Athletic Waiver Process

High school students who receive a Change of School Assignment (COSA) out of their current feeder pattern must attend the new school for one calendar year before being eligible to participate in athletics. If exceptional circumstances exist, a parent/guardian may appeal the ineligibility rule by applying for an athletic waiver by writing to the compliance specialist for systemwide athletics, via email. Please note: Athletic waivers are not considered until the COSA has been approved. 

Exceptions to the rule: 

• Middle school students who receive a COSA to a new secondary feeder pattern and wish to remain in that pattern when transitioning to high school also are required to reapply, but athletic ineligibility is automatically waived. 
• Students who are assigned to language immersion programs, and wish to remain in that pattern when transitioning to high school are not required to apply for a COSA, and athletic ineligibility is automatically waived. 
• Consortium students when transferring to another school within their consortium, do not need an athletic waiver.  

The athletic waiver process: 

• Email Ms. Anne Rossiter, Compliance Specialist, Systemwide Athletics, to request an athletic waiver. In the email:       
  • Include your child's complete name, student ID#, and school name.   
  • Explain the circumstances of the COSA, making sure to speak directly to why the change in schools. 
  • Please include a contact number in case there are additional questions.
  • Consider including the paperwork that was originally submitted during the application process for the COSA (optional). 
  • Attach a copy of the approved COSA. 
   
• In order to expedite the waiver process, please include all of the requested information, and please be as complete and specific as possible. 
• Once the email has been received, the schools involved will be contacted and a decision will be made in consultation with and approval from the director of systemwide athletics typically within a week to ten days. 

As a reminder, the waiver rule is in place to keep coaches from recruiting student-athletes and to keep student-athletes and their parents/guardians from selecting a school based on the school's athletic program.