Athletic Eligibility for Specialty Programs

  • The information below pertains to specialty programs and Home Rule with in the Tuscaloosa City Schools and concerns athletic eligibility for students in grades 7-12 attending:

    • Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools-Middle
    • The Alberta School of Performing Arts
    • Central High School’s International Baccalaureate Programme
    • Tuscaloosa Fine Arts Academy at Paul W. Bryant High Schools.
Expand All

  • My middle school student attends a TCS specialty program. Where may he or she participate in athletics?

    Middle school students attending a specialty program that does not offer an interscholastic athletics program may participate at the student’s home school if all other eligibility requirements are met. Your child’s home school is based on TCS residential attendance boundaries.

  • If my middle school student plays up for a high school team, what impacts will this have on eligibility at the middle school level?

    The middle school student athlete may participate, or play up, at the high school for which they are zoned based on the TCS residential attendance boundaries. 

  • I am considering application for my child into a TCS high school specialty program. What happens to my middle school student’s eligibility after participating, or playing up, for a high school team for which they are zoned?

    The student athlete will gain immediate eligibility as a ninth grader after application and acceptance only at the IB school without making a "bona fide move" into the zone of the TCS high school specialty program of their choosing.

  • I am considering having my middle school student return to the residential high school and discontinue participation in a TCS specialty program. How will this affect athletic eligibility at the high school level?

    The student athlete will gain immediate eligibility in the ninth grade at their residential zoned high school. There will be no interruption in athletic eligibility.

  • What if my child is accepted and attends a specialty program, but decides this isn’t a good fit. What impact does this have an impact on athletic eligibility?

    Once a student is accepted into a specialty program and has been added to the school’s roster through the enrollment process, athletic eligibility is attached. Should the student athlete withdraw from the specialty program and return to his or her home school, they will be ineligible for athletic participation for one calendar year.

  • We are interested in applying for a TCS high school specialty program. However, my child does not currently attend a TCS middle school specialty program. Will this impact athletic eligibility?

    According to the Alabama High School Athletic Association Handbook: SECTION 12. TRANSFER RULE. A student that enrolls in one school and later transfers to, or enrolls in, another school shall not be eligible immediately to represent the latter school in any athletic contest.
     
    This means, the student athlete cannot participate in athletics for one calendar year. The only exception is a “bona fide move.”

  • My high school student is considering applying for a specialty program after entering high school. How will this affect athletic eligibility?

    According to the Alabama High School Athletic Association Handbook: SECTION 12. TRANSFER RULE. A student that enrolls in one school and later transfers to, or enrolls in, another school shall not be eligible immediately to represent the latter school in any athletic contest.
     
    This means, the student athlete cannot participate in athletics for one calendar year. The only exception is a “bona fide move.”

Questions?