Maryland schools must now allow students with disabilities to participate in school sports programs as long as their participation would not pose a risk to themselves or others, and does not change the nature of the game or event, reports The Baltimore Sun.
The Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association adopted the new wording to its bylaws Tuesday. The association’s executive director, Ned Sparks, told the Sun he believes Maryland is the first state to take such action.
New guidelines also call for school systems to develop “corollary athletic programs” that are not subject to MPSSAA bylaws and allow greater flexibility in meeting the athletic needs of students with disabilities, the Sun reports.
Education Week ran a feature story in November about the issue of including students with disabilities in physical education classes and after-school sports. Check it out here.
