In Illinois it’s Public and Private vs Chicago
By Dave Schmidt
– www.theseniorreports.com
IHSA Statement From Executive Director Marty Hickman
sent to us avia email“The IHSA remained in close contact with the CPS Athletic Administration during its investigation of Curie High School in March. While some schools may have failed to adhere to certain CPS policies and procedures, the information we received did not indicate that Curie High School, or any other CPS schools, were in violation of any IHSA by-laws as a result. We will continue to try and be a resource to help the CPS Athletic Administration or our member schools in Chicago in any way that we can.”
CPS Statement On Eligibility Issues
Was sent to us from CPS school officials“CPS athletic programs help students develop a strong work ethic, team-work mentality and leadership skills, but our top priority will always be providing students with high-quality academic instruction. Following a thorough investigation of District policies and practices, I have directed my team to strengthen the manner in which academic eligibility is evaluated to ensure that all of our student athletes are qualified to participate in athletic competition and are receiving the supports they need to succeed in the classroom.”
--CPS CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett
Steps the District is taking:
• CPS’s Sports Administration department will be putting additional procedures in place to promote compliance with District policies.o Going forward, athletic directors will be required to update eligibility forms on a weekly basis and provide referees in all sports with updated eligibility sheets prior to each game. If eligibility sheets are not submitted or if referees identify any potential eligibility violations, the referee will be required to notify CPS Sports Administration.
o Regional athletic directors and CPS Sports Administration officials will conduct random check-ins at athletic contests to ensure that eligibility forms have been submitted and only eligible students are participating.
o Regional athletic directors and CPS Sports Administration officials will also randomly check-in with schools to ensure that student with ISPs are receiving the academic supports they are required to receive.
• CPS’s Sports Administration Department is holding a comprehensive training session for principals and athletic directors on May 22, 2014, regarding school-level athletic responsibilities, protocols and guidelines.
o The training sessions will instruct principals and athletic directors on the proper procedure for completing and filing Central Office Record Sheets, Eligibility Sheets and Individual Study Plans, in addition to providing a thorough overview of legal requirements, Title IX compliance and CPS’s ethics code.
• CPS has bolstered the format of Individual Study Plans to promote greater compliance and structure.
o The revised format requires administrators to identify specific subject areas of support, specific staff responsibilities and a schedule for providing academic supports.
About Curie:
• The District’s investigation into eligibility violations involving the 2013-2014 Curie Metropolitan High School boys varsity basketball team remains ongoing. Once the investigation is completed, the district will determine if disciplinary action is appropriate for any school staff or administrators.• Because a number of the players on Curie’s 2013-2014 boys varsity basketball team were academically ineligible to compete, their season was forfeited. That decision will not change.
• As with all CPS schools, Curie’s 2014-2015 boys varsity basketball team will be eligible to compete as long as they meet all district eligibility requirements.
CLICK HERE - Sun-Times Exclusive: Was Curie singled out?
CLICK HERE - Sun-Times: Rev. Jesse Jackson seeks probe of CPS basketball
The Illinois HS Boys basketball championships have just
concluded. In Class 3A Chicago Public School Morgan Park won, while in Class 4A
Simeon won its fourth consecutive title.
Both schools have been involved in some “transfer” issues over the past
year. Simeon accepts students with a
requirement they must live with-in the
*According to a Chicago Tribune story - CPS handles rulings on
transfers in the Public League, while the Illinois High School Association
oversees the rest of the state. If a school does not concur with a transfer,
the IHSA or the Public League (if it is to Chicago Public Schools) will
investigate the evidence provided and make a ruling. This happened with Simeon this season with
four players. Russell Woods and Sean
Moore, both seniors, came from Leo ( a
# How easy is it to
transfer in the CPS system? Morgan Park's second-best player as a freshman in 2009-10, who helped to lead the Mustangs to the city
championship, transferred to Crane last year, and then transferred back to
Morgan Park.
Ingram had been declared ineligible by the
IHSA on Jan. 15. Ingram’s father, Donald Ingram, said in early January that he
was in the process of moving his family from Danville to Chicago because of
safety concerns and that Ingram temporarily resided with a guardian, but the
person Ingram resided with had not established legal guardianship and a ruling
was needed. The IHSA said on February 5th that Donald Ingram had established
residency and received custody of his son.
Simeon was not found guilty of recruiting
the players. Simeon did not forfeit any
games because of using ineligible players.
^In an ESPN
Chicago story
“I definitely
feel they were recruited,” said McGrath, who was formerly the Chicago Tribune’s
sports editor and is a graduate of Leo. “They’ve been with us three years.
Russell is a three-year starter. Sean is a two-year starter. I don’t think they
just pick up on their own and go to Simeon. I know the AAU culture exposes them
to other schools and other coaches and other situations. We have three years
invested in these young men, and they have three years invested in us. I don’t
think they on the spur of the moment just pick up and decide to go elsewhere.
*From a Chicago Tribune story - "Transferring didn't start when I
started coaching," said Simeon coach Robert Smith. "I don't have a
problem with it. These are teenagers, and sometimes the parents just don't
know. What they think is good (at first) might not be good."
Other
A new IHSA proposal
that was recently approved and will most likely won’t change the Chicago
situation - Proposal
9 (passed 303-159): Removes the automatic eligibility provision
for first-time transfers from a private school to a home public school, or from
a private school to another private school, and requires in the case of any
transfer not accompanied by a change in residence to another high school
attendance area that the transfer be necessitated by (a) a change in the
family’s financial position or (b) extenuating circumstances documented by the
sending school.
The above
proposal will help with some of the issues directed at private schools, but
will it help with this situation. Eligibility is such an important part to high
school athletics; if it is good enough for every school outside of
Would a separate tournament work for Chicago Public Schools?
Last year Simeon Coach Robert Smith was pushing for one. Smith said the IHSA has treated the CPS unfairly by
putting all the top class 4A CPS schools in one sectional. It might be a solution to all of the
problems, since the CPS does most of the eligibility clearance for their schools,
why not let them have there own tournament.
Looking at a separate tournament for CPS members would benefit the
economic issues facing
How to solve the problem-These will be ideas that may a complete
separate solution or ones that could work together.
IHSA clears all eligibility
for any member school
Any student who transfers
(except for relocation of the family) must sit out a year
No rules on who can
transfer, any student can attend the school of his or her choice and is not
required to stay at that school (a little out of the box, but all schools
treated in the same manner)
This is a problem that seems to be escalating in the CPS
system. I once heard a coach say about
this situation “
All stories below
used to research the story above—
The Real Story of Simeon
Basketball Coach Robert Smith
http://chicagosidesports.com/the-real-story-of-simeon-basketball-coach-robert-smith
* - Transfers don't come
without scrutiny at high-profile program
Three Simeon transfers ruled
ineligible for season
IHSA reinstates Simeon's
Ingram
^Leo president accuses Simeon of recruiting
Simeon's Pollard clutch again against
Curie
#Davis
The 6 biggest prep basketball transfers in Illinois
Simeon coach says other CPS
coaches in favor of having own tournament
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-12-23/sports/ct-spt-1123-prep-bkb-blog_1_simeon-coach-mike-helfgot-simeon-young
IHSA Changes
Proposal 9 (passed 303-159): Removes the automatic eligibility provision for
first-time transfers from a private school to a home public school, or from a
private school to another private school, and requires in the case of any
transfer not accompanied by a change in residence to another high school
attendance area that the transfer be necessitated by (a) a change in the
family’s financial position or (b) extenuating circumstances documented by the
sending school.