PHILOSOPHY OF RESIDENCE RULE:  The WIAA residence rule is intended to create an equitable environment in which its member schools can compete, and at the same time prevent those abuses that taint the goals of interscholastic athletics. Primarily, the residence rule is intended to prevent athletic recruiting, prevent students from choosing schools for athletic reasons, and to promote the varied family units as the best environment for students to live in while attending school.  Deterring students from running away from or avoiding imposed discipline, protecting school programs by discouraging athletic transfers and protecting the opportunities for bona fide resident students to participate are also viable reasons for the residence rule.  AFFIRMATION OF GOALS #6 AND 7 OF THE ASSOCIATION. THEREFORE: 18.9.0 Definition of Residence and Family Unit Residence - The place where the family unit has established its home and/or the place where the student is habitually present and to which, when departing, the student intends to return. 18.9.1 In order to be eligible to participate and/or represent a member school in an interscholastic contest, the student of that school must be residing within the boundaries of that school district and designated attendance area of that school.  In the event a school does not have a designated attendance area, the WIAA Executive Board shall have the authority to designate an attendance area for such school.  The WIAA Executive Board shall consider all relevant factors, including but not limited to the natural or historical attendance area for such school, the geographical setting of the school in the municipality, and the nearby public school boundaries. 18.9.2 Unless otherwise provided, the student shall be eligible while attending a school in the school district in which that student resides with the family unit, and provided that the student has been continuously attending that member school, or a feeder school of that member school, for a period of one (1) year. 18.9.3 A student who cannot meet the Residence Rule requirement would be eligible for all interscholastic competition below the varsity level, subject to 18.21.3. 18.9.4 Residence Area for private schools shall be a fifty (50) mile radius from the school address. NOTE: Refer to Article 3.1.1 for status of a private school district. PHILOSOPHY OF TRANSFER - The Transfer Rule is preventative in nature and is devised to eliminate the incentive to transfer schools when the motivation is for athletic purposes and after a student has initially chosen the school  of his/her choice while he/she has been living with the family unit.  The transfer rule protects students who have previously participated in athletic competition at a member school from being replaced by students who transfer for athletic purposes and further protects students at other member schools from the effects of "school shopping" by students and "recruiting" by member schools and their agents. The transfer rule encourages fair play, discourages the excesses and abuses of promotion, and protects the integrity of interscholastic athletics for the member schools and their students.  While recognizing the educational experience that each member school provides, the WIAA member schools support the right of parents and students to attend a school of their choice.  The WIAA member schools believe that once an educational choice has been made there must be a special set of circumstances as covered in the "hardship rule" to warrant athletic eligibility when a student transfer occurs without a commensurate move on the part of the family unit. 18.10.0 Transferring Students - After registering with and/or attending a middle school or high school, students changing enrollment to/from one school district to another shall be considered transferring students.  In order to be eligible for varsity competition, transferring students must meet the normal residence requirements or the transferring student requirements of 18.10.1, 18.10.2, 18.10.3, or be granted a waiver under 18.12.0 and 18.21.0.  This section shall also apply to those students receiving home based instruction. NOTE: Refer to Article 3.1.1 for the status of a private school district. 18.10.1 The following students who are attending a member school shall be deemed to meet the residence rule requirement and transferring student rule requirements: A. A student whose transfer is based on a bona fide and immediate change of residence to a new school (district) due to an actual physical relocation of and with the entire family unit to a different residence and preceded by termination of all occupancy of their previous residence. B. A student attending public school outside of his/her residence district for one (1) calendar year or more is eligible thereafter in a school of that school district provided the enrollment/attendance is continuous. C. A student whose parent(s) or legal guardian(s) reside at different abodes as the result of a divorce or court approved legal guardian separation is allowed one (1) transfer between parents or guardians after entering the ninth grade without being restricted to sub-varsity competition for one (1) year.  Any subsequent transfer shall be governed by the transferring student rules and procedures. D. A student who under commitment to the Department of Social and Health Services, a student who is on juvenile parole status and a student who has been adjudicated as a ward of a juvenile court where residence is the result of assignment by the government entity charged with his/her care. E. A student whose release has been ordered by the Superintendent of Public Instruction on the basis of  a special hardship or detrimental condition. F. A student who has a resident change following the death or disability of the family unit in order to reside with a relative. G. A seventh and/or eighth grade student who transfers to a school without a corresponding change of residence by his or her family unit and who meets all other conditions of eligibility shall be eligible at the new school when properly enrolled. H. A student upon enrollment to the initial first level of a private school from a public school or a public school to a private school. NOTE: If either the public or the private school declares its ninth graders as junior high athletes, the window of transfer is between the ninth and tenth grade years.  If the school declares its ninth graders as high school athletes, the window of transfer is between the eighth and ninth grade years. 18.10.2 A student attending a member school district school for one (1) calendar year or more is eligible in the same school district during subsequent attendance, so long as the enrollment/attendance is continuous. 18.10.3 A student whose transfer is the result of participation in a one-year culture or educational exchange experience with another country.  Form 6 of the WIAA eligibility packet must be submitted to the WIAA District Eligibility Chairperson. A. A student leaving this country for a one-year cultural/educational experience shall file a letter with his/her district committee prior to departure and will be eligible at his/her school of origin upon his/her return, provided all other rules of eligibility have been met. B. A student coming to this country for a one-year cultural/educational experience is eligible at the varsity level for one (1) year only in the school in which he/she has been placed, provided all other rules of eligibility have been met and he student has not graduated from the high school equivalent in his/her home country. Graduated students cannot compete interscholastically at any level (i.e. varsity or sub varsity.) C. In no case will eligibility be extended beyond the four (4) consecutive years provided in 18.14.  There shall be no evidence that a significant reason for the transfer was to participate in athletics.  Students must meet all other WIAA rules of eligibility. 18.11.0 Sub Varsity Status - An establishment of ineligibility pursuant to section 18.9.0 shall be effective for one year from the date of enrollment. This ineligible status only prohibits a student from competing at the varsity level. 18.12.0 Residence Rule Waiver - Transferring students, unless eligible via 18.9 through 18.10, shall be deemed to have transferred at will and must apply to the WIAA District Eligibility Committee for a waiver of the Residence Rule.  Such an application shall be processed under the appeal provisions contained in Article 19 of this Handbook. The procedure for evaluating a transferring student's application will be as follows: 18.12.1 - The student must meet all other eligibility requirements of Article 18 of this Handbook. 18.12.2 - The student must establish a hardship as defined under the provisions of Article 18.21.0 and as determined by the District Eligibility Committee. 18.12.3 - There can be no evidence that either the student transferred for the purpose of participating in interscholastic athletics or transferred as a result of having been recruited for the purpose of participating in interscholastic athletics. 18.12.4 - In addition to the above requirements, the District Eligibility Chairperson shall as an added condition of eligibility, require that a transferring student submit a WIAA Previous School Statement.  A copy of the signed form must be retained on file in the school office for the duration of the student's attendance at that school.