Eastern reviews athlete eligibility rules; regs vary by school district

Apr 27, 2009 (The York Dispatch - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- EAYO | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- The academic eligibility requirements for high school student-athletes around York County vary widely.

Some follow minimum PIAA rules, which require students to be passing at least four credits' worth at any given time; grades are checked weekly. Others require students to pass all courses, or, like Eastern York School District, maintain a C average.

Northeastern recently increased its standards. As of next fall, student-athletes will have to pass all classes -- 70 percent or higher. But, at the same time, the penalty for failing to meet that will be decreased. Students who don't meet eligibility are held out of games for five days, not the 15 days many districts use.

Bryan Stephens, Northeastern's athletic director, said the decreased penalty is meant to encourage students to keep trying.

"You dangle the carrot in front of kids, to motivate kids," Stephens said.

Increasing the academic standards helps school districts tell parents and taxpayers that the athletes they see playing are good students.

"Those are model kids," Stephens said.

The policies vary around the county for credits needed. Complicating matters is that districts vary in what a failing grade means and how they schedule classes.

For more information on credits and grading for each district, contact the district offices. Here are the high school academic eligibility requirements for student-athletes, according to school officials and student handbooks:

---Central: Must be passing 75 percent

of courses and must have a 65 percent grade to pass. Grades are monitored weekly. If a student is found to be ineligible, he or she is suspended from participating in any contests or public events related to the co-curricular from that following Sunday to Saturday. The student may participate in practices.

---Dallastown: Follows PIAA standards.

---Dover: Follows PIAA standards.

---Eastern York: Students must maintain a C (70 percent) grade in all courses; five-day grace period to bring grades up before 15-day athletic suspension.

---Hanover: Must be passing (65 percent or higher) at least six credits at any given time; must schedule no fewer than seven credits.

---Northeastern (effective next fall): Must be passing (70 percent) all classes; if fail to meet eligibility first time, held out of games for five days (many districts have 15-day policy).

---Northern: Must be passing (65 percent or higher) five credits, one more than the PIAA standards.

---Red Lion: Follows PIAA standards.

---South Eastern: Must be passing (60 percent) all courses.

---South Western: Must be passing (60 percent) all courses.

---Southern: Must be passing (65 percent) all but one course.

---Spring Grove: Follows PIAA standards.

---West Shore: Must be passing (70 percent) all but one course.

---West York: Must be passing (70 percent) all courses.

---York County School of Technology: Must be passing all but two courses.

---York City: Must be passing (65 percent) four full-credit subjects (only allowed one failing course).

---York Suburban: Follows PIAA standards.

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