NCAA REVIEW PROCESS: WHY AND HOW WHAT'S DIFFERENT DURING COVID-19? - Amy Routt Kaylen Overway

NCAA REVIEW PROCESS: WHY
AND HOW… WHAT’S DIFFERENT
DURING COVID-19?

    Amy Routt            Kaylen Overway
   Associate Director       Assistant Director
 of High School Review   of High School Review

AGENDA
• Initial Eligibility.
• COVID-19 Updates.
• High School Review Process.
• Nontraditional Core-Course Legislation.
• Core-Course Requirements.
• Role of the Student.

INITIAL ELIGIBILITY

INITIAL ELIGIBILITY
Grade Point Average
• NCAA Eligibility Center calculates core-course grade-
  point average based on the grades earned in NCAA-
  approved core courses.
• Only the best grades from the required number of
  NCAA core courses are used.
   • Division I requires a minimum 2.300 GPA.
   • Division II requires a minimum 2.200 GPA.

INITIAL ELIGIBILITY
Sliding Scale
• Divisions I and II: Use sliding scales to match test
  scores and GPAs to determine eligibility.
   • Sliding scale balances your students’ test score with their
     GPA.
   • If they have a low test score, they need a higher GPA to be
     eligible.

   Visit ncaa.org/test-scores for more information about test
   scores.

COVID-19
UPDATES

TEST SCORES
Standardized tests scores are excluded from
NCAA initial-eligibility criteria for students who
initially enroll full time in an NCAA school during   Test Scores
the 2020-21, 2021-22, and/or 2022-23 academic
years.

However, colleges and/or scholarship programs
may still require test scores.

DISTANCE OR E-LEARNING
• The following information about distance and
  e-learning applies to these academic years:

     Spring/Summer
                     2020-21       2021-22
          2020

DISTANCE OR E-LEARNING
• The Eligibility Center will not require a
  separate review of distance or e-learning
  programs used during the spring/summer of
  2020, 2020-2021, and 2021-22 academic
  calendars in response to closures due to
  COVID-19.

             Students of         Distance or
          All Grade Levels   E-Learning Program

DISTANCE OR E-LEARNING
• Note: The policy will apply to students from all
  grade levels (e.g., freshmen, sophomores) who
  complete distance or e-learning courses
  during the spring/summer of 2020, 2020-21,
  and 2021-22 academic years.

          Students of         Distance or
       All Grade Levels   E-Learning Program

ADDITIONAL COVID-19
UPDATES
What has changed?
• For students initially enrolling full-time in a division I
  or II college in the 2021-2022 or 2022-2023 academic
  year:
   • Initial-eligibility waiver criteria.
   • Core-course time limitation.

High School
Review Process

THE HIGH SCHOOL REVIEW
STAFF REVIEWS:
     Accounts
     • School policies and operations.
     • Oversight of curriculum, instruction and assessment.

     Programs
     • Instructional models and expectations.

     Core Courses
     • Rigor of performance tasks.
     • Course content.

NONTRADITIONAL CORE
COURSES
• Courses taught via:
   •   Internet;
   •   Distance learning;
   •   Independent study;
   •   Individualized instruction;
   •   Correspondence;
   •   And courses taught by similar means may be used
       to satisfy NCAA core-course requirements if all of
       the following conditions are satisfied:

NONTRADITIONAL CORE
COURSES
 • Meets Bylaw 14.3.1.3 core-course requirements.
 • For purposes of teaching, evaluating and providing assistance
   to the student, throughout the duration of the course:
      • Instructor and student have ongoing access to one another.
      • Instructor and student have regular interaction with one
        another.
 • Student’s work (e.g., exams, papers, assignments) is available
   for evaluation and validation.
 • Evaluation of the student’s work is conducted by the appropriate
   academic authorities in accordance with the high school’s
   established academic policies.
 • Course includes a defined time period for completion.
 • Course is acceptable for any student and is placed on the
   high school transcript.

NCAA PROGRAM REVIEWS
• After review of the nontraditional program is complete,
  a decision email stating whether the program is approved or
  not approved is sent.
    • If not approved, email outlines which part(s) of the
      nontraditional core-course legislation were not met.
• Next Steps
   • Decision inquiry.
   • Reevaluation.

Core-Course
     Review

CORE-COURSE REVIEW
• To be approved, a core course must:

            Meet all NCAA
            Core-Course Legislation

            Meet Core Course Criteria for Review:
              • CourseCompete
                        Content.
              • Rigor of Assessments.

NCAA CORE COURSE
LEGISLATION
Must meet all the following criteria:
  • Qualify for high school graduation in:
     •   English.
     •   Math (Algebra 1 or higher).
     •   Natural or physical science.
     •   Social science.
     •   World language.
     •   Comparative religion.
     •   Philosophy.
  • Considered four-year
    college preparatory.
     • Any course that prepares a student academically to enter a four-year
       collegiate institution upon graduation from high school.
  • Taught at or above the high school’s regular academic level.
  • Taught by a qualified instructor.

CORE-COURSE REVIEW
CRITERIA

        Course Content               Rigor of Assessments

•   What students are expected   •    Cognitive demand
    to know and do by the end         necessary to
    of the course:                    successfully complete
      • Content standards.            an assignment
      • Desired learning              or task.
          outcomes.              •    Course must include
      • Competencies.                 application of
      • Scope and sequence            knowledge through
          of topics.                  higher-order thinking
                                      and skills.

EXAMPLE OF CRITERIA RELATED
TO COURSE CONTENT
• Examples for each subject area are noted in the High School
  Review Committee Policies and Procedures beginning on
  page 40.

EXAMPLES OF CRITERIA
    RELATED TO RIGOR OF
    ASSESSMENTS
    Generally, a course shall include (a) the
    application of skills and concepts, as well as (b)
    strategic thinking and/or (c) extended thinking.
                              Strategic Thinking       Extended Thinking
Application of Skills     •     Require learners to
  and Concepts                                         •   Require linking
                                dissect large scale
•   Require learners to                                    multiple
                                knowledge and
    apply information,                                     informational and
                                information into its
    conceptual                                             knowledge-based
                                smaller
    knowledge, and                                         elements to evaluate
                                components.                a concept as a
    procedures to
    demonstrate subject                                    whole.
    matter mastery.                                    •   Evaluate relevancy,
•   Use context to                                         accuracy, and
    identify meaning of                                    completeness of
    words/phrases.                                         information from
                                                           multiple sources.

CORE-COURSE REVIEW
TYPES
• Schools submit course titles for the first time.
   • Course titles are cross-checked with course catalog
     descriptions.
        • Submitted titles, course catalog titles, and titles on
          transcript should match.
• Schools submit updates to their existing lists
  (adding, archiving or changing course titles).
• Schools upload core-course documents for review.

CORE-COURSE REVIEW
STEPS
• NCAA legislation.
• Criteria for review.
• Context of school’s current list.
• Render one of the following decisions:
   • Approved.
   • Additional Information Required: RC8.
   • Not Approved:
        •   RC5: Doctrinal in nature.
        •   RC11: Taught below regular academic level.
        •   RC12: Not considered four-year college prep.
        •   RC 17: Does not meet core-course guidelines.

NOT APPROVED DECISION
Examples of “Not Approved” titles:
• Basic Algebra 1.
    • RC11 appears to be taught below regular academic level.
• Personal Finance.
    • RC17 – Does not meet NCAA core-course guidelines.
        • HSRC Policies and Procedures, p. 57: “Mathematics
          courses that focus on the application of content to specific
          careers (e.g., accounting, recreation) or personal life (e.g.,
          personal finance, consumer mathematics, arts) will not be
          approved.”
• AP Computer Science (submitted in “additional” discipline).
    • RC1 – Does not meet core graduation requirements.
   Important: Additional category is only comprised of world
   language, comparative religion and philosophy course titles.

CORE-COURSE DOCUMENTS
• Initial decisions and accompanying reason codes are posted
  on the High School Portal.
• Next Steps:
    • If additional information is required, the following
       documentation
       will be requested:
       • Course description.
       • Flowchart showing where course fits, in terms of broader
         pathways.
       • Detailed outline of course content.
       • Three major sample assignments/assessments.
   • If a course is “not approved” initially, and a school would
     like to contest the decision after reviewing the HSRC
     Policies and Procedures, the school can provide
     documentation (noted above).

CORE-COURSE DOCUMENTS
• The Eligibility Center will review the required documentation
  alongside:
    • NCAA core-course legislation.
    • Core-course criteria for review (content and rigor of
       assessments).
• After review of core-course documents is complete, school’s list
  of core courses will be updated.
    • If course is “not approved,” a detailed decision email
       (outlining which part(s) of the core-course legislation and/or
       criteria for review were not met) is sent to primary/secondary
       contact.
• Next Steps:
    • Decision inquiry.
    • Reevaluation.

Role of the
  Student

PROBABILITY OF GOING PRO
• Talk with your student-athletes about the
  importance of finding the right fit both
  academically and athletically.

TWO ACCOUNT TYPES
• Register for a Profile Page or a Certification
  account at eligibilitycenter.org.

PROFILE PAGE ACCOUNT
    Students interested in a Division III school or are not
    sure in which division they want to compete.

    There is no registration fee to create a Profile Page
    account.

    Transition to a Certification account at any time your
    students wish to pursue a Division I or II path.

CERTIFICATION ACCOUNT

   Students must be certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center
   to compete at a Division I or II school.

     The registration fee for domestic students is $90. The
     fee for international students is $150.

   Before students take official visits or sign an NLI, they
   must have a complete Certification account.

SPORTS PARTICIPATION
• When students register for a Certification account, they
  must:
   • Select the sport(s) they would like to play in college.
   • Update their information frequently if they play for multiple
     teams or attend events outside the traditional high school
     setting.
   • Request final amateurism before they enroll full time at a DI or II
     school.

• Note: Over 94% of students do not require additional
  questions from the EC after they request final
  amateurism.

PROACTIVE STUDENT
ACTIONS
• If students want to play sports in college, they
  must:
   • Make sure they are enrolling in courses on their
     school’s NCAA approved core-course list.
   • Perform academically to the best of their ability.
   • Ask their counselor to submit their final transcript
     with proof of graduation.
• Know that considerations are given to
  students with documented education-
  impacting disabilities.

PROACTIVE STUDENT
ACTIONS
• If students want to play sports in college, they must:
   • Share their NCAA ID with schools recruiting them.
   • Apply to schools of their choosing to be accepted.
   • Request final amateurism certification before they
     enroll full time in college.
       • Starting April 1 (fall).
       • Starting Oct. 1 (winter/spring).

PROACTIVE STUDENT
ACTIONS
• Ask lots of questions!

Resources

RESOURCES
            • Review our COVID-19 FAQ.
            • Visit our websites:
                •   ncaa.org/playcollegesports.
                •   eligibilitycenter.org.
            • Visit nationalletter.org to learn
              about the NLI.
            • Download our resources:
                •   Guide for the College-Bound
                    Student-Athlete.
                •   Initial-Eligibility Flyer.
                •   Guide for High School Counselors.
                •   NCAA Home School Toolkit.
            • Review the NCAA recruiting
              FAQs.

Questions?

“WHAT IF I STILL HAVE
QUESTIONS?”
• High school administrators:
  • Call 877-622-2321.
  • M-F 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern time.   Ask the EC
• Students and parents:
  • Call 877-262-1492.
  • M-F 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time.

View the EC
COVID FAQ

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THANK YOU
Contact the NCAA Eligibility Center.             Subscribe to the

• High school administrators:
                                                  HS Newsletter

  •   Call 877-622-2321.
  •   M-F 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern time.
• Students and parents:
  •   Call 877-262-1492.
  •   M-F 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time.