Any student enrolling in a South Dakota district pursuant to § 13-15-21 is eligible to participate in any interscholastic activity sponsored by the South Dakota High School Activities Association.

Each public school district shall allow participation in athletics, fine arts, or activities for a child being provided alternative instruction pursuant to § 13-27-3 within the district in which the child resides. The parent, guardian, or other person in control of a child being provided alternative instruction shall submit proof of age when participating in athletics, fine arts, or activities. Any child being provided with alternative instruction and participating in South Dakota High School Activities Association activities shall be held to the same local training rules and South Dakota High School Activities Association transfer and non-academic eligibility rules as enrolled students.

Terms Used In South Dakota Codified Laws 13-36-7

  • Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
  • Person: includes natural persons, partnerships, associations, cooperative corporations, limited liability companies, and corporations. See South Dakota Codified Laws 2-14-2
  • Transcript: A written, word-for-word record of what was said, either in a proceeding such as a trial or during some other conversation, as in a transcript of a hearing or oral deposition.

Pursuant to § 13-27-3 and before the current season of the sport or activity the alternative instruction child is participating in, the parent, guardian, or other person in control of a child being provided alternative instruction shall provide the appropriate school official with a copy of a transcript of the previous semester’s completed coursework that is issued by the parent, guardian, or other person in control of the child. The parent, guardian, or other person in control of a child being provided alternative instruction shall notify the appropriate school official if the child becomes ineligible under South Dakota High School Activities Association or local school rules in so far as those standards apply to § 13-27-3.

Nothing in this section confers any vested right in any student wishing to participate in any interscholastic activity to be selected for competition in such activity. However, any enrolled student who leaves an accredited program during the course of the school year and who will be provided alternative instruction is ineligible for participation in interscholastic activities for the balance of the current season of the sport or activity the student is participating in at the time of notification of alternative instruction.

Source: SL 1993, ch 131; SL 2003, ch 103, § 2; SL 2021, ch 76, § 18.