IHSA Announcements

June 19, 2000

Special Referendum

Special Referendum Ballots were counted on June 15. All three (3) of the proposals on the ballot passed. Following are the results:

1 Deletes recently adopted By-laws 3.017 and 4.019 400 46
and amends By-laws 3.011 and 4.011 - Attendance
YES = 400     NO = 46

By-law 3.011 
A student must attend a member school and may only represent in interscholastic competition the member school the student attends. For purposes of this by-law, the term "attend" shall mean that the student is enrolled at the member school, and is taking at, or under arrangements approved by, the member school, a minimum of twenty (20) credit hours of work for which credit toward high school graduation will be granted by the member school upon the student's completing and passing the courses. The school which enrolls the student shall be exclusively responsible to verify the student's compliance with all of the eligibility requirements of all IHSA by-laws.

The Board of Directors shall have the discretion to waive the requirement of this by-law for the Illinois schools for the deaf or blind. In unit systems having a 6-3-3 or 6-4-2 type of organization, ninth grade students may participate on senior high school athletic teams at the member high school in the district designated by the Board of Education, provided:

(a) such participation is approved by the district's superintendent of schools;

(b) the senior high school principal shall certify that the ninth grade students:

(1) are eligible under the requirements of these By-laws,
(2) are students at a junior high school located in the district which supports the senior high school, and
(3) are not members of a grade or junior high school team in the same sport; and,

(c) the senior high school principal assumes full responsibility for the conduct of these students during all athletic contests in which they represent the senior high school.

By-law 4.011 
A student must attend a member school and may only represent in interscholastic competition the member school the student attends. For purposes of this by-law, the term "attend" shall mean that the student is enrolled at the member school and is taking at, or under arrangements approved by, the member school, a minimum of twenty (20) credit hours of work for which credit toward high school graduation will be granted by the member school upon the student's completing and passing the courses. The school which enrolls the student shall be exclusively responsible to verify the student's compliance with all of the eligibility requirements of the by-laws.

The Board of Directors shall have the discretion to waive the requirement of this bylaw for the Illinois schools for the deaf or blind. In unit systems having a 6-3-3 or 6-4-2 type of organization, ninth grade students may participate on senior high school athletic teams at the member high school in the district designated by the Board of Education, provided:

(a) such participation is approved by the district's superintendent of schools;

(b) the senior high school principal shall certify that the ninth grade students:

(1) are eligible under the requirements of these By-laws,
(2) are students at a junior high school located in the district which supports the senior high school, and
(3) are not members of a grade or junior high school team in the same sport; and

(c) the senior high school principal assumes full responsibility for the conduct of these students during all athletic contests in which they represent the senior high school.

PROPOSAL CONSTITUTION/BY-LAW SECTION(S)
NUMBER PROPOSED FOR AMENDMENT
YES = 431     NO = 15

2 Amends By-law 3.040 - Transfer 431 15

By-law 3.040 TRANSFER
The eligibility of a student who transfers attendance from one high school to another high school is subject to the following Sections 3.041-3.046 and their sub-sections. Such student must additionally be in compliance with the applicable residency provisions of By-laws 3.031-3.034 and their respective sub-sections after the transfer. Except as provided in Section 6.010 of these by-laws, a student who does not comply with the applicable provisions of Sections 3.041-3.046 of these by-laws and their sub-sections shall be ineligible for a period not to exceed 365 days.

By-law 3.041 
In all transfer cases, both the principal of the school from which the student transfers and the school to which the student transfers must approve of the transfer and execute a form provided by the IHSA Office. This form is to be initiated and signed by the principal of the school to which the student transfers and provided to the principal of the school from which the student transfers for signature by that principal. The concurrence of the principals accepting a transfer shall not be determinative of eligibility or binding on the Executive Director and/or the Board of Directors who shall have the discretion to investigate the accuracy of such conclusion and to override the acceptance of a transfer if evidence of violation or avoidance of, or noncompliance with any by-law, or recruiting in connection with the transfer is found. A student is not eligible to participate in an interscholastic contest until the transfer form, fully executed by both principals, is on file in the offices of the school to which the student transfers.

By-law 3.042 
Once classes begin in a school for the current school year, if a student changes attendance from that high school to another high school, the student shall be ineligible for the remainder of the school year in any sport in which he/she participated or was participating in a practice or interscholastic contest in the current school year at the school from which the transfer occurs; or

Once classes begin in a school for the current school year, if a student changes attendance from that high school to another high school, the student shall be ineligible for a period of thirty days, commencing on the first day of attendance at the new high school, in any sport in which he/she was not participating or had not participated during the current school year of at the school from which the student transferred.

By-law 3.043 
In addition, a student who transfers attendance from one high school to another high school pursuant to these by-laws shall be ineligible unless:3.043.1 
The student transfers attendance in conjunction with a change in residence by both the student and his or her parents, custodial parent, surviving parent (in the case of a student with one deceased parent), or guardian from one public high school district to a different public high school district;

3.043.2 
The student transfers attendance from one public high school in a school district which supports two (2) or more public high schools to another public high school in that school district, and the transfer is in conjunction with a change in residence by both the student and his or her parents, custodial parent, surviving parent, or guardian to a residence within the boundaries established by the governing board of the school district for the high school to which the students transfers; OR

3.043.3 
The student transfers attendance from a private school or a public school with no boundaries to a public high school located in the school district in which the student resides full time with his or her parents, custodial parent, surviving parent, or guardian; the student is enrolling for the first time in a public member high school with boundaries; and the principals of both of the high schools involved accept the transfer, concurring that there is no evidence of a) any violation or avoidance of, or noncompliance with, any by-law, or b) any recruiting in connection with the transfer; OR

3.043.4 
The student transfers attendance from one private school to a different private school which is located within a 30 mile radius of his or her residence; the student resides full time with his or her parents, custodial parent, surviving parent, or guardian; the student is changing high school attendance for the first time; and the principals of both private high schools involved accept the transfer, concurring that there is no evidence of a) any violation or avoidance of or noncompliance with any by-law, or b) any recruiting in connection with the transfer; OR

3.043.5 
The student, who is a child of divorced or legally separated parents, transfers attendance from one high school to another in conjunction with a change in legal custody between the parents by action of a judge of a court of proper jurisdiction and a change in the student's residence from the former custodial parent to the parent to whom custody has been awarded by the court, provided that a copy of the petition and the court order so changing custody is on file with the principal of the high school to which the student transfers.

By-law 3.044 
The student who (a) is an orphan; (b) is a child of divorced, legally separated, or unmarried parents with respect to whom there has not been a change in custody ordered by a court of proper jurisdiction; or (c) is a ward of the state who transfers attendance from one high school to another high school shall be subject to the eligibility provisions of Sections 3.043.1-3.043.4 as if the student resided with his/her parent(s), provided that following the transfer, the student continues to reside with the same family, foster family, group home or other unit or entity after the transfer as prior to and at the time of the transfer.

By-law 3.045 
In the case of a student who transfers attendance from one high school to another in conjunction with the adoption of the student after the student has entered high school for the first time, or a change in guardianship of the student by order of a court of proper jurisdiction, the student shall be ineligible pending a ruling by the Executive Director. In such cases, the Executive Director may grant eligibility only if it is determined, after investigation, that the circumstances giving rise to the change of guardianship or adoption and the transfer were completely beyond the control of the student, the student's parent/guardian, and the schools to and from which the student transferred, or any one or more of them. Any action, inaction, or voluntary or self-initiated decision of the student, parent/guardian or the school to or from which the student transfers, or any one or more of them, which results in, affects, causes or pertains to the transfer shall not be considered to be "circumstances completely beyond the control." The student may practice, but shall not participate in an interscholastic athletic contest until a ruling on the student's eligibility has been made by the Executive Director.

By-law 3.046 
In all other circumstances involving a transfer, the student shall be ineligible pending a ruling by the Executive Director. In such cases, the Executive Director may grant eligibility if it is determined after investigation that the circumstances giving rise to the transfer were completely beyond the control of the student, the student's parent/guardian, and the schools to and from which the student transferred, or any one or more of them. Any action, inaction, or decision of the student, parent/guardian or the school to or from which the student transfers, or any one or more of them, which results in, affects, causes or pertains to the transfer shall not be considered to be "circumstances completely beyond the control." The student may practice, but shall not participate in an interscholastic athletic contest until a ruling on the student's eligibility has been made by the Executive Director.

PROPOSAL CONSTITUTION/BY-LAW SECTION(S)
NUMBER PROPOSED FOR AMENDMENT 
YES = 432     NO = 14

3 Amends By-law 3.121 - Coaching School Participation 432 14

By-law 3.121 
During the school year, students shall not participate in any coaching school, camp or clinic for any interscholastic sport or which provides instruction in any skill of an interscholastic sport. A coaching school, camp or clinic is defined as any program, sponsored by an organization or individual, which provides instruction in sports theory and/or skills; which does not culminate in competition, and which is attended by more than two (2) persons from the school which the student attends. Programs that involve only demonstration of skills and sports theory without providing instruction and requiring demonstration of skills and sports theory without providing instruction and requiring active participation by attendees are not considered coaching schools. Violation shall cause ineligibility for a period not to exceed 365 days.