The battle is far from over, however.

Now it is up to individual school districts to grant the same eligibility, and several have balked at such a notion, saying they stand to receive inadequate funding from the state or the charter schools for their hospitality to the "traveling" students.

"It is hard to vote for something that is going to [create] so many problems and so many questions," said Teresa Theurer, who represents the Utah State Board of Education on the UHSAA board and is one of the four who voted against the amendment. "We are really dumping this on the districts and saying, 'You figure it out.' ''

Others who voted against the amendment were Riverton principal Steve Park, Kane school board member Lex Chamberlain and David Brinkerhoff of the Wayne School District. Guy Fugal, an Alpine board member, left the meeting before a vote was taken but was obviously against it.

The issue has percolated with the recent explosion of charter schools, many of which are not members of the UHSAA and do not have their own sports teams. It reached a head several months ago when the charter schools took their issue to a group of state lawmakers with examples of how swimmers and golfers at non-member charter schools were not being allowed to try out for traditional public school teams in Alpine and Jordan school districts.

In a series of hearings with UHSAA officials this summer, the legislators asked for the change.

What happens next is anybody's guess.

Most agreed the issue will only further drive the wedge between traditional public school officials and charter school-friendly lawmakers.

Chamberlain said the next step for the UHSAA should be to rework its co-op rule so non-member charter school students don't get exceptions that students at traditional schools don't also get.

drew@sltrib.com