01/18/23 – Board of Control Approves Football Realignment, RPI Revision, Jenkins Placement in Region 14

January 18, 2023 2022-2023 News Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JAN. 18, 2023

The KHSAA Board of Control conducted its fourth regularly scheduled meeting of the 2022-23 academic year on Wednesday in Lexington, approving football realignment and revisions to the RPI calculations, as well as the placement of Jenkins in Region 14 for basketball, baseball, softball and volleyball.

The Board’s approved football realignment will be effective during the 2023 and 2024 seasons. The current enrollment data used for the 2023 and 2024 classifications are from the 2019-20 and 2022-23 school years. Following significant discussion, the Board elected to adopt a two-year alignment so that the realignment process could begin anew next year (in conjunction with the receipt of fall 2023 enrollment numbers) to allow completion by February 2024, giving schools more than one year to resolve scheduling issues for 2025 and beyond.

• Approved final football alignment for 2023 and 2024 seasons
• Approved final 2023-2026 football alignment information (including maps)

The Board approved the recommendation for football RPI calculations to allow for two “down-play” games. This will permit each team’s first two games played against an opponent from a lower class not to include the class factor, allowing even the perception of RPI impact not to impact scheduling. The RPI factor of out-of-state opponents remains unchanged for the 2023 football season. The Board also elected to adjust football RPI calculations regarding the withdrawal of teams from competition. The RPI class factor will stay the same for any school that withdraws during the season at the level of that team when game contracts were signed (rather than defaulting to a no-class factor if a team withdraws).

The Board approved Jenkins’ request to relocate from Region 15 to Region 14, which was unanimously supported by members of both regions. Starting with the 2023-24 school year, Jenkins will be placed in Region 14, District 53, for basketball and all sports that use basketball alignment as a framework (baseball, softball, volleyball).

Additionally, the Board reviewed and discussed the following items:

• A financial report for July 1-Dec. 31, 2022;
• A confirmation of Golf State First Round sites for 2023, including the third and final First Round site being placed at Winchester Country Club;
• The addition of a Girls’ Bass Fishing State Championship for 2023;
• A marketing sales status report from TPG Sales;
• A legislative report and status report of regulations;
• Individual sport and sport-activity reports from KHSAA staff;
• An officials licensing comparison, ArbiterSports update and regulatory changes to officiating policies;
• A status report of Bowling Green in compliance with the June 2022 agreed order;
• A status report of Bylaw 11 financial aid required reports;
• Prime date basketball requirement and an update of information;
• Information from around the state and nation;
• A timeline review of Board officer elections to be held in February;
• Minutes from the November 2022 Board meeting.

The following items were reviewed for action at a later meeting during this school year:

• Statistical records reminders and discussion of students electing to utilize Kentucky 2021 Senate Bill 128 in order to preserve comparability of records with those who did not have that opportunity;
• The triennial survey report of sports offerings, which is posted on the KHSAA website.

– KHSAA –

About the Kentucky High School Athletic Association

The Kentucky High School Athletic Association was organized in 1917 and is the agency designated by the Kentucky Department of Education to manage high school athletics in the Commonwealth. The Association is a voluntary nonprofit 501(c)3 organization made up of 284 member schools, both public and non-public. The KHSAA awards 215 state championships to 51 teams and 164 individuals in 13 sports and six sport-activities, funds catastrophic insurance coverage for its more than 106,000 rostered member school student-athletes, provides coaching education and sports safety programs for more than 12,000 coaches and licenses and facilitates the distribution of training material for over 4,000 contest officials.