Students with disabilities must be given a fair shot to play on a traditional sports team or have their own leagues, the U.S. Education Department says.

Students with disabilities who want to play for their school could join traditional teams if officials can make “reasonable modifications” to accommodate them. If those adjustments would fundamentally alter a sport or give the student an advantage, the department is directing the school to create parallel athletic programs that have comparable standing to traditional programs.

“Sports can provide invaluable lessons in discipline, selflessness, passion and courage, and this guidance will help schools ensure that students with disabilities have an equal opportunity to benefit from the life lessons they can learn on the playing field or on the court,” Education Secretary Arne Duncan said in a statement announcing the new guidance Friday.

The groundbreaking order is reminiscent of the Title IX expansion of athletic opportunities for girls and women four decades ago and could bring sweeping changes to school budgets and locker rooms for years to come.

It is unclear what the guidance means for athletic programs in Ohio schools, according to John Charlton, spokesman for the Ohio Department of Education. Charlton and many other local school district officials said they need time to review the announcement before making further comment. However, many of the officials said their school districts already have policies that allow all students to try out for all extra-curricular activities.

“I think it speaks to the diversity of our society and how far as a society we have come to being open to differences,” said David Estrop, superintendent of Springfield City Schools. He went on to say that including students with disabilities in traditional sports is like “opening a door and saying, we’re happy to include you.”

When asked about the idea of school districts creating parallel athletic programs for students with disabilities, Estrop said, “If we are going to be required by the federal government to have additional teams just for students with disabilities, I certainly hope they will provide (the schools) the funds to do that.”

The Bradford School District in Miami County has a student with a disability playing on its varsity basketball team this year.

Jeff Case, varsity boys basketball coach, said teammates, the community and team opponents have been very supportive.

“It’s a life lesson. People have to deal with people with disabilities,” Case said. “I think equal opportunity is a very important thing. With giving them the opportunity, its also helping them socially.”

Case added that working with students with disabilities helps the coaches and the players build character, something more important than winning a game.

It’s not clear whether the new guidelines will spark a sudden uptick in sports participation. There was a big increase in female participation in sports after Title IX guidance instructed schools to treat female athletics on par with male teams. That led many schools to cut some men’s teams, arguing that it was necessary to be able to pay for women’s teams.

Education Department officials emphasized they did not intend to change sports traditions dramatically or guarantee students with disabilities a spot on competitive teams. Instead, they insisted schools may not exclude students based on their disabilities if they can keep up with their classmates.

“I feel that they can compete alongside anyone as long as its safe for them to compete,” said Jim Smerz, athletic director for Beavercreek City Schools.

Federal laws, including the 1973 Rehabilitation Act and the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, require states to provide a free public education to all students and prohibit schools that receive federal money from discriminating against students with disabilities. Going further, the new directive from the Education Department’s civil rights division explicitly tells schools and colleges that access to interscholastic, intramural and intercollegiate athletics is a right.

The department suggests minor accommodations to incorporate students with disabilities onto sports teams. For instance, track and field officials could use a visual cue for a deaf runner to begin a race.

Dayton Public Schools has interpreters for its deaf students who play on middle school football and basketball teams, according to district spokeswoman Melissa Fowler.

“We’re still trying to determine what this means for Dayton Public Schools. We already make accommodations,” Fowler said of Friday’s announcement.

Allowing students with disabilities to play on these teams has many benefits, according to Tony Orr, superintendent for Northwestern Local Schools.

“These programs allow students to excel beyond the classroom, where they learn to collaborate and develop a sense of team and lifelong skills that will help the students live a more fulfilling life,” Orr said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.