ELIGIBILITY PROCEDURES

ROCHESTER CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

 Athletic and Arts Eligibility for All Sports, Extracurricular Performances, and Activities

The information below provides a summary of the Superintendent’s regulations for student eligibility for participation in extracurricular activities.  Initial eligibility for all students will be checked at the start of the activity or season by using the most recently posted report card.  Initial eligibility for all fall clubs and teams will be based on the previous school year’s final marking period or final grades. Grades may be adjusted based on passing a failed course in Summer School. 

ELIGIBLE STUDENTS – If the following conditions are met, this student will participate on the club or team without restrictions until the next report card is issued, at which time eligibility will be determined again:

• A cumulative “C" or a 2.0 average for all scheduled subjects.
• A 90% daily in-class attendance for all classes.
• Students must be present for a minimum of 50% of the school day in order to participate in an evening performance, game, or event.
• Demonstrate good citizenship.   

STUDENT ON ACADEMIC PROBATION - This student will continue to be allowed to participate in practices and competitions, as long as they meet the requirements for eligible students, but will be placed on probation with conditions:

• Three-week (3) progress report or marking period report card shows that student is failing any one class.
• While on academic probation, a student must meet all conditions of probation set by the building principal or designee, and must attend a building-based study session in the failing class 3-to-5 days a week utilizing building resources.

INELIGIBLE STUDENTS - This student may not participate in competitions or practices/rehearsals if the student:

• Does not have a cumulative “C” average, 90% daily in class attendance, or demonstrate good school citizenship.
• Meets the requirements for eligible students, but is failing in two or more classes. Students who are ineligible under this paragraph may participate in practice if they attend tutoring in the failing subjects.
• Students are ineligible if the student receives either a 3-week progress report or marking period grade report which shows that the student did not meet the requirements for eligible students, and is receiving a failing grade in no more than one class. Students failing one class will be placed on probation.

TUTORING - All students on probation or who are ineligible must attend tutoring in any failing subject. 

• Tutoring will be made available through special academic assistance as assigned/approved by the building Principal or their designee i.e. the Athletic Director/Assistant Principal in a specific subject area. 
• Students must maintain 100% attendance in study sessions, in order to be able to participate in practices and/or contests as set forth above.

It will be the student’s responsibility to submit his/her 3-week progress report to their coach, or the Athletic Director on the day before completing the mid-marking period.  The forms will then be reviewed by Coordinator of Health, Physical Education and Athletics.

All building Principals, Athletic Directors and coaches should ensure that they are fully familiar with the Extracurricular Eligibility Regulation, Superintendent’s Regulation 5305-R.

Any student in Grades 7-12 who wishes to participate in an interscholastic sport or an extracurricular activity must maintain an overall GPA academic average of 2.0.  Grades are calculated on a 10-week basis for all subjects taken during that period of time, not the overall academic average for the year.  Students failing to maintain a minimum 10-week average of 2.0 GPA and/or who have earned one (1) failing mark of “F” will be placed on “Probation” for the following 4-weeks.

PROBATION – Probation is defined as a period of time that the student/athlete will be allowed to practice, play, or participate in extracurricular activities provided that the student/athlete meets all other conditions of probation.  If at the end of the 3-week “Probation” period the student/athlete fails to raise their overall academic average for all subjects to a minimum 2.0 GPA and/or does not pass all courses with a minimum of a D, they are declared “academically ineligible” for the next 10-weeks. The student remains ineligible until there is a 10-week grade period with a minimum 2.0 GPA and all courses passed. The first 10-weeks after becoming eligible, the student/athlete remains on “Probation.”

A student/athlete who has two (2) or more “Fs” will be ineligible regardless of their GPA. The student/athlete who attends tutoring will be allowed to practice, but not participate in or play in any extracurricular activity/contests. In order to participate or play, the student must be fully eligible or on probation.  Students who become ineligible after the three-week grade check will be dropped from the team.

Eligibility for the fall will be determined by the fourth marking period of the previous semester, or the final GPA for the previous school year.  Summer school grades may be used to replace failing course marks during the previous school year. 

Depending on teacher availability, students may be assigned special assistance in a specific subject area in lieu of the study session as deemed necessary.  Students must maintain 100% attendance in the study session in order to be able to participate in shows, practices and/or contests. Any appeals regarding a student’s/athlete’s eligibility status will remain within the province of the building Principal for determination.

ATTENDANCE - Students must meet the District’s mandatory attendance requirement in all classes in accordance with the current Attendance Policy. 

CITIZENSHIP THROUGH ATHLETICS - The Rochester City School District will embrace the NYS Citizenship Through Athletics program in which all staff will be trained, and incorporate the principles of this program with their athletes.  A person of good character possesses knowledge and attitudes that are consistent with good behavior and beneficial to that person, as well as to others.  Attitudes reflect a person’s character, views, values, and core virtues which are defined as follows:

The Athletic and Arts/Extracurricular Eligibility program will adhere to the RCSD’s Code of Conduct in qualifying student behavior and the penalties associated with students who violate the district’s Code of Conduct.  Schools will be authorized to promulgate regulations designed to implement this Code in the determination of eligibility. 

The Coordinating Administrator of Health, Physical Education and Athletics, and the Assistant Principal for the Arts have the primary responsibility for administering the Eligibility Policy. However, the Principal or designated Assistant Principal must declare individual student eligibility based on the data provided.

ELIGIBILITY – GRADING POLICY 

Students on after school sports teams must maintain a 2.0 GPA and have less than 2 “Fs” on any report card in order to participate in an interscholastic game or event.  The probationary period for ineligible students with 2 or more Fs is 3-weeks from the last official grade check.  

• Students must maintain a GPA of 2.0 to be eligible.
• Students with below a GPA of 2.0 and/or one “F” must attend mandatory academic eligibility study hall. 
• Students with two “Fs” are declared ineligible regardless of their GPA and must attend mandatory academic eligibility study hall and can practice but cannot play/perform. 
• Students with three “Fs” or more will be removed from the team or the performance.