The purpose of this non-experimental, quantitative, associative/predictive study was to evaluate the relationship between participation in high school athletics and grade point averages (GPAs) for graduated cohorts in a rural Title I school district. Study data were collected in archival form from three graduating cohorts of students from a rural Title I school district in Florida. Study findings indicated that senior students who were identified as student-athletes had a mean GPA that was significantly higher than students who were identified as non-athletes. Furthermore, when considering the effect of GPAs by gender, both female and male student-athlete GPAs were statistically higher than their non-athlete counterparts, with female student-athlete GPAs being marginally greater. Additionally, the findings of an ancillary analysis confirmed the predicted likelihood of high school graduation among student-athletes from a rural Title I school district increased the odds of graduating by approximately 3726% as compared to non-athlete students. For rural Title I school district administrators, this study’s findings provide evidence that supports the promotion of school-based athletics as a possible intervention to improve student GPAs and graduation rates
