Families across Washington may soon see significant changes to school sports participation rules. The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) is reviewing a proposal that would prevent transgender athletes from competing in the same division as biological female athletes.
The Central Valley School Board is scheduled to receive an update on the proposal, along with other recommended revisions to the WIAA handbook.
Under the proposal, school sports would be divided into two categories: an “open” division and a “girls” division. The framework is based on a similar system used in Alaska. The open division would allow participation from all student-athletes, regardless of sex, gender identity, or gender expression. The girls division would be reserved for students whose biological sex is female.
Among the 35 proposed amendments under review, this measure has gained the widest backing so far. Twelve school districts, including the Mead School District, have expressed support.
BrieAnne Gray, president of the Mead School District, said the district supports the proposal in an effort to ensure fair competition for all students while encouraging broad participation in school activities.
Although Central Valley has not formally endorsed the measure, it has asked the WIAA to revisit its current policy, which allows transgender athletes to compete according to their gender identity. At the same time, several community members have voiced strong opposition during board meetings, arguing that the proposal would be discriminatory toward transgender students.
If adopted, the change could face legal challenges because it may conflict with existing state law. WIAA District 6 Director Mike Edward acknowledged that legal questions remain about how the policy would be implemented and whether it would serve as a requirement or merely guidance.
The Central Valley board will review the information over the coming weeks before deciding whether to support the amendment. Ultimately, the final decision will be made by a 53-member representative assembly composed of school administrators from districts within the WIAA. For now, the board’s meeting will focus on briefing members, with further discussion and a vote by district representatives expected in April.
