The UIL State Executive Committee has denied an appeal that would have restored Highland Park’s Class 5A Division II boys soccer championship.
Highland Park forfeited its state title on April 11, hours after defeating Liberty Hill 2-0, when HP officials discovered that their team had used an academically ineligible player in the game, and self-reported the violation to the UIL.
The parent of that player appealed the forfeiture in May. She argued that because the student was earning a grade of below 70 in precalculus, which is treated as an honors course and exempt from no pass no play under the Texas Education Code, it should also have been exempt in Highland Park.
The parent drew on letters from former state Sen. Florence Shapiro and former state Rep. Rob Eissler, who chaired legislative education committees when no pass no play was amended in 2007.
They stated that the Legislature was trying to achieve uniformity and meant to limit districts’ discretion to impose stricter no pass no play requirements than the state standard.
“The UIL has inadvertently positioned itself as a policeman for exactly what the Legislature intended to prevent,” the parent told the UIL State Executive Committee in May. “A hodgepodge of local eligibility rules.”
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The State Executive Committee unanimously rejected that argument on July 9.
Public school districts are encouraged to exceed the requirements of law and State Board of Education rules, State Executive Committee chair Mike Motheral said.
While the Texas Education Code requires districts to suspend students failing certain courses from participation in extracurricular activities, it is silent on whether districts have discretion to impose suspensions for additional courses, he explained.
“I cannot imagine a scenario where local control being stripped from schools will enhance the education for our students,” Motheral said. “That’s true for what’s inside the classroom, and what’s outside of it.”
The decision means that Liberty Hill will retain the Class 5A Division II boys state soccer title. The parent had asked that Liberty Hill and Highland Park share the championship.
Highland Park’s No Pass No Play Rules Now
Highland Park ISD will continue to use its own standards to determine which courses to exempt from no pass no play.
The district’s Board of Trustees approved revisions to the no pass no play policy on June 17, but HPISD’s standards remain stricter than the state minimum, and the revisions would not have changed the outcome in this case.
Under the new rules, students participating in extracurriculars must maintain a 70 average in all courses except for those that are designated as Category I or Category II, which generally include honors, advanced placement, and post-AP classes.
To remain eligible, students must maintain a grade of 60 in Category I courses, and a grade of 65 in Category II courses.
The new policy is designed to ensure the district treats courses consistently for GPA and eligibility purposes, board president Maryjane Bonfield explained during a June 3 work session.
Prior to the change, eligibility exemptions were only available for certain Category I courses for which a level-down was unavailable.
