GHSA Administrative Responsibilities to Member Schools
(2009-2010)
BY-LAW 4.00 - STATE
4.10 - GHSA ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES TO MEMBER SCHOOLS
4.11 The GHSA Executive Committee shall meet bi-annually to review By-Laws, policies and procedures of the Association, and to make additions, deletions, and modifications as necessary.
(a) The GHSA Executive Committee meetings shall be conducted according to the latest edition of "Roberts Rules of Order" except:
(1) "Pass" votes are not considered "No" votes
(2) Any Committee member may request a roll-call vote on any question before the Committee without the requirement of a majority vote.
(b) The GHSA Executive Committee shall consider recommendations at its bi-annual meetings from member schools and/or region secretaries that are submitted in writing to the GHSA Office at least thirty (30) days prior to the meeting.
4.12 The GHSA Office shall provide an official receipt for all dues and fees received from any source, and shall provide for an annual audit of finances by a firm of auditors or a certified public accountant.
4.13 The GHSA Office shall provide all necessary forms on the GHSA web site, including the following forms from which copies are to be made to satisfy the needs of the member schools:
(a) student eligibility forms
(b) declarations of intent to enter GHSA activities
(c) forms to secure sanctioning of events
(d) contracts for events
(e) financial statements for hosting GHSA events
4.14 The GHSA Office shall provide an annual calendar that notes:
(a) the beginning and end of the season for all activities
(b) dates for Region, Area and/or State Playoff contests and/or tournaments
4.20 - RECLASSIFICATION
4.21 In reclassification years, the Executive Director shall secure the F.T.E. count of member schools for students in grade 9-12, and shall assign each school to a classification for a four-year period. Each member school shall be notified of its proposed classification.
(a) The four-year reclassification period shall be divided into two contractual periods of two years each.
(1) A school that experiences more than a 20% increase or decrease in FTE at the end of the second year will be placed in a different classification for the final two years.
(2) New private schools will be allowed to enter the GHSA at the third year of the reclassification cycle.
(b) Classification of public schools shall be based on F.T.E. numbers (active enrollment) using the average counts for Grades 9-12 received from the Department of Education for semester #2 and semester #3 of the current reclassification cycle. Realignment for the 2010-2014 school years shall be based on the reports of the spring 2009 and the fall 2009 semesters.
(c) Classification of private schools shall be based on the enrollment information furnished by schools for Grades 9-12 at the beginning of the third semester of the current reclassification cycle.
(d) NOTE: The aforementioned timeframes will go into effect when the four-year cycle is implemented.
(e) Unless a school has at least 35% of its student enrollment of each gender, it will be considered a single-gender school. Single-gender schools shall double their F.T.E. counts for use in reclassification.
(f) New schools will be assigned to a classification based on projected F.T.E. counts supplied by the school system.
(1) Where a new school has 9th & 10th grades only, projected figures for Grades 7-8 in feeder schools will apply.
(2) Where a school has 9th grade only, projected figures for Grades 6-8 in feeder schools will apply.
(g) Where a member school will lose students due to the opening of a new school or the consolidation of other schools, the school will be assigned classification based on the projected F.T.E. count supplied by the school system Superintendent.
(h) Whenever a new member school is created either through its establishment or through the consolidation of two or more other schools, the Superintendent shall file a report with the GHSA office that projects the enrollment for that school for the next three years. In the event that the school exceeds that projection by more than 20%, the school will be required to play a non-region schedule.
4.22 The membership of the Association shall be divided into five (5) classifications as follows:
(a) Schools with an F.T.E. count of 1,900 or more will be placed in Class AAAAA.
(b) Schools with an F.T.E. count of 525 or less will be placed in Class A
(c) The remaining schools will be divided evenly into Classes AAAA, AAA, and AA.
(d) Schools with the same F.T.E. count separated by a classification break point will be placed in the higher classification.
(e) Each classification will have eight (8) regions unless otherwise needed.
(f) The Executive Director shall have the authority to work with any school that is geographically isolated within its region in order to resolve difficulties in travel and time out of class.
(1) An individual school shall be considered to be isolated if the average distance from that school to all other schools in the region is 100 miles or more one way.
(2) The decision to place a school in a higher or lower classification will be based on a combination of factors that include travel distances and school population size.
(3) If two or three schools in a region are considered to be isolated (even if the average travel distance is less than 100 miles one way), the Reclassification Committee shall be authorized to place those schools in another classification based on travel distances and school population size.
(4) If four or more schools in a region are considered to be isolated (even if the average travel distance is less than 100 miles one way), the Reclassification Committee shall be authorized to form a subdivided region in which crossover games with the other subdivision will not be mandatory for region standing.
4.23 When the membership is divided into classifications as called for by the GHSA Constitution, the following process will be used:
(a) The two F.T.E. counts for public schools will be averaged by the GHSA staff, and the staff will compile enrollment counts from private schools and system projections for new schools and other schools affected by that opening.
(b) Member schools will receive a listing of student population counts for their verification. When there is a major discrepancy between the school's enrollment count and the count determined by the GHSA staff, the school may appeal to the Executive Director to reconsider the count.
(c) When enrollment figures have been verified, schools will be placed in the proper classification and schools will have fourteen (14) days to file a request to play at a higher classification.
(1) A request to move to a high classification must be submitted over the signatures of the school's administrative authorities (i.e., the Principal and Superintendent).
(2) A school that transfers to a higher classification must remain in the higher classification until school are next reclassified on a statewide basis.
(d) The Reclassification Committee will meet in the month of November to place schools in regions and subregions. The decisions will be sent to the member schools after that meeting.
(1) There will be a mandatory subdivision of each region containing ten (10) or more schools by the Reclassification Committee (Exception: Cheerleading).
(2) The Reclassification Committee may subdivide a region consisting of less than ten schools if there is an extremely large geographic area within that region.
(3) For football, the Reclassification Committee will require crossover games between teams in the subregions to guarantee a minimum of 70% of the season schedule unless there are isolation issues.
(4) For all other sports, subdivided regions must guarantee member schools a minimum number of contests within the region equal to 50% of the season schedule unless there are isolation issues.
(e) Following the initial placement of schools into regions, each new region shall meet to audit the population numbers of its member schools.
(1) If the numbers are accurate, a written notice of approval shall be sent to the GHSA office.
(2) If there are discrepancies in the numbers, a written notice shall be sent to the GHSA office asking the Reclassification Committee to hear the appeal at the meeting that is scheduled to hear appeals for lateral transfers.
(f) Member schools will have fourteen (14) days to request a lateral move to another region, and that request is filed with the Reclassification Committee.
(1) A request to have a lateral transfer must be submitted over the signatures of the school's administrative authorities (i.e., the Principal and Superintendent).
(2) This appeal will be heard in December and representatives from both regions shall be notified of the appeal, and may attend the meeting to voice their approval or state their concerns about such a move.
(3) A school that receives a lateral transfer must remain in that region until schools are next reclassified on a statewide basis.
(4) The decisions made by the Reclassification Committee will produce the alignment that will be presented to the full Executive Committee.
(g) At a specially-called meeting in January, the Executive Committee shall hear any appeals from members who were denied lateral transfers by the Reclassification Committee. Representatives from both regions involved in the appeal shall be notified, and may voice their approval or state their concerns about the appeal.
(h) Member schools may begin scheduling contests for the new reclassification cycle as soon as the final vote has been taken, the membership notified, and any region subdivisions finalized.
(i) When a majority vote is used in a subdivided region to determine scheduling and the process for selecting teams for post-season play, one or more schools may file a "minority report" with the Executive Director if the approved procedure is alleged to be unfair to all schools in the region. If the Executive Director believes that there is unfairness with the chosen procedure, the Reclassification Committee will mediate the matter.
4.24 The following scheduling policy will be in effect for public schools entering the GHSA at the beginning of the second or fourth years of the reclassification cycle:
(a) In sports where the region has two-year scheduling, the new school will not be able to play a complete region schedule at the varsity level. In those sports, the school could play a varsity non-region schedule or a JV schedule.
(b) In sports having year-to-year scheduling, the new school will have full membership once it has been assigned to the new region by the Reclassification Committee.
(c) In sports that have a region tournament to advance to post-season play, the region may allow a new school to accepts a low seed in the tournament even though it did not play a complete region schedule. That is a decision made by the region.
4.25 The Reclassification Committee will utilize the following factors in reclassification decision:
(a) consideration of travel time and costs, plus time out of school for students.
(b) consideration of differences in the size of school populations.
(c) consideration of competitive balance of the schools.
(d) consideration of equitable access to playoff slots.
(e) consideration of rivalries and gate-receipt issues.
4.30 - STATE ASSOCIATION CONTEST/EVENT RESPONSIBILITIES
4.31 The GHSA shall determine the activities in which a State Tournament, Playoff, and/or Meet are to be held.
(a) In order for a new sport to have a state competition to determine a state champion, the sport or activity must show significant growth and financial stability for a period of three (3) years.
(b) The GHSA Executive Director will appoint a committee and a sport liaison to monitor the sport.
(c) In order to have a State Championship in an Open Meet Event, there must be a minimum of sixteen (16) teams participating and this will be determined with the "Intent to Participate" form that is submitted to the GHSA office by April 1 of the preceeding school year (with the exception of coed cheerleading, which has a later deadline). Schools which submit this form and then withdraw from that sport will be fined.
4.32 The GHSA Executive Director shall determine and provide adequate sites for all State Tournaments, Playoffs, and/or Meets to successfully conduct the event.
(a) Tournament sites will not be available to participating teams for practice prior to the tournaments.
(b) The GHSA shall have full rights to the use of the GHSA logo at these events, and have full and complete rights to the sale of championship merchandise at the venue. The GHSA will also have the right to display signage of corporate partners and to restrict the use of goods in the competitive area that promote a competitor of GHSA corporate partners.
4.33 The GHSA shall provide team trophies for State Champions and Runners-Up, and individual medals for first and second place winners in all State activities.
(a) The number of individual medals provided for team sports and activities is limited as follows:
Baseball 18 Football 44 Softball 18
Basketball 15 Lacrosse 22 Tennis 7
Cheerleading 16 Soccer 22 Volleyball 12
(b) Schools may purchase additional medals if desired. The form to use to place an order for extra medals is found on the GHSA web site.
4.34 The GHSA shall assign field/court officials for all Area, Sectional, and State competitions (i.e., after the region winner has been determined), and the fees will be as shown in the chart in Appendix F.
(a) Baseball - crew of 3
(b) Basketball - crew of 3
(c) Cheerleading - 5 scoring judges and 2 safety judges
(d) Football - crew of 6
(e) Soccer - crew of 4
(f) Softball (fast pitch) - crew of 3
(g) Swimming (TBA)
(h) Volleyball - crew of 2
(i) Wrestling (TBA)
4.40 - STATE PASSES TO GHSA EVENTS
4.41 The GHSA shall issue passes for regular season and post-season events annually to:
(a) Elected or appointed Board of Education members
(b) The following school system personnel who work directly with interscholastic activities in grades 9-12:
(1) Superintendent
(2) Assistant Superintendents
(3) System-wide Athletic Directors and Assistant Athletic Directors
(c) The following school personnel of grades 9-12:
(1) Principal and Assistant Principal(s)
(2) 1 Band Director
(3) 1 Literary Coordinator
(4) 1 Debate Coordinator
(5) 1 One Act Play Coordinator
(6) Athletic Director(s)
(7) All athletic coaches, including Community Coaches who have successfully completed the GHSA Coaches Education Program and who are registered by a member school as being utilized as a high school coach.
(8) 2 Certified Trainers employed by the school system in grades 9-12 and recommended by the Principal
(d) Retired persons of the teaching profession who served at least twenty (20) years in high school(s), at least the last ten (10) of which must have been served at GHSA member school(s), grades 9-12 as a:
(1) Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent AND/OR
(2) Principal AND/OR
(3) Athletic Director AND/OR
(4) Coach of a sport listed in the GHSA by-laws
NOTE: Individuals who have retired from coaching, but not from teaching, and who have met all requirements for a Lifetime Pass, may apply for the pass before retiring from the school system.
(e) GHSA staff members
4.42 A Retiree's pass will be issued by special application from the school system from which the individual retired.
(a) Application should include the individual's permanent address and verification of years of service.
(b) Application forms are available upon request from the GHSA Office.
(c) Years of service to the GHSA as a Region Secretary and/or Executive Committee member shall count towards the requirements to qualify for a GHSA Lifetime Pass.
4.43 GHSA passes are non-transferrable and may not be used by persons other than the individual to whom it was issued.
(a) The individual's name shall be typed on the pass
(b) Picture Identification is required for the user of the pass at all GHSA post season events
(c) A pass that is used illegally is to be confiscated and the individual to whom the pass was issued forfeits the right to receive a pass in the future.
(d) The spouse of a coach, coaching in a State Playoff event shall be admitted to that event upon presentation of their spouse's pass and proper identification.
4.44 In the event a pass is destroyed or lost, the school administrator should notify the GHSA Office in writing, and should include the payment of $25.00 with a school check to have the pass replaced.
4.45 When a school staff member who was issued a GHSA pass leaves the position that entitles them to that pass, the pass should be voided and returned to the GHSA Office.
4.46 At any GHSA event, the host school must honor the GHSA pass that admits "the bearer and one other person." For GHSA state playoff events, the host school shall honor only the GHSA pass, GAOA membership cards, and valid media credentials.
4.47 School resource officers and other law enforcement personnel in uniform are to be granted free admission to all GHSA events.
4.50 - CERTIFICATION OF ATHLETIC OFFICIALS
4.51 A plan for the certification of athletic officials shall be established which includes:
(a) published procedures for registration of officials
(b) published guidelines for training officials
(c) a system for evaluating performances of officials
(d) a system of recognition of years of service by officials
4.52 The following items constitute the Athletic Officials Associations Approval Plan for the GHSA:
(a) The Executive Director of the GHSA shall determine the number of officials associations to be approved for each activity. The number of associations will be determined by:
(1) the demand for officials in that activity in that geographic area of the state
(2) the number of associations already in existence in that activity in that area
(3) the extent to which member schools' needs are being met by existing officials associations in that activity.
(4) The assignment of officiating associations for most GHSA activities shall be the responsibility of the GHSA office.
(5) Officials' associations must maintain minimum membership levels in order to be considered "active associations" by the GHSA in certain sports. Those numbers shall be: Baseball (15), Softball (15), Football (30), and Basketball (30).
(b) The GHSA Executive Director may, at his discretion, approve additional associations utilizing the following criteria and procedure:
(1) Such associations shall make applicationto the GHSA requesting approval.
(2) The By-Laws of such an association shall be subject to the approval of the GHSA and must include provisions indicating that the association and its members will be subject to the rules and authority of the GHSA.
(3) An approved officials association must handle its finances through a central banking account, and should distribute IRS 1099 forms to all members. Every officiating association must have a Federal Tax Identification Number on file with the GHSA office.
(4) An approved association shall require all its members to be registered with the GHSA, and to comply with all requirements of the GHSA Policies and Procedures Manual.
(5) An approved association must comply with all GHSA reporting deadlines.
(6) An approved association, and any of their individual members, shall be subject to penalties of fines and/or suspensions for failure to comply with GHSA rules and regulations.
(c) The GHSA expects every officials association to operate in a manner that does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, disability, religion, national origin or age.
(d) Officials associations shall not charge member schools any administrative fees not authorized by the GHSA.
4.53 Contest officials and officials' associations are independent contractors and not employees of the GHSA or its member schools.
4.54 In the event that officials do not show for a scheduled event without notification or emergency situation, a fine shall be assessed to the officials association for twice the amount of the game fees and that amount be divided between the competing schools.
4.55 All decisions of the GHSA Executive Director in regards to officials shall be subject to the appellate procedures as set forth in the GHSA Constitution.
4.56 Universal contest fees shall be charged for all scheduled, regular-season interscholastic contests (including scrimmages). The universal fee schedule shall be as shown in the chart in Appendix F. Schools and officiating associations may not reduce or increase game fees from those listed in this section. Penalties may be imposed for those violating this rule.
4.60 - COMMITMENT TO GENDER EQUITY
The Georgia High School Association shall comply with the requirements of subsections (a) through (f) of Code Section 20-2-314, as those requirements relate to the association's functions of organizing, sanctioning, scheduling, or rule making for events in which public high schools participate;
The Georgia High School Association shall, no later than October 1, 2003, and every year thereafter, submit a report to the General Assembly regarding its compliance with paragraph (1) of this subsection. Such report shall address the number, type, and disposition of written requests for the association to organize and administer regional or state events for additional or different sports; written requests for information regarding the types of athletic events for public high school students that the association organizes and administers; and written inquiries and complaints received by the association with respect to gender discrimination in connection with public high school events. The report shall address all such written requests, inquiries, and complaints, regardless of whether such request, inquiry, or complaint is made by letter, e-mail, memorandum, or any other form of written communication. Each report shall cover the time period beginning on July 1 of the previous year and ending on June 30 of the year in which the report is due. In addition, the association shall have in effect a policy requiring notification to persons who make such requests, inquiries, or complaints verbally that such request, inquiry, or complaint will not be included in the association's reporting to the General Assembly regarding compliance with this Code section unless such request, inquiry, or complaint is made in writing.
4.70 - OPEN MEETING / OPEN RECORDS POLICY
The Georgia High School Association shall comply with the requirements of Article 4 of Chapter 18 of Title 50, relating to the inspection of public records, and Chapter 14 of Title 50, relating to open and public meetings, to the extent that such records and meetings relate to the association's activities with respect to public high schools; provided, however, that such association shall not be required to comply with such statutes or to conduct open and public meetings or provide inspection of records where the sole subject of such meeting or record pertains to the academic records or performance of an individual student or the eligibility of an individual student to participate or to continue to participate in sponsored events or contests based on academics; provided. However, where a meeting or record of such association is devoted in part to matters excepted in the preceding proviso, any portion of the meeting or record not subject to such exception shall be open to the public.
4.80 - POLICY ON STEROIDS
The Georgia High School Association strongly opposes the abuse of anabolic steroids and other performance enhancing substances by high school student-athletes. The GHSA believes that such usage violates legal, ethical and competitive-equity standards and imposes unreasonable long-term health risks on the user. The GHSA encourages member schools to educate students and coaches about the perils of steroid usage, and the GHSA will distribute educational materials about this issue to member schools.
4.90 - POLICY ON PENALTIES
In accordance with the GHSA Constitution, the Executive Director is empowered to make a determination as to whether a violation of GHSA rules has occurred, and to assess the appropriate penalty which may include a fine and/or probation. A non-exhaustive list of violations and fines is published in Appendix P of the Constitution & By-Laws.
INTERPRETATIONS, 4.00 SECTION
SITUATION: A school that is hosting a GHSA playoff event wants free admission for all people who normally are given free admission at regular season events. Is this permissible?
RULING: No. At GHSA playoff events only those people holding GHSA passes, GAOA membership cards or valid media passes are allowed free admission.
