The Indiana High School Athletic Association approved the framework for changes to Rule 19, which handles eligibility and transfers, the changes would allow a student-athlete to transfer one time before their senior year and maintain full eligibility regardless of the reason for the transfer.
“The initial changes approved today by the Executive Committee are expected to further align with the State Legislature’s School Choice initiatives,” Commissioner Paul Neidig said. “We will discuss these changes and additional details with Member School administrators attending the annual Area Principals Meetings around the state in April.”
This measure will automatically return to the agenda for the IHSAA Board of Directors for formal approval at its annual meeting on May 5, and take effect on June 1.
Second and subsequent transfers and transfers from non-IHSAA Member Schools will be handled similarly to the way they have been in previous years. Students whose second transfer involves a return to the IHSAA Member School where they established their initial promotion eligibility will retain full eligibility within 365 days of their enrollment date at the previous school.
Even without these changes, many transfers were receiving full eligibility. Between June 1, 2024, and January 9, 2025, there were 2,730. Of those, 2,537 received full eligibility, 165 received limited eligibility, and 28 were declared ineligible.
The rule change allows first-time transfers immediate eligibility unless there is undue influence or recruiting. In those cases, under the current IHSAA bylaws, the violating coach can lose accreditation and lose the ability to coach.
In the past 10 years, the IHSAA has made 26 different changes centered around the transfer by-laws to address the ever-changing landscape of education in the state of Indiana.