A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ENACTING THE "UNIFORM REQUIREMENTS FOR INTERSCHOLASTIC ACTIVITY PARTICIPATION ACT" BY ADDING SECTION 59-63-97 SO AS TO ESTABLISH UNIFORM REQUIREMENTS FOR STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN INTERSCHOLASTIC ACTIVITIES; TO DEFINE NECESSARY TERMS; TO LIMIT THE EXCUSAL OF STUDENTS FROM CORE ACADEMIC CLASSES; TO RESTRICT THE USE OF INSTRUCTIONAL FUNDS FOR INTERSCHOLASTIC ACTIVITIES; TO ESTABLISH ACADEMIC ELIGIBILITY AND INDEPENDENT ACADEMIC REVIEW REQUIREMENTS; AND TO PROVIDE RELATED SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICIES, OVERSIGHT, AND ENFORCEMENT REQUIREMENTS.
H5137 would create the “Uniform Requirements for Interscholastic Activity Participation Act” and add a new section to the South Carolina Code governing student participation in school-sponsored interscholastic activities. The bill defines interscholastic activities broadly to include athletics, performing arts, academic teams, and other school clubs or teams that compete against other schools. It also defines core academic classes as required graduation courses such as math, English language arts, science, social studies, and required foreign languages.
The bill would prohibit students from being excused from core academic classes for practices, games, or competitions except in extraordinary, documented circumstances approved by the principal. It would also require schools to prioritize instructional time over extracurricular participation. In addition, the measure restricts the use of school instructional budgets for interscholastic activities, generally shifting costs like equipment, uniforms, travel, meals, lodging, and fees to fundraising, sponsorships, participant fees, or similar arrangements. For high school students in grades 9-12, it would impose a minimum 2.5 unweighted GPA in core classes for eligibility and require academic review by personnel independent of the activity program. School districts would have to adopt policies, conduct audits, report compliance, and face corrective action for violations. The act would take effect upon gubernatorial approval but would not apply until the 2027-2028 school year.
If enacted, the bill would add a new statewide statutory framework in Title 59 governing how districts handle extracurricular participation, especially the relationship between interscholastic activities and classroom instruction. It would affect school districts, principals, coaches, sponsors, students in grades 9-12, and families participating in athletics, arts, and academic competition programs. The measure would likely require districts to revise attendance, eligibility, budgeting, and compliance policies, and it would limit district discretion by imposing uniform academic and funding rules.
No committee transcript or vote record is available for H5137, so there is no direct evidence of legislative debate or recorded support/opposition in the provided materials. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears to reflect a strong emphasis on academics, instructional time, and fiscal restraint in extracurricular programs. The absence of recorded votes or discussion means the overall sentiment cannot be determined from the available context.
The likely points of contention are the bill’s restrictions on excusing students from class for extracurricular activities, its 2.5 GPA eligibility requirement, and its limits on using instructional funds for interscholastic programs. Supporters would likely view these provisions as protecting classroom time and ensuring academic accountability, while opponents may argue they reduce flexibility for schools, place added burdens on students balancing academics and activities, and shift costs onto families and fundraising. The independent academic review requirement and enforcement provisions could also draw concern from districts over administrative complexity and oversight.