LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MINUTES September 1, 2015 Murfreesboro, TN

1. Call to Order and Roll Call. 2. Voted to Approve the Proposed Addition to Definitions: Financial Assistance Program - Any program through which a school provides financial assistance to tuition-paying student-athletes and/or to any member of the student-athlete’s immediate family. Employment by a member school of a tuition-paying student-athlete or the student-athlete’s parent(s), guardian(s), or immediate family member(s) (other than as a full-time certified teacher or classified employee) shall be regarded as a financial assistance program. Goes into effect with the new classification period, beginning in 2017-18. 3. Voted to Approve the Proposed Addition to Article I, Section 3 (Membership) For tournament competition there shall be two categories. Division I shall be schools whose student - athletes do not receive need-based financial aid. Division II shall be those schools whose student-athletes may be the recipients of need-based financial aid, and any other school that chooses to participate in Division II. Any school with a financial assistance program involving tuition paying student-athletes and/or their immediate family must be classified as a Division II school. Goes into effect with the new classification period, beginning in 2017-18. 4. Took No Action on the Proposed Addition to Article II, Section 16 (Tuition and Financial Aid) If tuition is charged, it must be paid by parent, bona fide guardian or other family member. If a parent, guardian or other family member secures a loan for payment of tuition, it must remain an obligation of the parent, guardian or other family member to repay the principle and interest in full with no exceptions. Any loan program, grant program, educational foundation or similar program that is established and/or administered, in whole or in part, by a school or official of a school is considered financial aid. Financial aid will be allowed under the following conditions: 5. Voted to Approve the Proposed Addition to Article II, Section 13 (Ineligible Transfer Students) e. If a student with an athletic record transfers into a new school where an “athletic coaching link” existed in the past 12 months, that student is ineligible for 12 months at all levels in the specific sports where a link was present. Links include (1) attendance at an individual camp (and then transferring); (2) playing on non-school (independent) teams (and then transferring to that coach’s school); (3) transferring into a school where a former coach has just been hired; and (4) transferring into a school where a former or current personal trainer or strength and conditioning coach is employed. This rule does not apply if the student moves to his/her new school after the completion of the highest ending grade at his/her previous school. Goes into effect beginning with the 2016-17 school year. 6. Voted to Deny the Proposed Addition of Article II, Section 26 (new) Eligibility Zones: 1.) Each School shall have an Eligibility Zone (a.) For public schools, the Eligibility Zone shall be the geographic boundaries and bus routes of the area served by that school as established by the local board of education. (b.) For a system-wide public school, the Eligibility Zone shall be the geographic boundaries of the school system. (c.) For an independent school, the Eligibility Zone shall be any location within a 20-mile radius of the school. 2.) Any student who lives outside the Eligibility Zone of a school and enrolls in that school after the end of his/her 8th grade year shall be ineligible in all sports at all levels for his/her 9th grade year, or the first twelve months of enrollment if after the start of the 9th grade year. 7. Voted to Approve Proposed Addition to Weight Training/Conditioning Definition: Only students who are enrolled and in regular attendance at the school may participate during the school year. Voted for change to go into effect on October 1, 2015. 8. Voted to Approve Proposed Change to Article I, Section 9 (Coaches): All Coaches will fall under one of the following categories: 1.) Full-time Certified Teacher (a minimum of 100 school days) of a board of education with a Tennessee teaching license or the equivalent. 2.) Retired Educator (five or more years’ experience) with a valid Tennessee state teaching license or the equivalent. 3.) Non-faculty Coach – Anyone approved by the principal, superintendent, and/or local board of education in the normal course of employment procedures in accordance with applicable state law. 4.) Classified Employee – Any individual employed by a member school or school system in a position that does not require a teaching license or the equivalent. A Classified Employee must be employed 30 hours or more per week in a non-coaching position and may not be an independent contractor or an employee of an independent contractor.
A. Coaching Requirements 1.) All coaches must be approved by the principal, superintendent, and/or local board of education prior to coaching. 2.) All coaches must be submitted online in the school’s log in area to the state office annually. This must be done prior to coaching. 3.) Non-faculty Coaches and Classified Employee Coaches must complete the NFHS “Fundamentals of Coaching” and “First Aid, Health, & Safety for Coaches” courses prior to assuming the position. Coaches who have successfully completed the ASEP Coaches Education Course prior to May 15, 2013, will not be required to take the NFHS courses. A school must pay an annual registration fee of $50.00 per Non-faculty Coach. There is no registration fee for a Classified Employee. B. Use of a coach who does not meet all the requirements listed above or the use of a Non-faculty Coach or Classified Employee Coach who has not been submitted to the state office shall result in a fine of $500.00. C. All coaches are subject to the TSSAA rules and regulation and must conduct themselves in a manner becoming of a coach and representative of the school. All coaches are responsible to the principal of his/her school. Coaches must realize that they have more responsibilities than the general public to understand the purpose of high school athletics and the principles behind the TSSAA rules, and they must maintain that level of understanding and purpose when dealing with the general public and students. Coaches must be paid entirely from funds approved by either the board of education, governing board of the school, Director of Schools, or the Principal of the school. D. A classified employee or non-faculty coach may serve as a head coach in football, basketball, baseball, girls' softball, and track if that person has five or more years of experience as a coach at a TSSAA or TMSAA member school and has completed the NFHS “Fundamentals of Coaching” and “First Aid, Health, & Safety for Coaches” courses OR the ASEP Coaches Education Course in a TSSAA-approved course combined with the TSSAA/TMSAA Online Coaches Training Session prior to May 15, 2013. Goes into effect beginning with the 2016-17 school year.