Public school support for sports associations faces conditions in 2027

Public schools must limit membership and financial support to sports associations whose governing rules meet the law’s requirements. The restriction covers public school districts, charter schools, and charter school authorizers joining associations, affiliating with them, paying fees, or giving other financial support. Boards must include school leaders elected by schools, four legislative appointees who do not work for member schools or their districts, and the State Superintendent of Education or a designee. School representatives must include middle schools, private schools, and charter schools. Elected members serve staggered terms. Members cannot serve more than two consecutive three-year terms, and chairmen cannot serve more than two consecutive years. Associations must submit annual budgets to lawmakers and accept legislative audits, oversight, and appearances before legislative budget committees. Commissioners must file annual financial-interest disclosures. Their contracts cannot exceed three years, renew automatically, or be renewed yearly before the current contract expires. The conditions on school membership and financial support take effect June 30, 2027.

Associations seeking public school support must include rules protecting school participation and allowing certain private school students to try out for public school teams. These rules cover private schools, charter schools, home school teams, and private school students seeking a place on a public school team. Private schools and charter schools must receive equal membership rights and access to competitions, including championships. Their status alone cannot justify expulsion or unreasonable denial of membership. Admission standards must be reasonable, and denied applicants must receive written reasons within five business days. South Carolina home school teams belonging to a home school athletic association cannot be denied preseason or regular-season access solely because they are home school teams. All other association rules apply. A private school student must live in the public school’s attendance zone. The private school must be outside the South Carolina High School League and must not offer the sport for the student’s gender. The student must notify the district superintendent in writing before the season begins, pay sport fees, and meet eligibility rules except class and enrollment requirements. The student and a parent or guardian must agree to follow the public school’s conduct rules. The student cannot have been expelled from that public school during the same academic year. Selection is required to play, and private school students cannot exceed 10 percent of the team. These participation rules become conditions for public school support on June 30, 2027.

Associations seeking public school support must include rules on student earnings, penalties, eligibility, and grouping schools for competition. Associations must also follow state education officials’ eligibility decisions. For private students playing public school sports, public school policies cannot govern their private schools except for grade-point average and grade-level requirements related to participation and regular practices. Rules must prohibit students from earning money through the use of their names, images, or likenesses. Uniform fines must cover cancelled contests at all school competition levels and refusals to schedule required contests within the same region. A cancellation fine must equal the costs for officials, tickets, and concessions or $1,000, whichever is greater. A waiver is allowed only for rescheduling or a documented health or safety reason; the law says the school cannot be fined in those cases. Other penalties must consider the seriousness, frequency, and other relevant facts of a violation. Uniform eligibility rules for new students cannot be stricter than association rules in effect January 1, 2020. Grouping schools for competition must use a multiplier system that weighs location, enrollment, enough players for safe teams, and performance in each sport. Enrollment includes students from outside attendance zones, and satellite campuses count with their school. These rules become conditions for public school support on June 30, 2027.

Academically eligible students attending schools outside their attendance zones can use a one-time transfer to compete immediately. The provision applies despite an association’s transfer rules and covers academically eligible students attending a school outside their attendance zone. Middle school students qualify after establishing eligibility in seventh grade. High school students qualify after establishing eligibility in ninth grade. This provision does not apply to transfers caused by a genuine change of residence. Students must register at the school before competing or practicing. The transfer provision took effect upon the Governor’s approval on May 18, 2026.

Sports associations must provide appeals to an independent seven-member panel and fast review when ordinary appeals would prevent participation. The process covers appeals of school sports association decisions, including penalties and decisions that prevent participation. Principals and superintendents may appeal association rulings. The panel makes the final decision, and an appeal pauses an association penalty until the appeal ends. Fast appeals must be heard and decided when ordinary review would prevent a student, team, program, or school from taking part in competitions or practices. Each congressional district’s delegation appoints one panel member for a four-year term. Members cannot also be association officers or have served on its executive committee during the three years before appointment. Before deciding a penalty, the panel must consider the violation’s seriousness, frequency, whether it was intentional, and whether those involved reported it themselves. The appeals requirements took effect upon the Governor’s approval on May 18, 2026.