BELLEVILLE, Mich. – The Van Buren Board of Education has voted to raise the minimum GPA required to participate in interscholastic sports to 2.0, according to The (Belleville) View. The previous minimum was 1.67 on a 4.0 scale.
The board raised the minimum on the recommendation of Superintendent Michael Van Tassel. According to The View, Van Tassel has wanted to raise the requirement ever since he was the principal at Belleville High School.
Van Tassel told The View he felt the school provided enough academic help for athletes that raising the minimum shouldn’t cause problems.
“The coaches and the athletic director have been great building a support network,” he said.
SOURCE: The (Belleville) View, “Athletic GPA raised to 2.0, latchkey programs extended,” May 5, 2012
FURTHER READING: Michigan Education Report, “Muskegon debates athlete GPA," Feb. 13, 2009
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