Presumptive Eligibility Transfers – 11th & 12th Grades

1. Natural Break Transfer.

Promotion from a junior high/middle school to a senior high school is considered a Transfer between schools.  A student, who has made a Natural Break Transfer and who has not previously participated on a different senior high school Team in any sport, is presumptively eligible immediately for interscholastic athletics.

Definition of Natural Break Transfer: A Transfer occurring when the student:

  1. has completed the highest grade of a public junior high/middle school and is thereupon promoted by the public school district to a public senior high school in the same public school district;
  2. has completed the highest grade of a public or Private junior high/middle School and has enrolled in a Private senior high School;
  3. has enrolled in the lowest grade of a public senior high school, after having completed the previous grade at a Private junior high/middle School; and/or
  4. has enrolled in the lowest grade of a Private senior high School, after having completed the previous grade at a public junior high/middle school.

2. Administrative Transfer.

For administrative, non-disciplinary purposes, the student has been transferred by executive action initiated by school administrative personnel to a PIAA member school within the same public school district or, if previously enrolled at a Catholic school, within the same Archdiocese or Diocese.  An expulsion does not constitute an administrative Transfer under this subsection.

3. Change of Residence of Parent(s).

       The student (1) has moved with and resides with the student’s natural or, if legally adopted, the student’s adoptive parents, or with either parent and (2) has transferred to a PIAA member school in the public school district in which the student now resides, or to a Private School.

Upon the separation of the student’s natural or adoptive parents, the student has accompanied the parent departing from the family residence and resides with the departing parent in the public school district in which that parent establishes residence; and the student has transferred to a PIAA member school in the public school district in which the student now resides, or to a Private School.

A student whose natural or adoptive parents are separated, and who has more than one Transfer between residences of separated parents shall have the student’s eligibility determined under Section 5 herein.

4. Change of Residence of Legal Guardian(s).

The student (1) has moved with and resides with legal guardian(s), appointed by order of a Court of Common Pleas; (2) has transferred to a PIAA member school in the public school district in which the student now resides, or to a Private School; and (3) the student’s eligibility is approved by the Regional Panel or District Committee, within their respective jurisdictions.  If the appointment of a legal guardian is pending, the student will be eligible when such eligibility is approved by the Regional Panel or District Committee.

5. Change of Residence of Foster Parent(s).

The student (1) has moved with and resides with foster parents, with the approval of the local child welfare organization; and (2) has transferred to a PIAA member school in the public school district in which the student now resides, or to a Private School.

6. School Closing.

The school where the student has attended is abolished.

7. Boarding School Student.

The student has enrolled at, and resides in housing provided by and on the campus owned by, a Private School.  NOTE:  This relates only to Transfers.  Students who are placed by court order or as a result of disability must still meet the applicable requirements of ARTICLE III, ATTENDANCE, Section 1, Where Enrolled for Attendance, and Section 8B, Students Placed by Court Order or as a Result of Disability, of the PIAA By-Laws.

8. Transfer From Court Assigned School.

Upon transferring from a school at which a student was placed pursuant to a court order, said student is presumptively eligible at (1) a public school in the district of residence of the student where the student would have otherwise attended but for the judicial assignment and, if different, (2) the school at which the student attended prior to placement pursuant to court order.  If the student transfers to any other school, the student is presumptively ineligible in all sports played within one year prior to transfer.  Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3 of this ARTICLE, said period of ineligibility will be lifted only if the student demonstrates by clear and convincing evidence that the decision to enroll at such school was not motivated by a desire to play for or with a particular student, school, Coach or Team.

Is the student presumptively eligible based on the transfer?