EPIC Charter Schools receives NCAA eligibility approval

OKLAHOMA CITY – EPIC Charter Schools Superintendent Bart Banfield announced that EPIC’s Rose
State College charter (sponsoring the school system’s operations in Tulsa and Oklahoma counties) has been
granted approval by the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA). EPIC’s One-on-One charter
(authorized by the Statewide Virtual Charter Schools Board for students statewide) received NCAA approval
several years ago.

NCAA approval means that EPIC meets the high curricular and instructional delivery standards required for
NCAA participation for those students on track to receive athletic scholarships, Banfield said.

“This approval is good news for EPIC students being served under our blended charter who have high
athletic aspirations and strive to meet the rigorous learning requirements that go along with the NCAA
program,” he said, adding that a specific set of curricula must be approved by the NCAA before approval is
granted.

Per NCAA guidelines, not all high school classes count as NCAA core courses. Only classes in English,
math (Algebra 1 or higher), natural or physical science, social science, foreign language, comparative
religion or philosophy may be approved as NCAA core courses. Remedial classes and classes completed
through credit-by-exam are not considered NCAA core courses.

“Being able to offer this path of excellence to every EPIC student with the ability and drive to pursue such a
rigorous and goal-oriented course is an honor,” Banfield said, EPIC is the state’s fifth largest public school
system. It served approximately 24,000 students statewide in the 2018-19 school year and currently employs
more than 1,000 teachers and principals located in every county across the state. For more information, visit
www.epiccharterschools. org.

Saturday, 08/17/2019 Pag.A07 Copyright (c)2019 Edmond Sun, Edition 8/17/2019