The number of eligibility rulings in Illinois has increased dramatically as more students seek transfers in the state.
Executive director of the Illinois High School Association Craig Anderson, who is in charge of transfer eligibility rulings, told Northern Public Radio that before the pandemic he saw a little over 1,000 rulings per year, but that number has nearly doubled.
A ruling isn't needed when a student moves with both parents, but rulings are needed when a student moves with one parent or moves to live with a grandparent.
“There's all kinds of reasons why students might be transferring,” Anderson told NPR. “We don't have a rule that would limit a student from choosing to transfer for athletic reasons, specifically, as long as they meet the transfer bylaw requirements that are currently in place.”
Transfers within a school district may require a period of ineligibility for a sport or activity. The length is determined as part of the eligibility ruling. Periods of ineligibility can not last more than 365 days, according to the IHSA bylaws.
Anderson said he's seeing more and more students transfer for sports, which is a question that's asked on the form.
“I'm conscious about how honestly, you know, the folks are responding to that question,” he said, adding that the IHSA is concerned that coaches are recruiting students, which is forbidden under IHSA laws.
“So they can't make an outreach and tell them that they'd have a starting position at the new school, or that they know of a home that they can get for a special rental price,” Anderson said. “Or they have an assistant coach that has a home that they could rent for a minimal fee. Anything that would be provided to an athlete that wouldn't otherwise be provided to any other student really falls in the line of recruiting.”
If a connection is known between a student and a coach, the coach has to make clear how they know the student.
Anderson said Illinois is considering new proposals for new transfer rules, but believes there is a way to do so while still limiting students who might school hop.
“Other state associations like ours have moved to just allowing all students one free transfer of schools during their high school years to have eligibility, and then really, significantly cutting down on future eligibility if they go to a third or a fourth school,” he said.
