Team Sizes and Grade Levels

KYSO follows national guidelines on team sizes and requirements.

Currently, there are three Science Olympiad Divisions:

• Division A (Grades K-6)
• Division B (Grades 6-9)
• Division C (Grades 9-12)

Students on the team must be from the membership school; and a school is considered to be a separate school if it has a separate administrator. [See individual state Science Olympiad web sites for registration information] Recruiting from neighboring schools, districts, counties or states is not permitted. If you are home-educated or attend a virtual school, please see team qualification requirements under the national Home and Virtual School Policy. Any student can compete at only one Division level (either Division B or C, not both) at a single school.

DIVISION C TEAM MEMBERSHIP RULES

A team may have up to fifteen (15) members. A maximum of seven (7) 12th grade students is permitted on a Division C team.

DIVISION B TEAM MEMBERSHIP RULES

A team may have up to fifteen (15) members. A maximum of five (5) 9th grade students is permitted on a Division B team. Because middle schools that do not have grades 7, 8 or 9 are at a slight disadvantage, they may invite any combination of up to five (5) of their last year's 6th, 7th or 8th grade students to be part of the team. Possible examples/scenarios:

• A school with grades X-9 can only have 5 students from grade 9 (in their current enrollment)
• A school with grades X-8 can only bring back 5 students from grade 9 (from the previous year's enrollment of 8th grade students)
• A school with grades X-7 can only bring back 5 students from grade 8 or 9 (who had been previously enrolled in that school as a 7th grade student)
• A school with grades X-6 can only bring back 5 students from grades 7, 8 or 9 (who had been previously enrolled in that school as a 6th grader)

STUDENTS BELOW GRADE LEVEL DESIGNATIONS

Science Olympiad encourages students to participate in the Division that matches current Science Olympiad grade level designations. However, to support the inclusion of students who wish to participate in Science Olympiad, schools with grade levels lower than those stated in a Division are permitted to invite members below the grade level designations. (A K-8 school could enlist a Division B team of all 5th graders) Participation is limited to age-appropriate events (as determined by a coach, principal or tournament director) and prohibited where safety is a concern (such as the use of chemicals).

SCIENCE OLYMPIAD TEAM MEMBERSHIP

Since 1985, Science Olympiad has required that all teams (up to 15 members) competing in any Science Olympiad tournament (Invitational, Regional, State or National) must be a member of Science Olympiad and pay the national fee (currently $60). There is no exception to this requirement, regardless of what a single team or multiple team from the same school is called (Varsity, Junior Varsity, Alternate Team, Extra Team, Team Two, Team B, etc.). If a school does permit multiple teams from the same school, Science Olympiad recommends that the best team or at least the best members from the school be permitted to advance to the next level of competition. No school, region or state Science Olympiad organization is allowed to alter or amend these national membership requirements. Please see the Science Olympiad Copyright Statement outlining use of Science Olympiad Rules and procedures at sanctioned tournaments. No part of the National membership fee has been used to pay for the Science Olympiad National Tournament or administrative office expenses, which are generously supplied by sponsors, contributions, host institutions, thousands of volunteers and other income.