NCAA Boosts Scrutiny of ‘Nontraditional’ High Schools

Responding to recent news stories about star college athletes with fraudulent or sketchy high school qualifications, the National Collegiate Athletic Association is sharpening its scrutiny of high school programs that are not under the purview of accreditation agencies or other authorities.

Steps announced April 27 by the Indianapolis-based governing body for intercollegiate sports include a review of “nontraditional” high schools, including some charter schools and schools that operate only online, and closer scrutiny of the records of high school students who make dramatic academic improvement over a short period.

“We’re less concerned about the method of delivery. … We’re really concerned about the level of teaching,” Kevin C. Lennon, the NCAA’s vice president for membership services, said in an interview. “When you have students not going to class at all and earning grades, that’s something you...