If you are the parent or guardian of a high school student-athlete who attends one of the more than 120 high schools that are part of the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association (NIAA), you know first-hand how important being a member of a high school sports team is to your student. It's a sign of their willingness to do something extra, to be part of a team, and to push themselves to do more than the minimum. In addition to keeping up with their schoolwork, your student-athlete also must stay in shape, train and learn the athletic skills necessary to do well in their sport and be there to support their fellow teammates through wins and losses.
That's why it's so important to do everything you can to help your student-athlete succeed. And while you've already contributed a lot to their success – getting them to practices and games, making sure they have the clothing and equipment they need, and cheering them on during their competitions – there is one more thing you can do to help. In particular, you can help make sure your student-athlete stays eligible to compete by learning a bit about the NIAA eligibility rules and how they apply to your student-athlete.
The NIAA has a detailed set of rules and regulations that apply to schools, coaches, officials, students, and spectators. While they publish a comprehensive handbook on the NIAA website, it can be difficult to wade through all of the information available in the handbook to find the parts that are important to your student-athlete. The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team has put together this page to summarize some of the most important eligibility points that can affect high school student-athletes.
If, after reading this, you still have questions about your student-athlete's situation, contact the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team. They have helped student-athletes and their families all over the country understand eligibility issues and fight for their rights, and they are ready to help you too.
Age-Limit and Semester-Limit Restrictions and Waiver Requests
Student-athletes remain eligible to compete in high school sports in Nevada until they turn 20 years of age. If they turn 20 during a sports season, they are ineligible to participate during that season, even if they are 19 when the season begins.
Once enrolled in 9th grade, student-athletes are eligible to compete for eight consecutive semesters. If a student enrolls for the first time during the second semester of the 9th grade school year because of “substandard academic performance,” they have seven consecutive semesters in which they can compete.
It is possible to appeal ineligibility decisions where the decision “imposes a hardship on the pupil.” The appeal procedure varies depending on whether the school is located in a district of a county that has a population of more than 100,000 people; in other words, Clark and Washoe counties. Appeals in those counties are filed with the school administrator or a panel of principals. In Nevada's other counties, appeals are filed with the NIAA Executive director.
The NIAA has specific procedures in place that determine what an appeal should include and how it should be filed. The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team has experience with these kinds of appeals and can help you and your student prepare, draft, and submit a strong and effective appeal based on your particular circumstances.
Academic Eligibility Waiver Requests and Appeals
Student-athletes must be enrolled in a course “of at least two units of credit consisting of at least four classes” during a semester and must regularly attend class in order to be eligible to compete. This is the minimum; school districts are free to adopt stricter standards.
For example, some districts will review student progress at least once every three weeks, and if a student-athlete is not passing a course, the district may place the student-athlete on probation for a week. If the grade has not improved after that week, the student-athlete will be ineligible to compete on a week-by-week basis until they earn a passing grade in the course.
In addition, school districts can choose to adopt a requirement that student-athletes maintain at least a 2.0 (on a 4.0 scale) grade point average in order to be eligible to compete in interscholastic sports. Schools are allowed to permit student-athletes to make up work or do extra work to increase grades, but only if they allow all students to do so as well.
In certain circumstances, such as where the student has been unable to attend school or complete schoolwork because of illness, it may be possible to appeal an ineligibility ruling based on grades. In addition, during the school year, it's important for student-athletes and their families to be aware of how the student is doing and to work with teachers and administrators to make sure the student-athlete has every opportunity to improve their grade. Sometimes this can be done simply by speaking with the teacher about the grades given for an assignment, project, or test; other times, it might be necessary to raise grading problems with school administrators, especially where the grades are subjective, and it appears that the student is not being treated fairly by the teacher.
In either situation, the Lento Law Firm has the experience and understanding of school procedures to help you and your student-athlete make your best case for improved grades with the school. If you have questions about how their Student Defense Team can help, contact them today.
School Disciplinary Defense
Student-athletes spend a lot more time in the classroom than they do on the playing field, and this means they're more likely to run into disciplinary issues while in school than they are while practicing or competing. It's important to understand that every school has its own code of conduct and that punishment for misconduct can often include suspension from extracurricular activities – including athletics.
While most disciplinary matters are minor and don't result in terribly serious consequences, if your student-athlete is facing any kind of suspension, it's important to do everything you can to fight for their rights. One common problem is that busy school officials don't always have the time to carefully and completely investigate misconduct claims. As a result, they may discipline students based on an incomplete understanding of the facts.
This is where the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team can help. They have years of experience helping high school students accused of misconduct, and they know how to conduct a thorough investigation that will often bring to light “the rest of the story” – the part that can make all the difference when it comes to disciplining student-athletes. In addition, they have experience working with school administrators, and where there are genuine grounds for discipline, they can often suggest alternative forms that will still allow the student-athlete to compete while at the same time acknowledging the school's duty to maintain order.
There is nothing wrong with making sure your student-athlete's rights are respected when dealing with school disciplinary situations. the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team understands and can help you and your student make sure that the school is acting fairly in these kinds of difficult situations.
Discipline Defense for Behavior During Games
Student-athletes who are ejected from competitions in Nevada due to unsportsmanlike conduct are ineligible to compete in the next scheduled competition. If they are ejected from two competitions, they are reported to the NIAA Executive Director, who “may impose an additional penalty.” If ejected from three competitions, the student-athlete is ineligible to compete in that sport for the remainder of the season. Student-athletes who leave the bench during a competition to engage in a fight or brawl are suspended for the next competition; if they do so twice during a season, they are ineligible for the remainder of the season.
The NIAA rules state that an official's decision to “eject a pupil or coach from a game, contest or meet is a final decision and may not be appealed.” That said, in situations where there is clear evidence that the student-athlete who was ejected was not the one who committed the conduct (such as where the student-athlete remained on the bench during a bench-clearing brawl), it should be possible to file an appeal of the suspension. This type of evidence can include video of the incident as well as testimony from those who were present.
The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team can help you and your student-athlete determine whether there are good grounds to file an appeal for a game or multi-game suspension based on alleged unsportsmanlike conduct. If you believe your student-athlete has been treated unfairly, contact the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team today for help.
Making Sure Your Student Meets the Residential Eligibility Requirements
Student-athletes must generally be enrolled in a school that is “located in the zone of attendance of the residence of the pupil and his or her parent or legal guardian.” If the student-athlete's family moves to a new residence in a new district or zone of attendance, they need to prove to the administration of the new school that they have actually moved and no longer live at or maintain ties to the old residence.
A student-athlete who transfers to a new school is presumed to be ineligible to compete at the new school for 180 days after the transfer. The student-athlete can file an appeal of this determination, and if they can show that the family (or the parent with whom the student is living) is living within the zone of attendance of the new school (in other words, have moved there), then they may be declared eligible to compete immediately.
There are a number of other exceptions to the general rule that a transfer student is ineligible to compete for 180 days after the transfer. They are very specific to different types of situations, and if you or your student-athlete is unsure of whether your situation qualifies as an exception, the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team can help you figure that out.
The most important thing to remember about any kind of school transfer situation is that you need to plan it in advance. The NIAA regulations are complicated, and you and your student-athlete will be far better off if you take the time to figure out how your transfer might affect eligibility and whether you need to change your plans as a result. The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team understands the NIAA transfer rules and is ready to help you with your situation.
The Lento Law Firm Can Help Keep Your Student-Athlete Competing
The NIAA rules relating to eligibility are complicated and aren't always easy to find or apply to your student-athlete's situation. The Lento Law Firm has years of experience working as an attorney-advisor to high school athletes and their families all over the country. The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team has the background to help you quickly understand how the NIAA rules may apply to your student-athlete. They also know how schools work when it comes to disciplinary and grading issues, and they are ready to help you protect your student-athlete's rights.
High school goes by quickly. Students who elect to spend the time and energy competing in a high school sport deserve every chance to compete. If your student-athlete is facing a situation where they may lose eligibility for an extended period of time, contact the Lento Law Firm today at 888.535.3686, or use the online contact form to set up a confidential consultation. We understand how important this is to you and your student-athlete, and we are here to listen and help!
