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East Stroudsburg board asks staff to research allowing Notre Dame students to play district sports; no policy change yet
Summary
Board members discussed a request to allow resident students who attend Notre Dame (a local nonpublic school) to participate in East Stroudsburg district athletics. Trustees directed administration and athletic staff to research legal, eligibility and logistics issues and return with recommendations at a future meeting.
The East Stroudsburg Area School District Board of Education on Jan. 27 agreed to research whether resident students who attend Notre Dame, a private Catholic school, may participate in the district's athletic programs, but took no immediate action.
Board members said the district received a parent request asking that students who live inside district boundaries but attend Notre Dame be allowed to join district teams for sports the private school does not provide. Trustees instructed administration, including the athletic directors, to investigate state law and Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) rules, transportation and eligibility procedures and to return to the board with findings.
Board members and staff said the request raises several legal and operational questions that require review. Chris (Superintendent) told trustees that state law clearly requires jurisdictions to provide opportunities for charter and homeschooled students, but his initial review did not show a statutory mandate covering private school students; he said his 'hunch' was that private schools are not guaranteed the same right. Trustees asked staff to check PIAA rules and seek guidance about whether permitting nonpublic students to join district teams could affect district teams' eligibility for postseason competition.
Members also flagged logistical and equity concerns. Trustees asked staff to examine whether Notre Dame students would need a memorandum of understanding, how academic eligibility would be verified (grades checks), which party would provide transportation to practices and games, and how roster spots would be handled during tryouts. Board members noted prior attempts in the district to address related issues had encountered complications around eligibility documentation and deadlines.
Several trustees said participation should be limited to resident students who live within district boundaries and to sports not offered by the private school. Trustees discussed the potential for a broader 'slippery slope' if non-sports activities or students living outside the district were later included, and several said any policy should require the same participation expectations (tryouts, mandatory practices, academic checks) as other students.
Trustees asked athletic staff to consult PIAA and to examine whether exceptions, MOUs or eligibility processes are feasible without jeopardizing district teams' postseason eligibility. The board directed administration to gather information and bring recommendations to the board at a future meeting; no formal vote was taken.
The board did not adopt a policy at the meeting and made no commitment to approve or deny the parent request. Administration said it will return with legal guidance, proposed policy language, and recommended operational procedures if the board wants to move forward.
The board's follow-up will address transportation, academic-eligibility verification, PIAA eligibility risks, and a potential MOU with the nonpublic school. Trustees indicated they expect to consider the matter again before next fall's sports season if staff find a viable path forward.
