| (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.
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