AUSTIN – State Board of Education members agreed Thursday to move ahead on a proposed rule that would allow high school athletes to receive twice as much credit toward graduation as allowed under current state requirements.

The proposal – allowing four years of sports to count for credit instead of two – will be drafted as a new state rule and voted on by the board at its next meeting in September.

Although some board members voiced reservations about the idea, most who spoke on the issue Thursday expressed support for the rule, calling it a matter of fairness for thousands of student athletes in Texas high schools.

Backers, including the Texas High School Coaches Association, contend that new state graduation requirements calling on students to do more coursework discriminate against student athletes by slicing the time available for participation in sports.

"This is a fairness issue," said board member Ken Mercer, R-San Antonio, noting that students in other extracurricular activities – such as band and dance – can get four years of credit for those activities.

"If we are going to honor scholar dancers, why not honor scholar athletes?" he asked. "We will still be requiring all the core [academic] courses for all our students."

A recent survey by the Texas Education Agency of 1,154 Texas superintendents, principals and teachers found that more than 86 percent favored the idea of credit for four years of sports.

Craig Agnew, the Brenham High School coach and teacher who petitioned the board to adopt the rule, told members that an "unfair burden" is being placed on student athletes who are struggling to meet all the new course requirements while continuing to participate in sports. That burden was not imposed on students in activities such as band, choir, dance teams, theater and Junior ROTC, he pointed out.

"I was dumbfounded by the lack of fairness toward athletes," he said. "Many of these students are having to make alternative academic plans while others will opt not to participate in athletics for all four years."

Asked whether the change would lead to increased pressure on some students to participate in sports for four years, Mr. Agnew replied: "I would be naive to say no. But I also believe it won't happen in good programs that do things the right way."

Board member Terri Leo, R-Spring, was the main critic of the proposal, arguing that it would force the board to write curriculum standards for football, basketball and other sports, and that it would reduce the number of elective courses that student athletes could take in high school.

"I am concerned we are not adding academic rigor in our high schools if we do this," she said. "Let's wait and see how the [new graduation standards] work."

But other board members said there were persuaded by Mr. Agnew's arguments.

"I have generally found that students who do best in school are those who participate in extracurricular activities," said Bob Craig, R-Lubbock. "And if we're going to give four credits for band and ROTC, I believe we ought to do the same for athletics."

Under the new state graduation requirements, which took effect with freshmen last year, students need four years each of math, science, English and social studies – the so-called 4x4 core courses – along with their electives and a handful of other required classes such as two years of foreign language and 1 ½ years of physical education.

In all, the number of credits needed to get a diploma will increase from 24 to 26 for students graduating in 2011. A credit is equal to one year of instruction in a subject.

Students can now get up to two years of credit for participation in sports, which meets the current requirement of 1 ½ years of physical education and also a half-year toward elective course requirements.

Under the proposed rule, a student would be able to count the additional two years in athletics as part of the elective courses needed for graduation. The so-called Recommended High School Program – taken by most students – requires 3 ½ elective credits to graduate, as well as 1 ½ credits of physical education.

That would mean a student utilizing the proposed option would count four years of sports as 1 ½ credits in physical education and 2 ½ credits in electives.

Other groups supporting the change are the Texas Girls Coaches Association and the Texas Athletic Directors Association.

A State Board of Education committee, ignoring the advice of a key House member, voted Thursday to adopt broad guidelines for an elective Bible course expected to be offered in Texas high schools by fall 2009.

CONSIDERATION: The full board will consider the rule creating the Bible course today.

ADVICE: Rep. Scott Hochberg, D-Houston, who helped write the 2007 law authorizing the course, urged the board to craft specific requirements for the class to avoid First Amendment lawsuits against school districts.

BUT ... The panel rebuffed Mr. Hochberg, saying it wanted to give school districts flexibility in designing the classes.

ATTORNEY GENERAL: Last week, Attorney General Greg Abbott said the proposed standards "appear" to be constitutional, but he also said his office couldn't guarantee that the courses taught in high schools will comply with the First Amendment's requirement of religious neutrality for such classes.

Austin Bureau