Texas Education Board to consider equalizing credit for high school student-athletes

by Erin Rice

On Friday, the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) will consider action to equalize credits for student-athletes under the state's new 4x4 graduation plan.

The 4x4 curriculum, adopted in November 2006, requires that students complete four years each of science and math, upping the total number of credits to graduate from 24 to 26. Despite other changes, requirements for student-athletes were not altered. Texas high schoolers choosing to participate in four years of sports have long received only two physical education credits.

However, when 24 credits were required for graduation, there was wiggle room for athletes to participate non-credited for two years (junior and senior years) and still graduate under any of the three graduation programs: minimum, recommended, and distinguished achievement. Now, extra room for uncredited electives is gone and student-athletes may be forced to decide between distinguished graduation and participation in their sport.

According to the Texas High School Coaches Association (THSCA) and many parents, this is unfair to student-athletes. "It's a matter of equality," says D.W. Rutledge, THSCA Executive Director. "Athletics is the only elective affected this way."

As Rutledge points out, while athletes receive only the two credits for four years of participation, similar electives, such as dance, marching band, and ROTC, all receive four credits.

After realizing the discrepancy when helping his eighth-grade son sign up for high school courses, Craig Agnew, an assistant coach at Brenham High School, drafted a petition asking that athletics become an up-to-four credit elective. In March 2008, the SBOE approved the petition, 13 to 2, and decided to move ahead with the rule-making process, going against the Commissioner of Education's recommendation.

Beginning with discussion in May, the Board later distributed surveys to school district administrators asking for feedback on the potential provision. According to the TEA website, most administrators were in favor of "additional flexibility in the graduation plans." The Board intended to take action on the item in September, but Hurricane Ike postponed the meeting to November, whence the Board decided to again postpone action until later this week.

"There's been favorable reaction from several of the board members," says Rutledge, who is hopeful about Friday's decision. "The main thing we want to stress is that it won't take away from any academic rigor that's been placed in the new graduation plan."

• Staff
• Verified User
• Anonymous