NYSPHSAA TRANSFER RULE
A. A student in grades 9-12 who transfers, with a corresponding change in residence of his/her parents (or other person with whom the student has resided for at least six months) shall become eligible after starting regular attendance in the second school. A residence change must involve a move from one school district to another. Furthermore, when a student moves from one public school district to another public school district, for athletic eligibility, the student must enroll in the public school district or in a private school within that district’s boundaries of his/her parents’ residency. For athletic eligibility, a residency is changed when one is abandoned by the immediate family and another residency is established through action and intent. Residency requires one’s physical presence as an inhabitant and the intent to remain indefinitely The Superintendent, or designee, will determine if the student has met district residence requirements.
B. A student who transfers without a corresponding change in residence of his/her parents (or other persons with whom the student has resided for at least six months) is ineligible to participate in any interscholastic athletic contest in a particular sport for a period of one (1) year if, as a 9-12 grade student, participated in that sport during the one (1) year period immediately preceding his/her transfer. Students who transfer from any school to the public school district of the residence of his/her parents (or other persons with whom the student has resided for a at least six months) or a private school within that district’s boundaries shall be exempt from the Transfer Rule. That type of a transfer without penalty will only be permitted once in a high school career. NOTE: A student in a foreign exchange program listed by CSIET has a one-year waiver of the Transfer Rule. If such a student elects to stay a second year he/she becomes a foreign student at the start of the school year with item (B) in effect.
Exemptions to (B): For athletic eligibility a student must enroll in the public school district or in a nonpublic school within that district’s boundaries of his/her parent’s residency.
1. The student reaches the age of majority and establishes residency in a district and can substantiate that they are independent and self-supporting.
2. If a private or parochial school ceases to operate, a student may transfer to another private or parochial school of his/her choice. Otherwise, a student must enroll in the public school district of his/her parents’ residency.
3. A student who is a ward of the court or state and is placed in a district by court order. Guardianship does not fulfill this requirement.
4. A student from divorced or “legally” separated parents who moves into a new school district with one of the aforementioned parents. Such a transfer is allowed once every six months. The legal separation agreement must address custody, child support, spousal support and distribution of assets and be filed with the County Clerk or issued by a Judge.
5. A student who is declared homeless by the Superintendent pursuant to commissioner’s Regulation 100.2.
6. A student of a military employee who is transferred to an active military base may enroll in the non-public school closest to their residence and maintain eligibility if the student enrolls in a nonpublic school immediately following the change in residence.
NOTE: It is provided, however, that each school shall have the opportunity to petition the Section involved to approve transfer without penalty based on an undue hardship for the student.
C. Transfer students trying out for sports before school opens in the fall shall register and be accepted by the principal of that school before the medical examination and the first practice. This shall constitute the start of the regular attendance for fall sports.
NOTE: After approval by the school medical officer, a student may practice immediately and must satisfy the specific Sports Standard according to the number of practice sessions required.
D. Practices at the previous school may be counted toward the minimum number of practices required provided the principal or athletic director of the previous school submits, in writing, the number and dates of such practices to the principal or athletic director of the new school.
E. 7th and 8th graders who compete at the HS level will be subject to the transfer rule in “that” sport, effective with the 2017-2018 school year.