Interscholastic Athletics
The Division of Athletics, Activities and Accreditation works with M-DCPS school sites to provide students with opportunities to participate in high school athletics via interscholastic programs.
For participation in interscholastic athletics at the high school level, the must have:
- GPA of 2.00 in both academics and conduct is required, except for incoming freshmen.
- All participants must purchase athletic and/or football insurance to participate
- All participants must have a current physical form on file.
- A home education student or FLVS Student must register his or her intent to participate in interscholastic extracurricular activities as a representative of the school before participation.
- The parents and student must also sign the Contract for Student Participation in Interscholastic Competitions or Performances.
Specific Teams may also have additional requirements.
The District also has policies concerning transfer students and participation in athletics. If a parent has questions concerning these policies, he or she should contact GMAC, Greater Miami Athletic Conference.
THE DETAILS:
In order for a student to participate in extracurricular athletics and activities, a student must meet the standards set forth by Section 1003.43 (1), Florida Statutes, policies of the Greater Miami Athletic Conference (GMAC), and Miami-Dade County School Board rules. In addition, a student must comply with the school district’s Contract for Student Participation in Interscholastic Competitions or Performances, FM-7155.
To be eligible to participate in interscholastic extracurricular student athletics and activities a student must maintain an unweighted cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or above on a 4.0 scale in the courses required for graduation. Computation of grade point averages requires the inclusion of all applicable high school courses to which a forgiveness policy has been applied.
A student shall be eligible during the first semester of his/her ninth-grade year provided that it is the student’s first entry into ninth grade and he/she was regularly promoted from eighth grade the immediate preceding year.
If a student becomes ineligible during the second semester of his/her ninth-grade year or during the first semester of his/her 10th-grade year because the student’s cumulative grade point average was below 2.0 at the conclusion of the previous semester and continues to be below 2.0 at the conclusion of the semester of ineligibility, he/she may regain his/her eligibility for the following semester provided:
- The student signs an academic performance contract with his/her school at the beginning of the semester in which he/she is ineligible that states, at a minimum, that the student will attend summer school, or its graded equivalent, AND
- Earns a grade point average of 2.0 or above on a 4.0 unweighted scale or its equivalent in all courses taken during the semester of ineligibility.
Once a student enters grade 11, he/she must have and maintain from that point forward a 2.0 or above cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale, or its equivalent, in all courses required for graduation at the conclusion of each semester to be eligible to participate during the following semester.
If a student’s eligibility is affected by an incomplete grade, the student is ineligible until the incomplete grade is removed and all eligibility requirements are met.
All students participating in interscholastic athletic competition or who are candidates for an interscholastic team(s) are required to pass an annual medical evaluation and purchase the School Board’s sponsored insurance program prior to engaging in any practice, tryout, or physical activity associated with the student’s candidacy for an interscholastic athletic team.
A student shall be eligible for no more than four (4) consecutive academic years from the date he/she first enrolls in the ninth grade. Four years from the date he/she first enrolls in the ninth grade, he/she shall become ineligible for further interscholastic athletic competition. For students enrolled in either one of the two accelerated graduation programs, once they have met all the graduation requirements, they cannot remain in high school for a fourth year in order to continue eligibility to participate in high school athletics/activities.
INSURANCE
Regardless of existing family insurance coverage, M-DCPS requires that all students participating in interscholastic athletic competition purchase school insurance. The two types available are general insurance and football insurance.
- General Insurance: Students trying out for all sports must purchase regular school insurance. Any student playing both football and another sport must purchase BOTH types of insurance.
- Football Insurance: Students participating in football must purchase special football insurance AND the general sport insurance. Separate football insurance protection must be purchased to participate in spring football.
PHYSICALS
Every student athlete must pass a physical examination prior to any participation in athletics. A parent or legal guardian must accompany student athletes; the M-DCPS Physical Form must be notarized.
BIRTH CERTIFICATES
Florida High School Athletic Association requires that all first time athletes and incoming 9th graders present their original birth certificate to the Athletic Office as proof of age before they can be deemed eligible to compete. If you are NOT a US citizen and do not have your birth certificate, you may bring a passport or INS card. If you are an American citizen, we can only accept your ORIGINAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE OR A CERTIFIED HOSPITAL RECORD. We cannot accept notarized duplicates, baptismal certificates, or a driver’s license as proof of age.
The Athletic Director and guidance counselor can assist students in planning a program of study that will include the appropriate courses to prepare for college entrance examinations and meet core course requirements for participation in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletic programs. They can also assist students in determining how to calculate the GPA required in order to be eligible to participate in NCAA athletics and advise the student regarding which courses do not meet NCAA eligibility requirements.