The rule
High school activities in Kansas are governed by the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA). The rule is Rule 21, Amateur, in the KSHSAA Handbook 2026-27, read with the staff interpretations of Rule 21 reviewed and approved by the Executive Board on November 17, 2021 and published on the association's Amateur Status and Name, Image and Likeness page; Rule 21 is unchanged from 2025-26. Everything on this page is taken from the KSHSAA's own text, linked under Sources.
| Question | What the rule says |
|---|---|
| Allowed? | Yes, by interpretation approved November 17, 2021; Rule 21 itself has no NIL wording |
| Who must be told | No one |
| School and KSHSAA marks | No reference to the school name, team, logo or mascot; no school uniform; no school facilities; no school awards; no practice or game film |
| Banned categories | Tobacco, alcohol, banned athletic substances, illegal substances or activities, and wagering |
| Limits | No interruption of the school day; Rule 21 applies to grades 7 to 12 |
| Recruiting | Endorsements and promotions may not be used to influence attendance at a member school; Rule 19, Undue Influence, names boosters and alumni groups, with forfeiture of eligibility up to 365 days |
| Collectives | Only through Rule 19 |
| Agents | No wording; Kansas's athlete-agent act registers agents with the Secretary of State |
| Penalty | Ineligible in that sport; Rule 21's ineligibility lasts the whole time the student is in middle, junior or senior high unless the Executive Board reinstates |
What the rule says
- The rule itself. Rule 21, Article 1, makes a student who "uses his or her athletic skill or knowledge for gain" ineligible for that sport. Rule 21 applies to grades 7 to 12.
- The interpretation. Staff interpretations reviewed and approved by the Executive Board on November 17, 2021 let a student be compensated as an influencer or representative, or give an endorsement, under eight conditions.
- No school identity. No reference to the school name, team, logo or mascot; no school uniform; no school facilities; no school awards; no practice or game film.
- Five banned categories. Tobacco, alcohol, banned athletic substances, illegal substances or activities, and wagering.
- The school day. No interruption of the school day.
- No recruiting with NIL. Endorsements and promotions may not be used to influence attendance at a member school; Rule 19, Undue Influence, names boosters and alumni groups, with forfeiture of eligibility up to 365 days.
- No disclosure, no agent wording. Neither the rule nor the interpretation sets them.
- The penalty. Ineligibility in that sport, lasting the whole of middle and high school unless the Executive Board reinstates. Rule 21 is identical in the 2025-26 handbook; the interpretation is still dated November 17, 2021; re-check August 2027 and after each Executive Board meeting.
What sits on top of it
- Your school and district. A school or district can set a stricter policy than the KSHSAA. The athletic director is the person who knows it.
- Private and non-member schools. The rule covers KSHSAA member schools. A school in another association follows that association's rule.
- College rules later. A deal that is fine in high school can still matter to the NCAA, NJCAA or NAIA. At Division I, third-party deals of $600 or more go to NIL Go, and prospects report from the first day of junior year. The NIL guide has the college windows and NIL Go has its own page.
- Agents. The state's athlete-agent law applies to high school athletes; can a high school athlete have an agent? and the state-by-state registration table cover it.
- Taxes. NIL pay is taxable at any age. NIL taxes in plain words.
- The contract itself. What each clause means.
How Leave fits
In Leave, every deal thread carries a rules summary for the athlete's state, level and age, and a disclosure packet for the school comes with a countdown to the deadline. It is a summary, not a ruling; your school decides. Athletes 13 to 17 use Leave through an account a parent or guardian creates, and are visible to businesses only when the guardian has turned that on and the state allows high school NIL. Leave is software, not an agent. You decide, you send.
Questions about high school NIL in Kansas
Can high school athletes sign NIL deals in Kansas?
Yes, under the Executive Board's November 17, 2021 interpretation of Rule 21. A student may be compensated as an influencer or representative, or give an endorsement, provided there is no reference to the school name, team, logo or mascot, no uniform, facilities, awards or game film, no interruption of the school day, and nothing in the banned categories.
Do I have to report an NIL deal in Kansas?
The rule and its interpretation set no disclosure requirement. A school or district can set its own policy.
Can I use game film in Kansas NIL content?
No. The interpretation bars practice or game film, along with the school uniform, facilities and awards and any reference to the school name, team, logo or mascot.
What is the penalty in Kansas?
Ineligibility in that sport. Under Rule 21's preamble the ineligibility lasts the whole time the student is in middle, junior or senior high school unless the Executive Board reinstates.
Be your own agent. Leave.