Des Moines, Iowa — Iowa school boards could decide to let eighth graders play high school sports during the school year under a bill that’s passed the House.
Representative Skyler Wheeler of Hull is the bill’s sponsor.
Wheeler, who is a high school baseball coach, says a couple of high schools in his area didn’t have enough players to field girls basketball teams this past season.
The bill passed the House on an 89-to-two vote and goes to the Senate for consideration. Groups representing rural schools, urban schools and Catholic schools have registered as undecided on the bill, while the Iowa Association of Christian Schools is in favor of it. The Iowa High School Girls Athletic Union and the Iowa High School Athletic Association, which governs boys sports, have not weighed in on the proposal. Thirteen states currently allow eighth graders to compete at the varsity level during the school year.
