By Mark Giannotto;  WASHINGTON POST

The D.C. Council gave its preliminary approval to a bill Tuesday that, if enacted into law, would create a new commission of parents, administrators and city officials to reform and oversee the governance of the District’s interscholastic athletics.

The D.C. State Athletics Commission would take control of the D.C. State Athletic Association and establish athletics panels to hear and issue final decisions on appeals related to student-athlete eligibility at member schools. The bill also clarifies the governing structure within the city’s athletics scene, making it clear that member schools must report to the DCSAA.

Created in 2012 by then-mayor Vincent Gray to govern D.C. high school athletics, the DCSAA has had a contentious relationship with D.C. Public Schools since its inception. DCPS wants its eligibility and rules enforcement to remain autonomous, and the hierarchy of authority in the city remains unclear under current regulations.

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