The New York State Education Department is considering a proposal aimed at enhancing inclusivity in school sports for both boys and girls. The proposal, currently under review by the NYS Board of Regents, seeks to facilitate the ability of girls to join boys’ sports teams and vice versa if there is no team available for their gender. This initiative would mandate schools to assess student eligibility for sports participation through a try-out process conducted by school staff to evaluate various factors such as sports skills, motor development, knowledge of the sport, motivation, cognitive and social development.

Documents from CNY Central reveal that the proposed amendment, set to come into effect on July 1, 2025, will refine the Athletic Placement Process to ensure that student-athletes engage in sports safely at an appropriate competition level. It stresses the importance of obtaining informed consent from parents or guardians, as well as verifying that students demonstrate adequate personal and social responsibility, sport-specific skills, game knowledge, and physical fitness required for team selection.

Jason Czarny, the Executive Director of Section II Athletics which oversees public school sports in an extensive region, expressed the organization’s support for inclusivity in school athletics. However, he raised concerns about potential challenges with regards to mixed-gender athletics, emphasizing the need to prevent displacement of female athletes due to unlimited access for male students to try out for female teams.

Czarny highlighted the importance of enforcing any decisions made and expressed hope that feedback received during the open comment period, ending on July 21, will help shape the final revisions to ensure the most appropriate outcome without unintended consequences. Parents, coaches, community leaders, and others are encouraged to submit their comments to ensure their perspectives are considered in the decision-making process.