The Bridgeport Board of Education has changed a controversial policy that required students to pass their core courses in order to play on varsity teams. Under the old policy, students were banned from after-school sports if they failed classes designated crucial by the district. Now, the rule mandates that students can still play if they rely on tutoring to boost their grades. The original plan was put in place to encourage better performance from students who traditionally lagged behind the state average. However, education officials say the standards had the reverse effect, leaving some students disheartened and making it harder for students to use athletics to get into college.

Students who fail to meet minimum academic standards are still banned from competition.