College & Workforce Readiness

NCAA Moves to Bench Two Virtual Schools

By The Associated Press — June 07, 2010 2 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

The National Collegiate Athletic Association has a message for would-be college athletes hoping to use online courses to bolster their high school transcripts: Proceed with caution.

The organization announced late last month that it will stop accepting course credit from two virtual schools, based in Utah and Illinois, as part of a move to strengthen high school eligibility standards in Division I.

That means no more high school credit from Brigham Young University’s independent-study program. The school in Provo, Utah, had previously been targeted by NCAA investigators and federal prosecutors pursuing claims of academic fraud involving the University of Missouri, University of Kansas, University of Mississippi, Nicholls State University in Louisiana, and Barton County Community College in Kansas.

Also on the association’s prohibited list is the American School, a correspondence program based in Lansing, Ill.

New NCAA rules require “regular access and interaction” between teachers and students in the 16 core courses that are required to establish initial eligibility for new college athletes.

Courses Need Rigor

The changes don’t affect Division II schools. An oversight panel from that division declined to endorse the proposed change but will consider the measure again this month.

“We want to make sure that student-athletes are qualified for college coursework,” said NCAA spokesman Chuck Wynne. “Students cannot teach themselves, and they cannot pace themselves. The courses need to have a certain amount of rigor.”

Such interaction doesn’t have to include face-to-face contact, according to the association. Telephone conversations, e-mail exchanges, and instant messages are also acceptable—provided the student receives specific comments and individual instruction.

The new rules don’t specify a minimum length for online courses. Instead, they require schools to “establish a defined period for completion of the course.”

The changes are effective Aug. 1. Students currently enrolled in the BYU and American School virtual programs can still petition the NCAA for course approval.

‘A Disappointment’

A BYU spokeswoman said the school’s independent-study program hopes to work with the association on potential improvements that could land it back on the list of approved online schools.

“We’ve always had a good relationship with the NCAA,” Carri Jenkins said. “We have worked very hard to make our courses as rigorous as any high school course.”

American School’s principal, Marie Limback, called the NCAA’s decision “shortsighted and a misunderstanding of the education we provide.”

“There’s no question about the rigor and level of education we provide,” she said of the 113-year-old school based in suburban Chicago. “It’s a disappointment for distance education.”

At the University of Missouri, the BYU program is best known as the school that provided former Tiger basketball player Ricky Clemons with nine of the 24 summer school credits he needed to enroll as a junior-college transfer in 2002.

While BYU said it found no evidence of cheating on Mr. Clemons’ part, questions about his enrollment and subsequent findings of more than 40 violations led to three years of NCAA probation under former Missouri basketball coach Quin Snyder.

The NCAA’s Mr. Wynne said that other virtual schools could be added to the decertification list.

A version of this article appeared in the June 09, 2010 edition of Education Week as NCAA Moves to Bench Two Virtual Schools

Events

School Climate & Safety Webinar Engaging Every Student: How to Address Absenteeism and Build Belonging
Gain valuable insights and practical solutions to address absenteeism and build a more welcoming and supportive school environment.
Student Well-Being K-12 Essentials Forum Social-Emotional Learning 2025: Examining Priorities and Practices
Join this free virtual event to learn about SEL strategies, skills, and to hear from experts on the use and expansion of SEL programs.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Professional Development Webinar
Inside PLCs: Proven Strategies from K-12 Leaders
Join an expert panel to explore strategies for building collaborative PLCs, overcoming common challenges, and using data effectively.
Content provided by Otus

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

College & Workforce Readiness Leader To Learn From This Leader Made the Tagline 'Discover Your Future' Real for Students. Here's How
Lazaro Lopez was the architect of an early national career-pathway model that is still reaping dividends for students.
12 min read
Lazaro Lopez, associate superintendent for teaching and learning at High School District 214, visits the manufacturing lab at Wheeling High School, where he talks with students and their instructor, in Wheeling, Ill., on Dec. 3, 2024.
Lazaro Lopez, associate superintendent for teaching and learning at High School District 214, visits the manufacturing lab at Wheeling High School, where he talks with students and their instructor, in Wheeling, Ill., on Dec. 3, 2024.
Jamie Kelter Davis for Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness Q&A The Power of Career Pathways for Engaging High School Students
Lazaro Lopez is building career pathways to help students graduate with clear, relevant steps toward college and careers.
4 min read
Lazaro Lopez, associate superintendent for teaching and learning at High School District 214, stands for a portrait at Wheeling High School in Wheeling, Ill., on Dec. 3, 2024.
Lazaro Lopez, associate superintendent for teaching and learning at High School District 214, at Wheeling High School in Wheeling, Ill., on Dec. 3, 2024.
Jamie Kelter Davis for Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness Boys Think School Is a Waste of Time. Career Pathways Prove Them Wrong
Real-world, experiential learning appeals to how boys learn best, educators say.
7 min read
High school student Aaron Bartsch, 17, helps unload tools from a work van before working in a customer’s home as part of an internship with Barkley Heating and Air in Smyrna, Del., on October 15, 2024.
High schooler Aaron Bartsch, 17, helps unload tools from a work van before working in a customer’s home as part of an internship with Barkley Heating and Air in Smyrna, Del., on Oct. 15, 2024. His high school offers career pathways so students can get a taste of real-world, experiential learning.
Michelle Gustafson for Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness The SEL Skills Google, Microsoft, and Other Top Companies Want Schools to Teach
Senior executives from U.S. companies put a high priority on so-called "soft skills."
8 min read
Diverse male and female characters are assembling cogwheels together at work. Concept of soft skills, work operations, and teamwork productivity. Business workflow as cogwheel mechanism.
Rudzhan Nagiev/iStock