GPA requirement for Sports

[Mulerider4Life]

What is the current GPA requirement for school sports? 2.5?

[sevenof400]

For some reason, I believe it may be lower - 2.0 - but I have not looked it up in some time.
I also recall that school districts are free to have a different (higher) standard than AAA demands if they choose to do so.   

[OB11]

For some reason, I believe it may be lower - 2.0 - but I have not looked it up in some time.
I also recall that school districts are free to have a different (higher) standard than AAA demands if they choose to do so.

I was thinking it was a 2.0 as well. But if a student athlete dips below a 2.0 they can go into the SIP program and as long as their GPA doesn't drop they are eligible. For example; a kid has a 1.70 GPA, goes into SIP and has a 1.71 he is still eligible.

I believe that's how it works but don't hold me to that.

[sevenof400]

Edit: SIP is mentioned in here as well....

Here is rule 12 from the AAA Handbook:

...
Rule 12. SCHOLARSHIP (ACADEMICS).
A. Junior High. A student promoted from the sixth to the seventh grade automatically meets the
academic eligibility (scholarship) requirements. A student promoted from the seventh to the eighth
grade automatically meets the academic eligibility requirements for the first semester.
The second semester eighth grade student and the first semester ninth grade student meet the
academic eligibility requirements for junior high by successfully passing four (4) academic courses the
previous semester as specified by the Arkansas Department of Education's Standards for
Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools.
First semester ninth grade students must pass four academic classes to be eligible second semester
of the ninth grade.
Ninth grade students must meet senior high academic eligibility by the end of the second semester in
order to be eligible to participate the fall of their tenth grade year.
Students who have finished two semesters of the ninth grade must follow all senior high (10-12)
academic requirements.
NOTE: After the second semester of the ninth grade, students who have not earned enough
credits to be classified as a sophomore must meet the scholarship requirements for senior
high (10-12) eligibility.
B. Senior High. The requirement for senior high (10-12) eligibility shall include:
 Passing four academic courses; and
 A minimum semester GPA of 2.0 for the previous semester.
The student must have passed four academic courses in the previous semester. Any of these four
courses for which concurrent high school credit is earned may be from an institution of higher learning
recognized by the Arkansas Department of Education.
1. Supplemental Instruction Program (SIP).
a. To participate in interscholastic competition, students passing four academic courses but
failing to meet the 2.0 GPA requirement must be enrolled in and attending 100 minutes per
week a Supplemental Instruction Program meeting established criteria and approved by the
AAA. The Supplemental Instruction Program must be submitted to the AAA office for approval
prior to the start of the school semester.
b. If a student's GPA drops below 2.0 at the end of any semester, the student must immediately
enroll in and attend the SIP at the beginning of the next concurrent semester. If a student fails
to enroll in the SIP at this time, the student must attain a 2.0 GPA to regain eligibility.
c. In the first semester of SIP the student must meet the stated requirement (2.0) at the end of
that semester in order to become fully eligible again OR meet the requirement to remain in the
SIP one additional semester.
d. To maintain eligibility under the Supplemental Instruction Program and be eligible to continue
for a second semester, the student must show improvement of at least one tenth of one point
in his/her GPA after the first semester of participation in the supplemental program. To
continue to participate following the second semester in the SIP, the student must have
reached the 2.0 GPA as well as passing four academic courses.
e. Maximum participation in the SIP is two consecutive semesters. If the student does not
achieve a 2.0 GPA within this period, the student will remain ineligible until a 2.0 GPA is
achieved. A student who has been in SIP and regained eligibility by achieving a 2.0 GPA
would be eligible to enter the SIP again later if passing four courses but not earning a 2.0 GPA.
2. Loss of Opportunity for Athletic Participation.
a. During participation in the SIP, the student must have no unexcused absences for the current
semester or its equivalent from the SIP or regular classes.
Page 46 - 2018-2019 AAA Handbook
b. The student must have no school disciplinary action for the current semester. The school may
define school disciplinary action, but as a minimum the policy shall state that a student has
been disciplined when being placed on suspension where the student is out of school for a
period of time.
c. The student must have no known felony convictions during a semester in which the student is
in the SIP.
d. If at any point the student falls out of compliance with any criteria listed above during the
semester, the student will be immediately suspended from competition for the remainder of the
semester. In order for the student to re-establish eligibility, he/she must pass four academic
courses and achieve a 2.0 grade point average.
e. If a student fails to participate in the supplemental instruction program during any semester,
then eligibility can only be regained by the student passing four academic courses and earning
a grade point average of 2.0 from all academic courses the previous semester
3. Limitation. A student is restricted to a maximum of two consecutive semesters in the SIP
any time a student's GPA falls below a 2.0 for the previous semester.
4. Academic Course Defined. An academic course is one for which class time is scheduled,
which can be credited to meet minimum requirements for graduation, which is taught by a teacher
required to have state certification in the course, and which has a course content guide approved
by the Arkansas Department of Education.
NOTE: P.E. may be considered an academic course for one full credit within the 21
minimum credits. The first time a P.E. grade appears on the transcript in grades 9-12 is
when it will be considered an academic course.
C. Alternate Course Credit. A student may satisfy the requirement by successfully completing
the course(s) failed or courses(s) needed or equivalent course(s) in a summer term(s) or a
correspondence course(s) approved by the Arkansas Department of Education for granting credit for
graduation requirements. Such credit shall be applied to the previous semester.
NOTE: When the same course is repeated, the former grade may be replaced. When a
substitute course is completed, the grade shall be added to the courses for the previous
semester and the GPA recomputed.
D. Special Education (Handicapped). A student must have earned passing grades in four
academic courses of the I.E.P. for the previous semester. There is no GPA requirement for special
education students.
E. Becoming Eligible or Ineligible. A student may regain or lose academic eligibility the first day
of classes in a new semester. Eligibility shall be determined twice per year, once at the beginning of
the fall semester (August/September) and once at mid-term (December/January)
...

[OB11]

I was thinking it was a 2.0 as well. But if a student athlete dips below a 2.0 they can go into the SIP program and as long as their GPA doesn't drop they are eligible. For example; a kid has a 1.70 GPA, goes into SIP and has a 1.71  1.80 he is still eligible.

I believe that's how it works but don't hold me to that.

Here is rule 12 from the AAA Handbook:

Thanks for posting that 7.

[Mulerider4Life]

Interesting. I feel like school is not as hard as it use to be and a 2.5 GPA should be the new benchmark. Heck you can get a 2.5 if you show up and just complete the work just about. As a 2012 graduate, I can attest to this.

[Lineman]

Interesting. I feel like school is not as hard as it use to be and a 2.5 GPA should be the new benchmark. Heck you can get a 2.5 if you show up and just complete the work just about. As a 2012 graduate, I can attest to this.

It doesn't help any when the "adults" of a household let kids skip class whenever they feel like it & don't care if they do their work.

[Mulerider4Life]

It doesn't help any when the "adults" of a household let kids skip class whenever they feel like it & don't care if they do their work.

It doesn't.