Following the signing of Governor Patrick Morrissey’s legislation repealing the state’s transfer rule, the WVSSAC Board of Control has announced a new transfer rule to govern high school athletics in West Virginia.

The repeal cleared the way for the WVSSAC to promulgate transfer guidelines through its established rule-making process.

The Board of Control voted 147-0 to approve a rule that preserves school choice for students and families while providing structure to support competitive balance among member schools.

Under the new rule, a student is eligible for a one-time transfer during the ninth or tenth grade with immediate eligibility, provided the transfer is completed on or before September 1. A student who transfers during an active sports season retains immediate eligibility in all sports except the sport in which the student has already participated that season.

The rule also establishes a transfer-back provision. A student in ninth, tenth or eleventh grade is entitled to one transfer back to a member school within the attendance zone where the student’s parents reside, provided it is the home school originally identified at the time of the initial out-of-zone enrollment.

Immediate eligibility applies if the transfer is completed by September. 1. Students seeking transfers outside the scope of this rule may file for a waiver with the WVSSAC Board of Directors.

“Once again, we are very grateful for the support of our legislature and the governor throughout this entire process,” said Wayne Ryan, WVSSAC Executive Director. “We appreciate their trust in the WVSSAC and its member schools on this matter.”