Both extracurricular and co-curricular programs have the following characteristics:

•  They are financed primarily by the school district.

•  They include student participants who represent the school district.

•  They may include a selection process to determine participation.

•  They may include practices for performance and scheduled performances/competitions outside the school day.

However, extracurricular and co-curricular programs also have some distinctions from each other.

Extra-curricular activities are activities performed by students that fall outside the realm of the normal curriculum of the school or district. 

• Include activities that are generally voluntary, social, or athletic in nature.  

• Students may organize and direct these activities under faculty sponsorship.

• Students who participate in extracurricular activities are held to a higher standard than regular students as they represent the school in a public way.  

• Athletic department and team rules/expectations may exceed those in the student handbook. 

• These additional expectations will be shared by the athletic director, head coach, or group sponsor prior to the start of a season or group activity.

• Extracurricular activities are not part of the regular school curriculum, are not graded, do not offer credit, and do not take place during classroom time.

Examples of extracurricular activities in Clover School District include:

• Sports teams (all tryout dates and rules apply to ALL student participants)

• Robotics teams

• Academic quiz teams

• Clubs (Interact, Jr. Optimist Club, etc.)

Co-curricular activities are programs that are associated with the curriculum in the regular classroom.

• In order to participate in co-curricular activities, students must be enrolled in a particular class in which they are earning a grade.

Examples of co-curricular activities in Clover School District include:

• Band (Marching, Symphonic, Color Guard, Drum Line, Ensembles)

• Chorus (Choraliers, Ensembles)

• Career & Technical Associations (HOSA, DECA, FCCLA, FFA)

• ROTC

• Academic organizations/groups (Jr. Scholars, National Junior Honor Society, Honor Society)

ELIGIBILITY FOR EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

To be eligible to participate in extra-curricular activities or sports, a student must meet the following:

1. For Sports - All requirements of the South Carolina High School League. The athletic department is responsible for checking and reporting eligibility to the high school league. Students with questions about eligibility should ask the school athletic director or their respective coaches.

2. Individual sponsors are responsible for checking and reporting eligibility for non-athletic activities.

3. Some activities that occur after school and are co-curricular (i.e. these activities are a graded component for a particular course) are not governed by this policy. These activities include but are not limited to, All-State Band and Chorus events and Career & Technical Education competitions.

CHARTER SCHOOLS, HOMESCHOOL, AND GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL

Effects of H.3241 on Student Athletics Eligibility

(Charter Schools)

• A charter school student is eligible to compete for, and if selected, participate in any extracurricular activities not offered by the student’s charter school, which are offered at the resident public school he would otherwise attend.  A charter school student is eligible to compete for, and if selected, participate in an activity governed by the South Carolina High School League offered at the resident public school he would otherwise attend if the League governed activity is not offered at the student’s charter school.

• A charter school student is eligible for extracurricular activities at the student’s resident public school consistent with eligibility standards as applied to full-time students of the resident public school.

Clarifications:

• Student must reside (with League recognized guardians) in attendance zone of the public school in which the student participates.

• Students attending charter schools that are members of the South Carolina High School League must be eligible to participate at their respective charter school in order to participate at their respective resident public school.

• Students attending charter schools that are not members of the South Carolina High School League must meet all League requirements of their respective resident public school except enrollment and attendance in the resident public school.

• Opportunity only available at traditional public school, not permitted at exclusive magnet schools, exclusive technology schools, other charter schools, or private schools.

• Sport must not be offered at charter school for which the student is eligible.

• Students that change residence (by League’s transfer rules standards), but remain at same charter school will have the following option:

• Transfer eligibility to school in new residence area immediately.

Effects of S.149 on Student Athletics Eligibility

(Home Schools and Governor’s Schools)

An act to amend the code of laws of South Carolina, 1976, so as to enact the "equal access to interscholastic activities act" by adding section 59-63-100 so as to permit home-school students and Governor's School students to participate in interscholastic activities of the school district in which the students reside subject to certain conditions, and to provide additional requirements for charter school students to participate in interscholastic activities.

Clarifications:

• This access is only available at “traditional public schools” not exclusive magnet schools, exclusive technical schools, charter schools and/or private schools.

• The home-schooled student must have been taught in the setting for a full academic year prior to participating in an interscholastic activity.  The student may satisfy this requirement by being home-schooled for a full academic year at any time prior to participation. 

• Students must notify the superintendent of the school district in writing of his/her intent to participate in interscholastic activities as a representative of the school before the beginning of the season (first day of legal practice) for the activity in which he/she wishes to participate.

• Home schooled and/or Governor’s School students may participate on athletic teams at the traditional public schools of their “League recognized” legal residence.

• The home-schooled student must reside (with League recognized guardians) in attendance zone of the public school in which the student participates.

• The student must meet all League requirements at the resident public school except enrollment and attendance.

• A student that changes residence (by League’s transfer standards) eligibility will transfer to the new residence school immediately.

Note: Governor’s School students may only participate in sports not offered at the school.