SOUTH BEND — It was a controversial change sparked heated debate — South Bend Schools lowered the grade point average requirements for student-athletes.

The goal was to keep struggling athletes in school.

The school board also provided students with some extra help by setting up study tables, which hadn’t been around in recent years.

The school board voted in August to move from a 2.0 GPA requirement all four years, to a more gradual increase, starting at a 1.5 freshman year.

If the students do not meet those requirements they must attend study tables, or mandatory tutoring.

“There were 15 athletes that were required to go to study table. Three chose not to,” said Kirby Whitacre, South Bend School Corporation’s Athletic Director. “12 used the study table, and out of those 12, seven improved and five did not improve. However, out of the five that did not improve, four went to the study table much less than 40% of the time.”

“We want them to stay eligible so they can participate in the sports and the extracurriculars while excelling on the field as well,” said Jay Caponigro, President of the school board.

Caponigro says this year is still a work in progress, but the mandatory tutoring is off to a good start.

“(I’m) pleased about the academic tables, the study tables, being implemented in all the high schools, pleased that the majority of students that have used them have done well with their eligibility,” he said.

Bill Sniadecki is also on the school board and says the study tables could have been implemented while keeping the requirements at a 2.0 GPA.

“I totally agreed with that, to let them play as long as they go to these study tables and increase their grades,” said Sniadecki.

Sniadecki and the others are hoping to see student athletes continue to improve in the classroom and, even more, on the field.

“My goal is nothing else but to serve our kids, and to make them successful,” said Sniadecki.

Source: WSBT