O L A Minnesota State High School League 2017 EVALUATION REPORT Program Evaluation Division OFFICE OF THE LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR CENTENNIAL OFFICE BUILDING – SUITE 140 Office of the Legislative Auditor 658 CEDAR STREET – SAINT PAUL, MN 55155 State of Minnesota Program Evaluation Division Evaluation Staff Recent OLA Evaluations The Program Evaluation Division was created within Agriculture Government Operations James Nobles, Legislative Auditor Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI), the Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA) in 1975. Judy Randall, Deputy Legislative Auditor Mineral Taxation, April 2015 May 2016 Minnesota Board of Nursing: Complaint Resolution The division’s mission, as set forth in law, is to Agricultural Commodity Councils, March 2014 determine the degree to which state agencies and Process, March 2015 Joel Alter “Green Acres” and Agricultural Land Preservation Councils on Asian-Pacific Minnesotans, Black programs are accomplishing their goals and Caitlin Badger Programs, February 2008 Minnesotans, Chicano/Latino People, and Indian objectives and utilizing resources efficiently. Valerie Bombach Pesticide Regulation, March 2006 Affairs, March 2014 Ellen Dehmer Criminal Justice Helping Communities Recover from Natural Disasters, Topics for evaluations are approved by the Sarah Delacueva March 2012 Legislative Audit Commission (LAC), which has Mental Health Services in County Jails, March 2016 Will Harrison Health Services in State Correctional Facilities, Fiscal Notes, February 2012 equal representation from the House and Senate and Jody Hauer Capitol Complex Security, May 2009 February 2014 the two major political parties. However, evaluations David Kirchner Law Enforcement’s Use of State Databases, February 2013 by the office are independently researched by the Health Carrie Meyerhoff Public Defender System, February 2010 Minnesota Department of Health Oversight of HMO Legislative Auditor’s professional staff, and reports Ryan Moltz MINNCOR Industries, February 2009 Complaint Resolution, February 2016 are issued without prior review by the commission or Jodi Munson Rodriguez Substance Abuse Treatment, February 2006 Minnesota Health Insurance Exchange (MNsure), any other legislators. Findings, conclusions, and Laura Schwartz February 2015 recommendations do not necessarily reflect the views Katherine Theisen Economic Development Financial Management of Health Care Programs, of the LAC or any of its members. Jo Vos Minnesota Research Tax Credit, February 2017 February 2008 Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB), Nursing Home Inspections, February 2005 March 2016 OLA also has a Financial Audit Division that To obtain reports in electronic ASCII text, Braille, JOBZ Program, February 2008 annually audits the financial statements of the State Human Services large print, or audio, call 651-296-4708. People with Home- and Community-Based Services: Financial of Minnesota and, on a rotating schedule, audits state hearing or speech disabilities may call through Education, K-12 and Preschool Oversight, February 2017 agencies and various other entities. Financial audits Minnesota Relay by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-627-3529. Minnesota State High School League, April 2017 Managed Care Organizations’ Administrative Expenses, of local units of government are the responsibility of Standardized Student Testing, March 2017 March 2015 the State Auditor, an elected office established in the To offer comments about our work or suggest an Perpich Center for Arts Education, January 2017 Medical Assistance Payment Rates for Dental Services, Minnesota Constitution. audit, investigation, or evaluation, call 651-296-4708 Minnesota Teacher Licensure, March 2016 March 2013 Special Education, February 2013 State-Operated Human Services, February 2013 or e-mail [email protected]. K-12 Online Learning, September 2011 OLA also conducts special reviews in response to Child Protection Screening, February 2012 Alternative Education Programs, February 2010 Civil Commitment of Sex Offenders, March 2011 allegations and other concerns brought to the Q Comp: Quality Compensation for Teachers, attention of the Legislative Auditor. The Legislative Medical Nonemergency Transportation, February 2011 Printed on Recycled Paper February 2009 Personal Care Assistance, January 2009 Auditor conducts a preliminary assessment in Charter Schools, June 2008 response to each request for a special review and Housing and Local Government decides what additional action will be taken by OLA. Education, Postsecondary Consolidation of Local Governments, April 2012 Preventive Maintenance for University of Minnesota For more information about OLA and to access its Buildings, June 2012 Jobs, Training, and Labor reports, go to: www.auditor.leg.state.mn.us. MnSCU System Office, February 2010 State Protections for Meatpacking Workers, 2015 MnSCU Occupational Programs, March 2009 State Employee Union Fair Share Fee Calculations, July 2013 Energy Workforce Programs, February 2010 Renewable Energy Development Fund, October 2010 E- Verify, June 2009 Biofuel Policies and Programs, April 2009 Oversight of Workers’ Compensation, February 2009 Energy Conservation Improvement Program, January 2005 Miscellaneous Environment and Natural Resources Minnesota Film and TV Board, April 2015 Clean Water Fund Outcomes, March 2017 The Legacy Amendment, November 2011 Department of Natural Resources: Deer Population Public Libraries, March 2010 Management, May 2016 Economic Impact of Immigrants, May 2006 Recycling and Waste Reduction, February 2015 Liquor Regulation, March 2006 DNR Forest Management, August 2014 Sustainable Forest Incentive Program, November 2013 Transportation Conservation Easements, February 2013 MnDOT Highway Project Selection, March 2016 Environmental Review and Permitting, March 2011 MnDOT Selection of Pavement Surface for Road Natural Resource Land, March 2010 Preservation, March 2014 MnDOT Noise Barriers, October 2013 Governance of Transit in the Twin Cities Region, January 2011 State Highways and Bridges, February 2008 Photo provided by the Minnesota Department of Administration with recolorization done by OLA. (https://www.flickr.com/photos/139366343@N07/25811929076/in/album-72157663671520964/) Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/legalcode OLA reports are available at www.auditor.leg.state.mn.us or by calling 651-296-4708. OFFICE OF THE LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR O L A STATE OF MINNESOTA • James Nobles, Legislative Auditor April 2017 Members of the Legislative Audit Commission: At your request, we evaluated the Minnesota State High School League (League). We found deficiencies in how the League establishes eligibility criteria for students who transfer schools and want to participate in extracurricular athletic programs. The League’s process lacks transparency, sufficient public notice, and external review. We also found deficiencies in how the League makes individual eligibility decisions. Finally, the League’s Board of Directors does not provide sufficient oversight of the administration of student eligibility. We recommend that the Legislature require the League to have a more transparent and open process for establishing student eligibility criteria. We also recommend more oversight of individual eligibility decisions by the League’s Board, and an increased role for the Legislative Coordinating Commission and Minnesota Department of Education. Finally, we recommend more openness from the League in its communications with students, their families, and the League’s member schools. Our evaluation was conducted by Valerie Bombach (project manager), with assistance by Carrie Meyerhoff. The Minnesota State High School League and the Minnesota Department of Education cooperated fully with our evaluation. Sincerely, James Nobles Judy Randall Legislative Auditor Deputy Legislative Auditor Room 140 Centennial Building, 658 Cedar Street, St. Paul, Minnesota 55155-1603 • Phone: 651-296-4708 • Fax: 651-296-4712 E-mail: [email protected] • Website: www.auditor.leg.state.mn.us • Minnesota Relay: 1-800-627-3529 or 7-1-1 ;mmmo V 4* ^ Qm •1 1« s «s s 55 m•' y mtm58 n m * Summary Key Facts and Findings: The Minnesota State High School High school activities administrators League is a nonprofit organization are mostly satisfied with the League’s that controls and administers approach for handling transfer student interscholastic activities on behalf of eligibility; however, about one-fourth 630 member high schools. (pp. 3-6) of survey respondents want the Board of Directors to be more directly In Minnesota, a student who transfers involved. (pp. 41, 56-59) between schools is ineligible to participate in varsity athletic Key Recommendations: competition at the new school for one year, with some exceptions. (p. 19) The Legislature should amend state statutes to: (1) require the League to Among students who recently establish a fair hearing process, and transferred between Minnesota (2) improve the League’s rulemaking schools or from another state, about processes. (pp. 37, 63) 53 percent were granted eligibility to compete in varsity athletics. (p. 27) The Legislature should amend Minnesota Statutes 2016, 3.842, to Among cases we reviewed, most final provide for discretionary review of eligibility decisions by the League League eligibility regulations by the aligned with League regulations and Legislative Coordinating goals; however, the League’s appeal Commission. (p. 66) and fair hearing processes