A proposed rule by the Department of Education (DE) allows school associations, at their discretion, to set a dead week or weeks during the summer for a period up to 14 days which no contact with students would be allowed. This could apply to the state’s boys Iowa High School Athletic Association and the Iowa Girls’ High School Athletic Union.
If an organization adopts the policy, and a violation occurs, a coach or volunteer could not participate in an organization sponsored event for up to 1-year of the violation. Given the summer camps and other private organized competitions outside of school year-round, allowing the rule would give students a break, or a little time off.
Another rule change involves elimination of the “double jeopardy” rule. Currently if a middle school or high school student is academically ineligible, for any grading period, they have to sit out for 30 days. Then if they are involved in another activity, for example, band, chorus, or orchestra, they have to sit for another 30-days per activity. The rule would eliminate this “double jeopardy.”
The Iowa Senate last session passed Senate File 437 that would have eliminated “double jeopardy,” but it stalled in the House. The DE is proposing it now as a regulation rule change under their discretion.
