SECTION 76.1001. Extracurricular Activities

(a) An extracurricular activity is an activity sponsored by the University Interscholastic League (UIL), the school district board of trustees, or an organization sanctioned by resolution of the board of trustees. The activity is not necessarily directly related to instruction of the essential knowledge and skills but may have an indirect relation to some areas of the curriculum. Extracurricular activities include, but are not limited to, public performances, contests, demonstrations, displays, and club activities, with the exception of public performances specified in paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection.

(1) In addition, an activity shall be subject to the provisions for an extracurricular activity if any one of the following criteria apply:

(A) the activity is competitive;

(B) the activity is held in conjunction with another activity that is considered to be extracurricular;

(C) the activity is held off campus, except in a case in which adequate facilities do not exist on campus;

(D) the general public is invited; or

(E) an admission is charged.

(2) A student ineligible to participate in an extracurricular activity, but who is enrolled in a state-approved course that requires demonstration of the mastery of the essential knowledge and skills in a public performance, may participate in the performance subject to the following requirements and limitations.

(A) Only the criterion listed in paragraph (1)(D) of this subsection applies to the performance.

(B) The requirement for student participation in public is stated in the essential knowledge and skills of the course.

(3) A student ineligible to participate in an extracurricular activity, but who is enrolled in a state-approved music course that participates in UIL Concert and Sightreading Evaluation, may perform with the ensemble during the UIL evaluation performance.

(b) The school week is defined as beginning at 12:01 a.m. on the first instructional day of the calendar week and ending at the close of instruction on the last instructional day of the calendar week, excluding holidays.

(c) In accordance with the provisions of the Texas Education Code (TEC), §33.0811, the number of times that a school district may allow a student to miss a class for extracurricular participation during a school year shall be determined by the school district board of trustees. Each school district must maintain an accurate record of extracurricular absences for each student in the school district each school year.

(d) Limitations on practice, rehearsal, and student participation in extracurricular activities during the school week shall be as follows.

(1) For any given extracurricular activity, a student may not participate in more than one activity per school week, excluding holidays, except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection.

(2) In addition to the limit specified in paragraph (1) of this subsection of one extracurricular activity permitted per school week, a student may also participate in a tournament or post-district contest, as well as a contest postponed by weather or public disaster that may determine advancement to a post-district level of competition.

(3) For each extracurricular activity, a school district must limit students to a maximum of eight hours of practice and rehearsal outside the school day per school week.

(4) The commissioner of education recommends that school districts avoid scheduling extracurricular activities or public performances on the day or evening immediately preceding the day on which the administration of the statewide student assessment program is scheduled for Grades 3-11.

(e) Limitations on practice and rehearsal for extracurricular activities during the school day shall be as follows.

(1) A school district must limit a student to one period of practice during the regularly scheduled school day for extracurricular activities, such as athletics, or drill team, or cheerleading.

(2) The limit specified in paragraph (1) of this subsection of one period per school day for practice in an extracurricular activity does not prohibit a student from enrolling in any state-approved class. A student who is enrolled in a state-approved class that includes essential knowledge and skills that relate to the preparation for an extracurricular activity may practice that extracurricular activity no more than one period during the school day.

(3) A student may not be permitted to miss a scheduled academic class to practice for an unrelated extracurricular activity.

(4) A school district must limit extracurricular practice during the school day to ensure that class periods for extracurricular practice do not exceed the time allotted for other class periods.

(5) A school operates on a traditional class schedule or on a non-traditional class schedule, such as an alternating, accelerated, or a modified block schedule. Regardless of the schedule type in place, a school may elect to practice extracurricular activities daily, provided the total minutes allowed for the extracurricular practice is not greater than 300 minutes during the school week.

(f) The provisions of this section apply to any UIL activity. Any other organization requiring student participation that causes a student to miss a class may request sanction from the school district board of trustees. If the organization is sanctioned by resolution of the board of trustees, student participation in the organization's activities shall be subject to all provisions of this section and statute. Any absence incurred by a student while participating with an organization that has not received sanction from the school district board of trustees shall be subject to provisions of the TEC related to student attendance.

Source Note: The provisions of this §76.1001 adopted to be effective April 9, 2000, 25 TexReg 2807; amended to be effective January 5, 2003, 27 TexReg 12189; amended to be effective May 1, 2019 44 TexReg 2157