DEC Handbook -Q&A

Back to Table of Contents

~ Questions and Answers ~

1. Must the District Executive Committee assess a penalty when a rule is violated?

Answer: Yes. Example: A school reports to the District Executive Committee that it inadvertently violated a rule. The District Executive Committee can assess a penalty from the range listed in Section 29.

2. Does a reprimand mean a school cannot win district honors?

Answer: No. A reprimand serves as a reminder that a rule has been violated, and, if other violations occur, a harsher penalty may be applied next time.

3. When do District Executive Committee votes have to be unanimous?

Answer: To approve the playing of a district basketball game prior to December 15.

4. Does a defeat by a team which has been disqualified for district honors count in UIL standing?

Answer: The District Executive Committee should determine (prior to the season) if those games will count on UIL standing.

5. What happens when icy roads prevent scheduled district varsity games from being played?

Answer: The District Executive Committee may permit varsity district games/matches postponed by weather or public disaster (not including illness) to be played as an exception to UIL calendar week limitations, and only one school night per school week rule provided they are rescheduled on the next date, other than Sunday, on which another district game is not scheduled. In the event weather or public disaster forces the makeup game to be rescheduled it shall be rescheduled on the next date as described earlier. These makeup games may be played as exceptions to the school week and calendar week limitations.

6. Is a student, who moves from School A to School B without his parents, eligible?

Answer: A student’s eligibility is determined by the residence of his/her parents. If the parents do not make the corresponding move into the new school district or attendance zone or do not meet the criteria of residence (Section 442 (h)) the student will not be eligible for varsity athletics unless a parent resident waiver is approved by the UIL Waiver Officer.

7. Does a student automatically become ineligible when his parents move out of the school district?

Answer: No. An individual is eligible even though the parents do not live in the school district, if that individual: 1) has been continuously enrolled in and regularly attending the school for at least the previous year; 2) did not receive any inducement; 3) is in compliance with written transfer and admission policies of the local school district; and 4) is paying his own way (at the going rate within that community) if he is not living with relatives; providing his own transportation if he is living outside the attendance zone.

8. When students move to a new school with their parents, when do they become eligible?

Answer: Students become eligible immediately, provided the previous athletic participation forms (PAPF) are satisfactorily completed, and students enter school prior to the sixth class day of the current school year. The “15- day rule” (see Section 440(g)), applies to all students entering school after the sixth class day of the current school year.

9. What happens when a game official is mistreated (extreme verbal abuse, touched, hit, etc.) by a player, coach, or fan?

Answer: Answer: See https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/88R/billtext/html/HB02484F.htm

10. Do seniors have any exceptions to UIL rules?

Answer: No. Senior students must comply with all UIL eligibility rules.

11. Do all students, who change schools, need a Previous Athletic Participation Form (PAPF)?

Answer: Yes. Any new student in grade 9-12 who represented a school in practice or contest in any non-varsity or varsity athletic event in grades 8-12 needs the “PAPF” form completed if they will participate at the varsity level in any sport for the new school. If the student did not participate the form should be appropriately checked. The form needs to be sent back to the former school regardless of location of that school.

12. Does a District Executive Committee have the authority to set aside League rules?

Answer: No. The District Executive Committee does not have the authority to set aside rules or to make regulations in the Constitution and Contest Rules more restrictive than those listed in the Constitution and Contest Rules .

13. If the District Executive Committee chooses to set aside a UIL rule what are the consequences?

Answer: The State Executive Committee could disqualify all district representatives from participating in the playoffs.

14. What penalties may the District Executive Committee assess?

Answer: See Section 29 of the Constitution and Contest Rules. Review the entire section before taking action.

15. May rules be waived?

Answer: The only rules which may be waived are the residence rule and the four-year rule. The Waiver Officer at the UIL may waive the residence rule or four year rule if the circumstances that caused the student to be ineligible were caused by involuntary and/or unavoidable action such that the student could not reasonably be expected to comply with the rules. Copies of materials (except confidential materials) must be sent to the District Executive Committee chairman by the Waiver Officer.

16. May the District Executive Committee challenge the request for waiver?

Answer: The District Executive Committee may verify or dispute in writing assertions made in the statement by communicating with the Waiver Officer. The Waiver Officer shall send the applicant a copy of any communication received from the District Executive Committee.

17. Who can appeal the decision of the Waiver Officer?

Answer: The applicant, the parent or guardian of the applicant, or any superintendent may request a review of the decision of the Waiver Officer. See Section 466 of the UIL Constitution and Contest Rules.

18. When a student athlete is not listed on the eligibility blank or the PAPF is not completed before the athlete participates in a varsity contest does the school have to forfeit contests?

Answer: Not unless the student was actually ineligible. The committee may assess the minimum penalty of reprimand to the school. See Section 1205 (b) and (d) of the UIL Constitution and Contest Rules.