The Speech Handbook has been removed from this publication.                      (Speech Handbook)

The SPEECH Rules for the Association are the same as the Rules previously listed in this handbook with the following exceptions:

1.     Rule 1 – The Responsibility of the Principal

1.2.      Certification of Coach Eligibility. DOES NOT APPLY TO SPEECH COACHES.

1.     Q.   Must an authorized representative be present with each team at each event?

A.   Yes, the principal or his/her authorized representative must be present at each event.

2.     Rule 2 - Judges

2.1.      The State Speech Handbook shall govern the judging of all district and state speech activities except as defined by this rule. 

2.2.      Judges shall be chosen by host school or school designate.

1.     Q.   Do the speech event rules on the OSAA Handbook govern all speech activities?

A.   No, the speech event rules in the OSAA Handbook govern only the district and state meets.  Invitational championships may use OSAA rules, but they are not required to do so.

NOTE:  Rule 3, Rule 4 and Rule 5 are the same as stated in the Rules section.

6.     Rule 6 – Association Year (Speech Activity Season)

6.1.      The Speech year starts the first day of school and ends after State Competition, except for those schools participating in the National Forensic League Tournament.

6.2.      Each school may attend no more than 20 speech tournaments per year, not counting the National Forensics League, district tournament or state championships.

7.     Rule 7 – Out-of-Season and Non-School Activities

7.1.      Member schools may not enter a team or individual participant in any contest other than those, which have received approval from the OSAA, except local level, single community events.

7.2.      Any organization, local or state, contemplating such a contest should write to the OSAA and ask the Executive Director in charge of activities for an application.

1.     Q.   May a school participate in an invitational speech tournament without being registered with the OSAA to participate in speech activities?

A.   Yes, but the school would not be eligible for the district or state speech meet.

2.     Q.   Must national and state level speaking contests be sanctioned by the OSAA?

A.   All speech tournaments in Oregon must be sanctioned by the OSAA.  The OSAA exercises no jurisdiction over national speaking contests.  School may also wish to refer to the NASSP advisory list for nationally approved contests.

8.     Rule 8 – Individual Eligibility

OSAA individual eligibility restrictions shall apply to the district tournament and Speech State Championships only.

8.1.      Attendance-Semester-Grades. An eligible student must be enrolled full time as defined in this rule.  For purposes of this rule, a full time student is one who is enrolled in school, attending regularly and passing in subjects equivalent to at least the quantity as defined in Athletic Rule 8.1.  NOTE:  Two semester units equal one credit of work, and one-half credit is granted each semester.

1.     Q.   Must participants satisfy OSAA academic eligibility standards in order to participate in invitational speech contests?

A.   No, participants in invitational speech contests are required to satisfy the academic eligibility requirements; the OSAA individual academic eligibility standards apply only to district and state championships.  However, schools or districts may choose to apply the standards to invitational tournaments as well.

8.2.      Duration of Eligibility/Graduation. A student may participate in the interscholastic program for four consecutive years (eight semesters or the equivalent) after entering the 9th grade, EXCEPT THAT:

8.2.1.         A student entering the 9th grade for all or part of a school year has used a full year of eligibility for the purpose of computing duration of eligibility under this rule.

EXCEPTION to 8.2.1.: If a student enters the 9th grade at a school in a foreign country in the southern hemisphere prior to the start of the Oregon school year and then transfers to attend an Oregon high school, the time attending the 9th grade prior to the start of the Oregon school year shall not be considered for the purpose of computing duration of eligibility under this rule.

8.2.2.         A student who begins participation prior to entering the 9th grade is only eligible for four consecutive years beginning the year the student first participated for all or part of the year.

8.2.3.         A student becomes ineligible upon graduation from high school.

8.3.      Age. A student who becomes 19 before August 15 shall become ineligible for interscholastic competition.  A student who becomes 19 on or after August 15 shall remain eligible for that entire school year.

8.5.      School Representation                     (School Representation Eligibility Certificate)

8.5.1.         A student who competes in athletics representing a school other than the one in which the student has been enrolled becomes ineligible for that sport for the remainder of its season.  EXCEPTIONS:

(a)   Home School Students.  (Home School Eligibility Parent Checklist)         A home school student who meets the eligibility standards established by Oregon law may represent a public or private school located within the public school attendance boundaries of Joint Residence of the student and student’s parents provided that the home school student was enrolled in the home school prior to the first day of school for the public/private school.  See Executive Board Policy, “Eligibility – Home School Students” for additional information. 

Once a home school student represents a school, that home school student may not represent another school for one calendar year after last representing the original school without a change in Joint Residence.

(b)   Students Attending Member Private or Non-Member Charter Schools.  A student attending a private school that is a member of the Association or a charter school that is not a member of the Association and which does not offer a particular activity may represent the public school of Joint Residence of the student and student’s parents, provided that both high school principals agree.

(c)   Students Attending Oregon Full-Member Charter Schools.  A student attending an Oregon charter school that is a full member of the Association may participate on teams representing the full member charter school only.

(d)   Students Attending Associate Member Private Schools.  A student attending a private school that is an associate member of the Association may represent the public school of Joint Residence of the student and student’s parents, provided that both high school principals agree.