“Academic Courses” are those courses for which class time is scheduled, which can be credited to meet the minimum requirements for graduation, which is taught by a teacher required to have State licensure in the course or is otherwise qualified under Arkansas statute, and has a course content guide which has been approved by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Any of the courses for which concurrent high school credit is earned may be from an institution of higher education recognized by DESE. If a student passes an academic course offered on a block schedule, the course can be counted twice toward meeting the requirement for students to pass four (4) academic courses per semester as required by this policy.

“Extracurricular activities” are defined as: any school sponsored program where students from one or more schools meet, work, perform, practice under supervision outside of regular class time, or are competing for the purpose of receiving an award, rating, recognition, or criticism, or qualification for additional competition. Examples include, but are not limited to, inter/interscholastic athletics, cheerleading, band, choral, math, or science competitions, field trips, and club activities.

 “Field Trips” are when individual students or groups of students are invited to programs or events when there is no competition and the students are not interacting with each other for the purpose of planning, qualifying, or arranging for future programs or for the purpose of receiving recognition.

“Interscholastic Activities” means athletic or non-athletic/academic activities where students compete on a school vs. school basis.1

“Interscholastic Activities” means athletic or non-athletic/academic activities where students compete with students from within the same school.1

“Supplemental Improvement Program (SIP)” is an additional instructional opportunity for identified students outside of their regular classroom and meets the criteria outlined in the current Arkansas Activities Association (AAA) Handbook.

The Board believes in providing opportunities for students to participate in extracurricular activities that can help enrich the student’s educational experience. At the same time, the Board believes that a student’s participation in extracurricular activities cannot come at the expense of his/her classroom academic achievement. Interruptions of instructional time in the classroom are to be minimal and absences from class to participate in extracurricular activities shall not exceed one per week per extracurricular activity (tournaments accepted)2. Additionally, a student’s participation in, and the District’s operation of, extracurricular activities shall be subject to the following policy. All students are eligible for extracurricular activities unless specifically denied eligibility on the basis of criteria outlined in this policy.

Any student who refuses to sit for a Statewide assessment or attempts to boycott a Statewide assessment by failing to put forth a good faith effort on the assessment as determined by the assessment administrator/proctor, or whose parents do not send their student to school on the dates the assessments are administered or scheduled as make-up days shall not be permitted to participate in any non-curriculum related extracurricular activity. The student shall remain ineligible to participate until the student takes the same or a following statewide assessment, as applicable. The superintendent or designee may waive this paragraph's provisions when the student’s failure was due to exceptional or extraordinary circumstances.3 Students falling under the provisions of this paragraph shall be permitted to attend curriculum related field trips occurring during the school day.4

A student who enrolls in the district and meets the definition of “eligible child” in Policy 4.2—ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS shall be eligible to try out for an extracurricular activity regardless of the date the student enrolls in the District so long as the student meets all other eligibility requirements and the extracurricular activity is still ongoing.

A student and the parent or legal guardian of the student shall sign and return an acknowledgement of receipt and review of an information sheet regarding signs and symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest before the student may participate in an athletic activity and before each school year the student participates in an athletic activity.

No student shall be required to pay for individual or group instruction in order to participate in an extracurricular activity.

Each school in the District shall post on its website its schedule of interscholastic activities, including sign-up, tryout, and participation deadlines, at least one semester in advance of those activities. A hard copy of the schedule shall be available upon request.5

A student promoted from the sixth to the seventh grade automatically meets scholarship requirements. A student promoted from the seventh to the eighth grade automatically meets scholarship requirements for the first semester. The second semester eighth-grade student meets the scholarship requirements for junior high if he/she has successfully passed four (4) academic courses the previous semester. 

The first semester ninth-grade student meets the scholarship requirements for junior high if he/she has successfully passed four (4) academic courses the previous semester.

The second semester ninth-grade student meets the scholarship requirements for junior high if he/she has successfully passed (4) academic courses the previous semester which count toward his/her high school graduation requirements.

Ninth-grade students must meet the requirements of the senior high scholarship rule by the end of the second semester in the ninth grade in order to be eligible to participate in the fall semester of their tenth-grade year.

In order to remain eligible for competitive interscholastic activity, a student must have passed (4) academic courses the previous semester and either:

1. Have earned a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0 from all academic courses the previous semester; or

2. If the student has passed four (4) academic courses the previous semester but does not have a 2.0 GPA the student must be enrolled and successfully participating in an SIP to maintain their competitive interscholastic extracurricular eligibility.

In order to be considered eligible to participate in competitive interscholastic activities, students with disabilities must pass at least four (4) courses per semester as required by their individual education program (IEP).

In addition to the foregoing rules, the district shall abide by the rules of AAA governing interscholastic activities. AAA provides catastrophic insurance coverage for students participating in AAA governed extracurricular activities who are enrolled in school. As a matter of District policy, no student may participate in a AAA governed extracurricular activity unless he or she is enrolled in a district school, to ensure all students are eligible for AAA catastrophic insurance.6

AAA Governed Activities

Students participating in interscholastic extracurricular activities that would be governed by AAA if they were to occur between students of different schools shall meet all interscholastic activity eligibility requirements to be eligible to participate in the comparable interscholastic activity. The District will abide by the AAA Handbook for such activities to ensure District students are not disqualified from participating in interscholastic activities.7

Non-AAA Governed Activities

Unless made ineligible by District policies, all students shall be eligible to participate in non-AAA governed interscholastic extracurricular activities. Interscholastic activities designed for a particular grade(s) or course(s) shall require the student to be enrolled in the grade(s) or course(s).

 “Extracurricular activities” are defined as: any school sponsored program where students from one or more schools meet, work, perform, practice under supervision outside of regular class time, or are competing for the purpose of receiving an award, rating, recognition, or criticism, or qualification for additional competition. Examples include, but are not limited to, inter/interscholastic athletics, cheerleading, band, choral, math, or science competitions, field trips, and club activities.

“Field Trips” are when individual students or groups of students are invited to programs or events when there is no competition and the students are not interacting with each other for the purpose of planning, qualifying, or arranging for future programs or for the purpose of receiving recognition.

“Interscholastic Activities” means athletic or non-athletic/academic activities where students compete on a school vs. school basis.

“Interscholastic Activities” means athletic or non-athletic/academic activities where students compete with students from within the same school.

The Board believes in providing opportunities for students to participate in extracurricular activities that can help enrich the student’s educational experience. At the same time, the Board believes that a student’s participation in extracurricular activities cannot come at the expense of his/her classroom academic achievement. Interruptions of instructional time in the classroom are to be minimal and absences from class to participate in extracurricular activities shall not exceed one per week per extracurricular activity1 (tournaments or other similar events excepted with approval of the All students are eligible for extracurricular activities unless specifically denied eligibility on the basis of criteria outlined in this policy.

A student may lose his/her eligibility to participate in extracurricular activities when, in the opinion of the school’s administration, the student’s participation in such an activity may adversely jeopardize his/her academic achievement. Students may also be denied permission to participate in extracurricular activities as a consequence of disciplinary action taken by the administration for inappropriate behavior.3

Any student who refuses to sit for a Statewide assessment or attempts to boycott a Statewide assessment by failing to put forth a good faith effort on the assessment as determined by the assessment administrator/proctor, or whose parents do not send their student to school on the dates the assessments are administered or scheduled as make-up days shall not be permitted to participate in any non-curriculum related extracurricular activity. The student shall remain ineligible to participate until the student takes the same or a following statewide assessment, as applicable. The superintendent or designee may waive this paragraph's provisions when the student’s failure was due to exceptional or extraordinary circumstances.4 Students falling under the provisions of this paragraph shall be permitted to attend curriculum related field trips occurring during the school day.5

A student who enrolls in the district and meets the definition of “eligible child” in Policy 4.2—ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS shall be eligible to try out for an extracurricular activity regardless of the date the student enrolls in the District so long as the student meets all other eligibility requirements and the extracurricular activity is still ongoing.

No student shall be required to pay for individual or group instruction in order to participate in an extracurricular activity.

A student and the parent or legal guardian of the student shall sign and return an acknowledgement of receipt and review of an information sheet regarding signs and symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest before the student may participate in an athletic activity and before each school year the student participates in an athletic activity.

Cross References:4.55—STUDENT PROMOTION AND RETENTION

4.56—EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES – SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Legal References:       A.C.A. § 6-4-302

A.C.A. § 6-15-2907

A.C.A. § 6-16-151

A.C.A. § 6-18-713

Commissioner’s Memo LS-18-015 

Date Adopted:                                                         

Last Revised:

Home-schooled student means a student legally enrolled in an Arkansas home school and who meets or has met the criteria for being a home-schooled student, as established by A.C.A. § 6-15-503.

Interscholastic activity means an activity between school’s subject to rules of the Arkansas Activities Association that is outside the regular curriculum of the school district, such as an athletic activity, fine arts program, or a special interest group or club.

Each school in the District shall post on its website its schedule of interscholastic activities, including sign-up, tryout, and participation deadlines, at least one semester in advance of those activities. A hard copy of the schedule shall be available upon request.1

Home-schooled students whose parents or guardians are legal residents of the school district will be permitted to pursue participation in an interscholastic activity in the student's resident school zone2 as permitted by this policy.

Home-schooled students whose parent or legal guardian are not residents of the school district will be permitted to pursue participation in an interscholastic activity in the District if the superintendent of the student’s resident district and the superintendent of the District both agree in writing to allow the student to participate in interscholastic activities at the District.

Although not guaranteed participation in an interscholastic activity, home-school students who meet the provisions of this policy, AAA Rules, and applicable Arkansas statutes shall have an equal opportunity to try out and participate in an interscholastic activity without discrimination. The District shall provide a reasonable alternative to any prerequisite for eligibility to participate in an interscholastic activity that the home-schooled student is unable to meet because of his or her enrollment in a home school.

No student shall be required to pay for individual or group instruction in order to participate in an interscholastic activity.

To be eligible to try out and participate in interscholastic activities, the student or the parent of a student shall mail or hand deliver the student's request to participate to the student's school's principal before the signup, tryout or participation deadline established for traditional students. Additionally, the student shall demonstrate academic eligibility by obtaining a minimum test score of the 30th percentile or better in the previous 12 months on the Stanford Achievement Test Series, Tenth Edition; another nationally recognized norm-referenced test; or a minimum score on a test approved by the State Board of Education.

A student who meets the requirements for eligibility to participate in an interscholastic activity is required to register for no more than one course3 in the District's school where the student is intending to participate in an interscholastic activity.

The student shall regularly attend the class in which the student is registered beginning no later than the eleventh (11th) day of the semester in which the student's interscholastic activity participation is desired. The student must attend the practices for the interscholastic activity to the same extent as is required of traditional students.

A student and the parent or legal guardian of the student shall sign and return an acknowledgement of receipt and review of an information sheet regarding signs and symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest before the student may participate in an athletic activity and before each school year the student participates in an athletic activity.

A home-schooled student who has met the try out criteria; and who has been selected to participate in the interscholastic activity shall meet the following criteria that also apply to traditional students enrolled in the school:

• standards of behavior and codes of conduct;

• attend the practices for the interscholastic activity to the same extent as is required of traditional students;

• required drug testing;4

• permission slips, waivers, physical exams; and

• participation or activity fees.

A home-schooled student who is not a resident of the District may begin participating in interscholastic activities:

1. Immediately upon being approved for participation for all interscholastic activities other than athletic activities; and

2. One (1) calendar year after being approved to participate in interscholastic activities that are athletic activities unless the approval is prior to July 1 of the school year the student would have been enrolled in seventh (7th) grade if the student were enrolled in public school.

A home-schooled student who is not a resident of the District and is prohibited under this policy from participating in an interscholastic activity that is an athletic activity for one (1) calendar year may immediately participate in rehearsals, tryouts, practices, auditions, classes, or other endeavors associated with the interscholastic activity.

Students who participate in extracurricular or athletic activities under this policy will be transported to and from the interscholastic activities on the same basis as other students are transported.

A student who withdraws from an Arkansas Activities Association member school to be home-schooled shall not participate in an interscholastic activity in the resident school district for a minimum of three hundred sixty-five days after the student withdraws from the member school.

Discipline

Coaches/sponsors are responsible for maintaining discipline among student participants in activities they coach/sponsor.  In addition, the coach/sponsor may have rules and impose discipline not included in this Handbook, but approved by the school administration and Athletic Director.  

• Coaches/sponsors must provide student participants with a written code of conduct.  The student’s parent/guardian(s) will be given a copy of the code of conduct, and a signed parent/guardian(s) form will be maintained by the sponsor.

• When a coach/sponsor is considering excluding a student from participation, all previously established due process procedures must be followed.

   

NOTE:  Any person(s) attending a Little Rock School District-sponsored event removed or arrested at the request of District staff for disruptive activities, will not be allowed to attend a District-sponsored event(s) for a period of one (1) year. 

Interscholastic Athletics/Cheerleading/Drill Team/Pep Club

• The principal is responsible for designating the coaches/sponsors of athletic teams and spirit groups.

• An 8th grade student cannot participate on a 9th grade team except when they are ineligible for middle school participation either by their age or semester rule.

• Interscholastic athletic/spirit group activities will be scheduled so that they do not conflict with semester and final exam schedules.

• Schools will follow rules and regulations of the Arkansas Activities Association, State Department of Education and North Central Association.

• When racial disparities are identified in interscholastic athletic or spirit groups, the principal will work with the school to develop a plan for improvement where appropriate.

Physical Examinations

The student must have a consent form signed by the parent/guardian(s), along with the physical form signed by a physician on file at the Athletic Director’s office and at the school site with the coach.

It is mandatory that all students trying out or participating in Athletics (interscholastic sports) have a physical exam before any activity occurs.  It is the parent/guardian(s) responsibility to see this is provided.

Selection of Cheerleader/Drill Team Officers

• After being selected, each squad will nominate its candidates for office.

• Nominees must meet requirements set forth in the group’s constitution.

• Only squad members will be allowed to vote by secret ballot.

   

Transportation

Interscholastic athletes and all spirit groups will be provided transportation to attend regularly scheduled conference games and postseason competitions.

Note:  If you are not eligible for transportation due to Staff Preference, Transfer–No–Transportation (TNT), or students who were granted school choice by the Student Registration Appeals Committee, then you are only eligible for transportation to extra-curricular events, and not eligible for transportation home from extra-curricular events.

Cross Reference: 4.59—ACADEMIC COURSE ATTENDANCE BY PRIVATE SCHOOL AND HOME SCHOOL STUDENTS

Legal References        A.C.A. § 6-15-509

A.C.A. § 6-16-151

A.C.A. § 6-18-232

A.C.A. § 6-18-713

Arkansas Activities Association Handbook

Commissioner’s Memo COM-18-009

Commissioner’s Memo LS-18-015

Division of Elementary and Secondary Education Rules Governing Home Schools

Date Adopted:

Last Revised: