ARTICLE III
Contestants
Section 1. Eligibility. Contestants must be under twenty years of age and bona fide members and undergraduates of their respective schools. Contestants shall be enrolled students of the school in good standing. They shall receive credit in at least four subjects, each of one period or "hour" or the equivalent thereof, at all times. To qualify under this rule, a "subject" must meet the requirements of 281-Chapter 12. Coursework taken under the provisions of Iowa Code chapter 261C, postsecondary enrollment options, for which a school district or accredited nonpublic school grants academic credit toward high school graduation shall be used in determining eligibility. No student shall be denied eligibility if the student's school program deviates from the traditional two-semester school year. To qualify under this rule, a “subject’ must meet the requirements of 218-subrules 12.5 (14), 12.5 (15), and 12.5 (16). Each contestant shall be passing all coursework for which credit is given and shall be making adequate progress toward graduation requirements at the end of each grading period. Grading period, graduation requirements, and any interim periods of ineligibility are determined by local policy. For purposes of this subrule, "grading period" shall mean the period of time at the end of which a student in grades 9 through 12 receives a final grade and course credit is awarded for passing grades. If at the end of any grading period a participant receives a failing grade in any course for which credit is awarded, the participant is ineligible to participate in any event sanctioned by the IHSSA or IHSSA sponsored event within a period of 30 consecutive calendar days. The period of ineligibility will begin with the first school day following the day grades are issued by the school district.
A student with a disability who has an individualized education program (IEP) shall not be denied eligibility on basis of scholarship if the student is making adequate progress as determined by school officials, toward the goals and objectives on the student’s individualized education program. Superintendents /Principals of the respective schools will verify the eligibility of their contestants at least two and 1⁄2 weeks before any contest. Attendance of twenty days will constitute a semester.
