–During their meeting this week, the Algona School Board officially approved the district’s policy regarding 8th grade athletes participating in varsity level athletics. The Iowa legislature approved a bill this year that will allow 8th grade athletes to play all varsity sports, and not just baseball or softball, as it has been in the past. Superintendent Joe Carter told the board that directions have been received from the Iowa Department of Education that were needed before schools could implement their own policies. Carter says these clarifications are centered around three main points.
8th grade athletes will also be eligible academically upon entering the 9th grade despite any grade problems while in Middle School and athletes will have 8 semesters to compete in Varsity sports upon entering the 9th grade. Carter says this allowed the district to develop a policy that will dictate how and when 8th graders are used at the Varsity level.
Carter says area schools are finalizing the plans ahead of the fall sports season that gets going in just a couple of weeks.
While states like Minnesota and South Dakota allow 7th and 8th grade students to compete in Varsity sports, Iowa’s law only expands eligibility to students in the 8th grade.
