The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education approved changes to Policy JJJ, Extracurricular Activity Eligibility, at its meeting on April 14. The policy covers eligibility requirements for middle and high school students who wish to participate in extracurricular activities, including sports and clubs.
Since 1993, CMS students have been required to have a grade-point average (GPA) of at least 2.0 to be eligible to participate. The amendments change when GPA is calculated for eligibility purposes. Under the new policy, it will be calculated at the end of the first semester and the end of the school year, instead of quarterly. CMS is one of the few districts in North Carolina to require the 2.0 GPA; that requirement has not changed.
Because of the complexity of CMS course scheduling, calculating GPA at the end of each quarter has become more difficult in recent years. Four-by-four block classes and virtual classes that students take online add to the difficulty.
“The change means student-athletes’ eligibility will be determined two times a year, instead of four,” said CMS Director of Athletics Vicki Hamilton. “Students who wish to participate in fall sports, such as football and cheerleading, will be eligible based on their final grade at the end of the previous year.”
Tryouts for winter sports, including indoor track and basketball, usually happen in December. Athletic eligibility for those sports will also be determined based on their final grade at the end of the previous school year. However, students will need to have a GPA of at least 2.0 at the completion of the first semester (at the end of January) to stay on the team for the second semester.
The changes take effect at the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year and apply to fall sports.