any competition, contest, activity or meet may be suspended from participation for the remainder of the week. Excused absences do not cost against the ten per cent (10%) absence rate for these purposes. Decisions regarding suspensions for attendance reasons will be made by the principal.
  8. LEADERSHIP ELIGIBILITY
    1. Any student named, elected or appointed to a leadership position must maintain both academic and attendance eligibility to continue in the position.
    2. The suspension of any leader student for any of the following reasons will result also in the loss of the leadership position for the remainder of the season or period, or for the first season or period for which the student has been named, elected or appointed:
      1. Harassment;
      2. Hazing;
      3. Bullying;
      4. Assault;
      5. Use, possession, manufacture, distribution or dispensation of alcohol or controlled substances;
      6. Non-medical use of over the counter medications or prescription medications unless possession or use is according to a prescription from the person’s licensed health care provider;
      7. Use, possession, manufacture, distribution or dispensation of any weapon.
    3. A second suspension for any reason stated in 8.B. above during their high school career shall mean ineligibility for or loss of any leadership position for the remainder of their high school career.
    4. A student who has been formally charged with a gross misdemeanor or felony criminal offense shall be suspended from any leadership position until there is confirmation of the resolution of the charge against the student. A conviction of the student for a gross misdemeanor or felony shall result in loss of the leadership position.
  9. EXCEPTIONS AND PROBATION
    1. A student may apply for an exception to the academic eligibility or attendance eligibility requirements of this policy.
    2. Any exception granted will place the student on a probationary eligibility status.
    3. The Superintendent shall establish a procedure for hearing and deciding applications for exceptions.

Original Adoption:
2/27/1990

Revision Dates:
8/13/2013

Legal References:

Other References:

MPS Policy Cross References: