ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS (NO PASS, NO PLAY)

Eligibility for UIL Participants For The First Six Weeks

            UIL participants are eligible to participate in contests during the first six weeks of the school year provided the following                 standards have been met:  

                                Students beginning grades nine and below must have been promoted from a lower grade prior to the beginning of                                       the current school year.

                                Students beginning their second year of high school must have earned five credits which count toward state high                                       school graduation requirements.

                                Students beginning their third year of high school either must have earned a total of ten credits which count toward                                   state high school graduation credits or a total of five credits which count toward state high school graduation                                              requirements must have been earned during the 12 months preceeding the first day of the current school year.

                                Students beginning their fourth year of high school either must have earned a total of 15 credits which count toward                                 state high school graduation credits or a total of five credits which count toward state high school graduation                                              requirements must have been earned during the 12 months preceding the first day of the current school year.

                Exceptions:

                (a)           When a migrant student enrolls for the first time during a school year, all criteria cited above applies.  All other                                             students who enroll too late to earn a passing grade for a grading period are ineligible.

                (b)           High school students transferring from out-of-state may be eligible the first six weeks of school if they meet the                                           criteria cited above or school officials are able to determine that they would have been eligible if they had remained                                     in the out-of-state school from which they are transferring.

                Students who are not in compliance with these provisions may request a hardship appeal of their academic eligibility through   the UIL state office.

                Local school boards may elect to adopt these standards for all activities in order to avoid having different standards   for student participants (e.g.,football, drill team, cheerleading, and all other extracurricular activities as defined by      State Board of Education rule [TAC Chapter h 76]).

Eligibility For All Extracurricular Participants After The First Six Weeks Of The School Year

A student who receives a grade below 70 at the end of any grading period (after the first six weeks of the school year) in any academic class (other than an advanced class) or a student with disabilities who fails to meet the standards in the Individual Education Plan (IEP) may not participate in extracurricular activities for at least three school weeks.  An ineligible student may practice or rehearse, however.  The student regains eligibility when the principal and teachers determine that he or she has (1) earned a passing grade (70 or above) in all academic classes, other than those that are honors or advanced, and (2) completed the three school weeks of ineligibility and seven calendar day waiting period.

All schools must check grades for all participants at the end of the first six weeks of the school year.  From that point, grades are checked at the end of the grading period whether it is six, nine, or twelve weeks in length.  Students who pass remain eligible until the end of the next grading period.

Bonnie Northcutt is the UIL staff member responsible for this area.  If she is unavailable, Mark Cousins or Richard Floyd can assist you.

Your leadership in all UIL matters is vital and is appreciated.  Please call me or any member of the staff if we can assist you in any way.

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