Hawkins County Schools walks board through new TSSAA transfer portal and eligibility questions

Hawkins County Schools staff presented a detailed walk‑through Sept. 4 of the new Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) transfer portal and its implications for student‑athlete eligibility.

Thomas Floyd, the district high‑school supervisor, outlined the one‑time transfer rule enacted statewide this year, which allows transfers when parents or students cite academic reasons, social‑emotional needs or mental‑health issues. Floyd told the board: “All eligibility submittals are determined by TSSAA. They’re not local decisions.”

Board members and administrators discussed how the new portal changes the process. Key points included: - Receiving and sending schools must respond in the portal; the TSSAA makes the final eligibility decision in Nashville. - Parents or students may initiate requests; if the initial request is denied, a hardship application is available and can include documentation such as counselor or psychologist reports. Floyd said hardship applications allow narrative explanations and that many denied initial requests are resubmitted as hardship cases. - Homeschool students who register with the district may participate for the zone school in which they reside; the August deadline for tryouts was removed, allowing later notifications and tryouts, subject to verification. - District staff said they will perform residency verification — including home visits when warranted — and will not allow students to participate in practices or games until the student is vetted and covered by school insurance.

Director Matt Hixson and district staff emphasized conservative local procedures to reduce liability and ensure fairness. Hixson said the administration required verification before allowing transfer students into summer practices, even when TSSAA guidance permitted summer participation, to ensure addresses and eligibility were confirmed.

Board members asked about custody and shared‑residency situations; staff said those questions can involve legal review and that TSSAA and the district evaluate the facts of each case. Administrators also said transfer approvals have increased statewide and that future legislative changes remain uncertain.

District staff distributed the TSSAA handbook link and offered to share the presentation with community members. They asked the public to bring specific eligibility questions to the central office rather than seek case details on social media, citing student privacy.