UIL Academic Eligibility Basics

No Pass, No Play

Students must be eligible under no-pass, no-play. Extracurricular activities include public performances, contests, demonstrations, displays, and club activities. An activity would be considered extracurricular if:

• the activity is competitive;

• the activity is held in conjunction with another activity that is considered extracurricular;

• the activity is held off-campus, except in a case in which adequate facilities do not exist on campus;

• the general public is invited;

• an admission price is charged.

Exception: If a student is enrolled in a state-approved course in which he or she must demonstrate mastery of the essential knowledge and skills in a public performance, then he or she may participate so long as the activity is not competitive, it is not held in conjunction with another activity that is competitive, and an admission price is not charged.

For example, a theatre student may participate in a non-competitive, free presentation of a one-act play in which the public is invited to attend.

Basics of No Pass, No Play

• • • Must be passing all courses (except identified advanced classes).

    • Students lose eligibility for a three-week period, which is defined as 15 class days. Exception: one but only one of the three school weeks may consist of only three or four class days, provided the school has been dismissed for a scheduled holiday period. Two class days does not constitute a school week. Exception: Thanksgiving if schools are on holiday Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

    • School week begins at 12:01 a.m. on the first instructional day of the calendar week and ends at the close of instruction on the last instructional day of the calendar week (excluding holidays).

    • Ineligible students must wait seven (7) calendar days after a three-week evaluation period and the grading period to regain eligibility.

    • Students may regain eligibility an unlimited number of times throughout the school year. Passing means a minimum grade of 70 on all courses (except identified advanced classes).

    • Note: Spring break can't be part of the 3-week evaluation process. All students are eligible during spring break.

Advanced Classes/Courses

The following courses are identified as advanced and, as such, eligible for exemption as noted in section 33.081 of the Texas Education Code:

• • Any College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Course or International Baccalaureate (IB) Course. and;

  • Honors* and high school/college concurrent enrollment classes (that are included in Part One of the “Community College General Academic Course Guide Manual”) in the subject areas of English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Economics or language other than English.

• * Districts may identify honors courses only in the subject areas of English language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, economics, or a language other than English as eligible for exemption. But districts must identify such courses prior to the semester in which any exemptions related to extracurricular activities occur.

• Districts are neither required to nor restricted from considering courses as honors for the purpose of grade point average calculation.

• It is important to remember that school districts may voluntarily impose stricter standards than those cited in this document.

• Honors courses do not have to be submitted to the University Interscholastic League, They should be maintained at the local school district level.

Dropping a Course With a Failing Grade

• A student who drops a class with a failing grade (less than 65 for advanced courses)** after the end of the fourth week is ineligible. A student may drop after the second or third week, or during the fourth week and retain eligibility.

• A student who drops a class with a failing grade at the end of a grading period is ineligible until seven calendar days after the end of the three-week evaluation period.

Changing Failing Grades

• A failing grade can be changed after it has been recorded if:

  • a mechanical error occurred in averaging or recording;

  • the teacher's grading procedure violated local policy, state law, or SBOE rule and the student would have been eligible had policies or law been followed.

• Extra credit work or work turned in after the grading period or evaluation has ended may not be considered when determining a student's eligibility for extracurricular activities except in the case of an "incomplete" grade.

Incompletes

• A student with an incomplete grade is ineligible at the end of the seven-day grace period unless the “incomplete” is replaced with a passing grade prior to the end of the seven-day grace period. Students with "incomplete" past the seven-day grace period remain ineligible until work is made up in accordance with district policy.

• Extra work or work turned in after the grading period or evaluation has ended may not be considered when determining eligibility except in the case of “incomplete.”

Revised: March 1, 2022