July 30, 2003
The Illinois High School Association announced today that the recent steps taken by the Illinois State Board of Education to eliminate its “nonpublic school recognition” program should have no impact on the status of private schools that are currently members of the IHSA. IHSA by-laws require that to be considered for membership in the Association a school must be “Recognized” by the ISBE. “Since the ISBE's action took place so close to the start of the school term, I believe the appropriate short term course of action is to permit our current private school affiliates to continue membership for the 2003-04 school term. Our Board of Directors will begin discussions to seek a long term solution to this issue at its meeting on August 11, 2003,” said IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman. “I am confident that the State Board's action was not intended to impact the membership of this Association.”