IHSA releases latest bylaw proposals: Football districts, transfer rules and more

The Illinois High School Association released new bylaw amendment proposals on Tuesday morning.

The proposals were submitted by high schools and will be voted on by the IHSA’s Legislative Commission on Nov. 27. Proposals need a simple majority to pass and would then go to all the schools for a vote. That vote is from Dec. 4-18 and requires a simple majority to pass.

Twenty-three proposals were revealed, including one that resurrects the concept of districts for football.

Here’s a summary of some key proposals.

Proposal 7, submitted by Waconda, Bloom, Evergreen Park, Timothy Christian, Oak Park, Sandburg, St. Laurence, St. Francis, Marmion and Notre Dame: Establishes transfer guidelines for students based on their year in school and the number of transfers during their high school years.

Rationale of submitters: An increasing number of students are moving between schools in order to participate in various athletic programs or join coaching staffs. This transfer policy update would limit eligibility for those students who are transferring for a second or third time. Additionally, it would allow students who qualify for limited eligibility to participate in varsity sports if no lower levels are available. Those students, however, would be unable to participate in the state series.

Proposal 8, submitted by Glenbrook North: Allows transfer eligibility for all transfer students at the varsity level and below but no state series competition for 365 days unless the family has moved to a new residence greater than 30 miles from the previous residence in conjunction with the transfer.

Rationale of submitter: It is common knowledge that the number of athletically motivated transfers have greatly increased over the last five years. It is also known that it has become increasingly more difficult for the IHSA and school districts to properly assess and then make a fair and equitable ruling in these cases. The IHSA does not have the resources nor do school districts to monitor the sheer number of transfers. There is great potential with the addition of this by-law that “athletically motivated transfers” will virtually halt or be slowed to a minimum, while still allowing all student-athletes that transfer to compete in dozens of approved interscholastic contests throughout the regular season. Additionally, using the already approved 30-mile radius as a guide, any student-athlete that moves beyond 30-miles is exempt from this by-law. While past by-laws have attempted to regulate transfers, this change simplifies and quantifies for student-athletes, their families, coaches, schools, and the IHSA before the process of transferring even begins.

Proposal 13, submitted by Williamsville on behalf of the Sangamo Conference: Removes the 1.65 multiplier and the multiplier waiver for all schools. Replaced with enrollments of non-boundary schools to be the average enrollment of all public/boundary high schools that are above that school’s enrollment and within a 30- mile radius of the school. Takes effect 2025-2026 school year.

Rationale of submitters: Currently non-boundary schools can draw students from a thirty-mile radius as per by-law 3.032.3. All public/boundary schools are limited to the student population that is within the physical square miles of their school district. By allowing non-boundary schools to draw students from a larger area, this can give them a competitive advantage. This proposal would show the true population density that non-boundary schools can draw from.

Proposal 17, submitted by Geneseo: Adds an opportunity for football teams to conduct a pre-season scrimmage with another school. Specific scrimmage limitations include the following: Use of IHSA Officials, 4 separate 12 play segments, no special teams, 48 total play limits per player, no live contact or thud in practice the day before or after the scrimmage. Scrimmage to be held on Friday or Saturday of IHSA Week 7. Players eligible after participating in 8 different days of practice.

Proposal 18, submitted by Mahomet-Seymour on behalf of the Apollo, Big Twelve, DuPage Valley and Interstate Eight conferences: Football Districts to be formed by geography and classification. 8 districts in each class with 8 schools in each district. District games in weeks 3 – 9 of the regular season. Top 4 schools in each district qualify for the IHSA Play-offs. Seeding procedures will be similar to current seeding procedures. Teams from the same district cannot play in the first round.

Read all the full proposals here.