ADMs, Charter and Alternative Schools (Mods Monitor This Thread Please)

[HowerinJr]

I have been laying low on this discussion because frankly I didn't know what to make of it. I think I am finally starting to get an understanding of it. I am going to use my home county of Edgecombe as an example. Attendance in Edgecombe County public high schools has been on the decline for many years, primarily due to local economics. In recent years, a charter school has opened near Tarboro (North East Carolina Preparatory Academy) which has continued to erode the numbers in all county schools. As far as I know, no student at NEC Prep is eligible to play sports at any of the other county high schools. There is no gaming the system here. No attempt by anyone to lower ADMs to get an advantage. It's just economics, politics and academic freedom.

Most 1A schools are located in very small pockets. Tarboro is one of the largest towns with a 1A school. Most high schools in a town Tarboro's size would have at least a 2A size athletic program. But because of its population, economic size and geography, it can support a charter school. If you are a parent looking strictly for academic performance, which high school would you choose? If you want your children to have a more "well rounded" experience, which would you choose? It's all about choice.

Edgecombe County does not have an "alternative" school as far as I know, but its my understanding that kids sent to alternative schools can't play for another school either. So when it comes to Murphy, I fail to see what all the fuss is over. These are circumstances created by school boards, parents, community leaders and benefactors for these charter schools. It's not like there is an athletic director or coach behind the scenes orchestrating all this to shed numbers while buying new trophy cases.

I don't have any freaking dog in this fight. I'm a Viking, not a Dog. If you can give me an intelligent explanation of what the conspiracy is in Murphy with legit facts and not hearsay, I'm all ears. But I'm frankly tired of hearing all this nonsense about Murphy using funny math with their ADMs. As a Tarboro fan that has seen our numbers steadily fall, it has frankly been a bit disappointing. You can't help where you have to play, but it was a lot more competitive and thrilling to win 2A championships by less than a TD than to go to a lower classification and play for a title favored by multiple TD's. But even though Murphy or Tarboro would be better suited for 2A, the NCHSAA won't allow teams to play up in classification anymore. Blame the Association and stop blaming Murphy or Tarboro because they have solid football programs.

Mods, you are on notice. This is a valid concern and the integrity of our athletics has been questioned. This deserves a reasonable debate without the usual clown show.

 

[dogtuff]

You are correct, they're kids at alternative school that would start for Murphy but are not allowed to play ,when they go to the alternative school their curriculum changes to where they can graduate. As far as early college we do not have someone at the door ,saying you go here ,you go here your an athlete you go here. I know we are one of the largest schools ADM wise in 1a but truthfully unless you are 4AA ,it happens in every classification. GO DOGS!

 

[ocdavis31]

Can't speak for any system but Thomasville. Here, the alternative school is for students with learning issues, behavioral problems and severe disciplinary concerns. It is literally what it says....an alternative to either a mainstrem classroom, or being taught at home. Students are housed in a completely separate building, not on campus, and are not allowed to participate pate in athletics.
Frankly, I don't know for sure whether these students are counted at Thomasville High School. But I can't imagine that they should be under those circumstances. From what I've read on other threads, our situation is pretty common at many schools,though perhaps not universal. The reference procedure is pretty complex, and to think that any administrator would be manipulating those numbers for athletic purposes at any school seems preposterous.

 

[SitOut]

That’s the biggest gripe I hear from most people that keep it civil in discussion. You are losing enrollment to charter schools, early college, or alternative schools depending on the situation and still have the football players out of those numbers for the most part. These boys grow up dreaming about winning a state championship for Tarboro or Murphy and will probably not transfer to a charter school. You may lose a few to behavior issues that go alternative school but probably not many. Its nothing that you guys have tried to orchestrate just happens to be the landscape of football in NC at the moment. Someone always has a advantage be it Robbinsville in the 70’s and 80’s or Tarboro and Murphy now.

 

[TD-FridayNight]

That’s the biggest gripe I hear from most people that keep it civil in discussion. You are losing enrollment to charter schools, early college, or alternative schools depending on the situation and still have the football players out of those numbers for the most part. These boys grow up dreaming about winning a state championship for Tarboro or Murphy and will probably not transfer to a charter school. You may lose a few to behavior issues that go alternative school but probably not many. Its nothing that you guys have tried to orchestrate just happens to be the landscape of football in NC at the moment. Someone always has a advantage be it Robbinsville in the 70’s and 80’s or Tarboro and Murphy now.

We have Fake News now and Fake high school sports teams with huge advantages. We just have to live with it till enough complaints finally bring changes. I another few years maybe there will be enough advantage schools to put them in their own playoffs.

 

[PrepFanNC]

I’m not an expert, but some alternative schools do allow their kids to play for the traditional school. In my home county (Davidson), the students who go to Yadkin Valley Regional Career Academy (Valley Academy) are allowed to participate in sports at the school in whose attendance zone they reside it.

It’s possible because their bus system returns them to their zone’s high school each day. The trick is that even though hardly ANY of the kids from Valley play sports, they still count in their home attendance zone’s ADM.

In our Early College, the opportunity to participate in sports at their original high school is not allowed, therefore, those kids do not count for the ADMs.