Oregon School Activities Association 25200 SW Parkway Avenue, Suite 1 Wilsonville, OR 97070 503.682.6722 fax: 503.682.0960 http://www.osaa.org MAJOR OSAA RULE CHANGES FOR THE 2016‐2017 SCHOOL YEAR All of these changes either were implemented during the 2015‐16 school year or are new additions for the 2016‐17 school year. CONSTITUTION (Articles and Rules) 
ADDED PLAN BOOKS TO THE REGULATIONS OF THE ASSOCIATION. Clarifies that schools must abide by the information in the seasonal Plan Books in addition to Articles, Rules, Executive Board Policies, etc. (Article 3.1.1 – Membership and Dues, Full Membership) 
AMENDED QUALIFICATIONS FOR FULL MEMBERSHIP – FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. Adds a qualification for full membership requiring that no financial assistance be provided on the basis of a student’s potential or participation in OSAA‐sanctioned activities. Further requires that need‐based financial assistance be based on an evaluation of information provided from an outside agency approved by the Executive Director. (Article 3.1.7 – Membership and Dues, Full Membership) 
AMENDED QUALIFICATIONS FOR FULL MEMBERSHIP – PAYMENT OF TUITION. Adds a qualification for full membership requiring that if tuition is charged, it must be paid by the student’s parent or other family member, including any loan for payment of tuition. Defines parent and family member. (Article 3.1.8 – Membership and Dues, Full Membership) 
AMENDED MEMBER RESPONSIBILITY WHEN BRINGING AN ADMINISTRATIVE OR JUDICIAL CHALLENGE. Amends the language requiring the member to be assessed a surcharge to cover the Association’s attorney fees and costs to include any Regulations or Rules of the Association provided that the Association prevails in the challenge. (Article 3.3.2 – Membership and Dues, Dues) 
AMENDED ABILITY FOR EXECUTIVE BOARD TO CHANGE LEAGUE ASSIGNMENTS DURING A FOUR‐YEAR TIME BLOCK. Allows the Executive Board, in its sole discretion, to change the league assignment of a school or schools if such change is warranted because of a change of classification of another school. (Article 6.2.1 – Changes in Classification During a Four‐Year Time Block) 
DELETED RULES FOR ADDING/DELETING A CHAMPIONSHIP IN A SPORT/ACTIVITY WHERE A CHAMPIONSHIP ALREADY EXISTS. Removes these rules from the Rules of the Association with the intent of replacing both with a new Executive Board policy this fall. (Rules 6.4 & 6.5 – Adding/Deleting a Championship in a Sport/Activity) 
AMENDED THE AFFILIATION POLICY FOR MID‐YEAR TRANSFERS WHEN THE SCHOOL OF REPRESENTATION DOES NOT CHANGE. Aligns the affiliation rule with the change made last year to the mid‐year transfer policy. Mid‐year transfers whose school of representation does not change are not affected by the affiliation rule for that specific activity. (Rule 8.6.5 – Transfers to a School with Affiliation) BOARD POLICIES 
CERTIFICATION – ATHLETIC DIRECTORS AND COACHES. Adds a requirement that all football coaches complete the USA Football Heads Up certification prior to assuming coaching duties and to recertify annually. Requires each member school sponsoring football to identify a Player Safety Coach. Each Player Safety Coach is required to attend an in person clinic annually conducted by a USA Football Master Trainer. Changes the NFHS Heat Illness Prevention requirement from every two years to every four years. (BP – Certification – Athletic Directors and Coaches) 
EMERGENCY ACTION PLANS. Requires schools to have an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) in place for emergencies in after‐
school practices and events. Schools are encouraged to utilize the free “Anyone Can Save a Life” program. (BP – Emergency Action Plans) 
GENDER IDENTITY PARTICIPATION. Rewords previous Transgender Student Participation policy, aligning policy with directives from the Department of Education and Office of Civil Rights. Specifically allows the Executive Director and Chief Medical Advisor to determine if a student’s participation creates an unsafe, unfair, or uncompetitive environment for students in that sport or activity. (BP – Gender Identity Participation) G:\Publications\HANDBOOK\16‐17\OSAA HANDBOOK\002‐Major Rule Changes.docx 
STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS – RANKINGS. Sets dates each season after which games added to a team’s schedule won’t be counted in the rankings. (BP – State Championships ‐ Rankings) 
SUMMER POLICY. Based on recommendations from the SMAC and OACA, these changes align the use of protective equipment in football in the Summer with what is permitted in the Fall. (BP – Summer Policy) 
UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS. Prohibits the use of unmanned aerial systems (drones) by any persons at all OSAA‐sanctioned events. (BP – Unmanned Aerial Systems) PARTICIPATION LIMITATIONS 
BASEBALL. Implements a pitch count limitation replacing the longstanding innings limitation. Pitchers will be required to rest a certain number of days depending on the number of pitches thrown. (Participation Limitations – Baseball) 
FOOTBALL. Changes individual weekly quarter limitations to allow 4A, 3A, 2A, and 1A students six quarters per week provided there is a minimum of 60 hours between contests. All students (6A through 1A) are limited to 45 total quarters per year during the regular season. (Practice Limitations – Football) OFFICIALS FEES 
OFFICIALS FEE SCHEDULE. Increased fees for the 2016‐17, 2017‐18 and 2018‐19 school years. Adopted a 3‐person crew fee for basketball. Revised the game cancellation policy requiring that schools notify commissioners of cancellations six hours prior to the scheduled start of a contest in Football, Soccer, Volleyball, Basketball and Wrestling. (Officials Fees) FORMS MODIFICATIONS 
UPDATES. Existing forms have been modified to make them consistent with the changes specified above. The actual forms are no longer housed in the Handbook but have been replaced with direct links to the Forms page of the website. STUDENT ACTIVITIES HANDBOOKS 
UPDATES. Activity specific changes have been made to the Band/Orchestra, Cheerleading, Choir, Dance/Drill, Solo Music and Speech Handbooks. OTHER 
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. Additional Questions and Answers, particularly covering changes listed above, have been added to the Handbook. G:\Publications\HANDBOOK\16‐17\OSAA HANDBOOK\002‐Major Rule Changes.docx