Official Interpretation for Magnet School Participants

By Jeanne Acton | Wednesday, July 28, 2010 10:51 AM

According to Official State Executive Committee interpretation of sections 400 (b), 403 and 440 of the UIL Constitution and Contest Rules:

For purposes of this interpretation, the divisions of UIL activities are: Academics (includes One Act Play), Music and Athletics.

Local school district policies may permit students who are attending a magnet school located on a campus (within their ISD) that does not offer any activities within a particular division of UIL activities (Academics (including One Act Play), Music or Athletics) to participate at their home attendance zone campus, in that division, under the jurisdiction of that principal for UIL purposes with the following provisions:

• The home school approves of the student's participation.
• Student is enrolled in enough classes to be considered a full time student at the magnet school. Full time is defined as enrolled in at least four hours per day of instruction for either state or local high school credit.
• Student's grades are reported from the magnet school officials to the home school at scheduled grading periods to insure compliance with no pass no play (see below for self paced instruction).
• Verification that the student complies with the age rule, 4-year rule (for high school students) and other pertinent information requested by the home school principal would also have to be provided.
• High school students who participate in varsity athletics must comply with University Interscholastic League rules, sections 440 and 442 in the home school.
• A student in this situation is prohibited from representing both the magnet school and the home school in the same division of UIL activities.
• If the magnet school offers a division of UIL activities, the student would have to represent the magnet school in that division of UIL activities.
• If the magnet school does not offer a division of UIL activities, the student could petition to represent their home school in that division of UIL activities.
• It would be allowable to have a student represent their magnet school (school of attendance) in one division of UIL activities and their home school (school of parents residence) in a division of UIL activities not offered at the magnet school.
• If the student subsequently changes schools within that ISD (to a school other than the home school), the student would be ineligible for varsity athletics for one calendar year unless the parents made a corresponding move to the new school attendance zone.

Self Paced Instruction must be handled in the following manner in order to comply with no pass, no play mandates: students must receive grades in every class according to the same grading period time lines as students at home attendance zone campus. In order for students to recapture eligibility seven calendar days after the last instructional day of the three school-week evaluation period, a provision for review would also need to be in place.

Please remember that in every case, students must meet all eligibility requirements to be eligible for UIL activities. For reclassification purposes high schools must include any student placed at alternative campuses who live in the attendance zone or who have attended the school under a transfer before being assigned to the alternative campus

If you have other questions or need additional information, please contact me.