Madison Board of Education member Shade Grahling said Tuesday the board's curriculum committee met with Madison High School Principal Greg Robertson and athletic director Sean Dowling to discuss the possibility of having student-athletes take study halls instead of physical education while they're participating in sports, and the issue is being fully considered.

Administrators are reviewing how many students and classes could be affected by such a change, exploring possible models for it, and considering logistical issues and how it would fit in with the district's overall educational philosophy, officials said.

Among the issues that would need to be worked out is grading. Students currently receive letter grades. Should the district switch to a pass or fail system, and who would assign grades to the athletes?

Should students who participate in programs outside of the district, such as swimming and dance, be eligible for waivers? What about district programs that also take up time and can be physically demanding, such as marching band or the spring musical?

With an influx of student-athletes taking study halls, where would they go and is there adequate staffing?

"We started the assessment process," Grahling said. "It is going to take a little bit of time."