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Johnson City outlines eligibility rules for Market Street virtual school athletics and activities
Summary
Board clarified that Johnson City virtual school students may access in-zone sports and activities at their zoned brick-and-mortar schools; out-of-district virtual students will be limited by athletic-association bylaws to non‑sanctioned activities.
Johnson City Schools told the school board on Tuesday that students enrolled in the district's new Market Street School virtual K–12 option will be eligible to participate in in‑zone, TSSAA‑sanctioned sports and school clubs at the brick‑and‑mortar school for their attendance zone.
"Students who would otherwise go to Science Hill High School, Liberty Bell Middle School, or Indian Trail Middle School would be eligible to participate in TSSAA‑sanctioned sports," Superintendent Dr. Slater said during the meeting. He said Market Street School is designated as a public school within the district's LEA but does not offer its own separate sports or clubs.
Dr. Slater said students who live outside Johnson City Schools' attendance zones and enroll in the virtual Market Street School would not be eligible for TSSAA‑sanctioned sports under the athletic-association bylaws. Those out‑of‑district students may, however, participate in non‑sanctioned sports and after‑school clubs at the nearby zoned school, the superintendent added.
Board members asked for clarification about the distinction between virtual enrollment and brick‑and‑mortar tuitioned students; Dr. Slater confirmed the difference is the virtual‑school status. The board and staff said principals at Indian Trail Middle School, Liberty Bell Middle School and Science Hill High School have agreed to coordinate opportunities for Market Street students in their zones.
The board made no policy change during the meeting; staff said legal guidance from district counsel informed the eligibility explanation.
