01/28/14 – Football Alignment Update and Opportunity to Play Into a Higher Class

January 28, 2014 2013-2014 News Releases

January 28, 2014

TO: Superintendents, Principals, Athletic Directors and Coaches of Football Playing Schools

FR: Commissioner Julian Tackett

RE: Update on the Drafting of 2015 through 2018 Football Alignment, Opportunity to Play to a Higher Class

At its meeting January 27, the KHSAA Board of Control discussed and agreed on parameters surrounding an alignment of teams in football for the 2015 through 2018 playing season. While many issues constantly are discussed nearly every time the subject of football is brought up, it is timely that the alignment discussion become finalized. The following decisions have been finalized within the drafting of the alignment:

CHANGES AND NOTE SINCE DISTRIBUTION

The originally distributed enrollment listings have been amended to reflect the merger of Wayne County and Monticello High Schools. Wayne County would then be a 4A school, with Moore being in Class 3A. The revised documents will be posted on the website.

SCHEDULING MORATORIUM

Please consider that there is, for 2015 and beyond, a scheduling moratorium in place. Until further notice, contracts signed for 2015 will not be considered valid. Until the alignment is finalized, do not schedule contests. The corresponding date chart for reference is on the KHSAA web site at http://khsaa.org/handbook/correspondingdates/footballcorrespondingdates.pdf. It is the intent of the Board of Control to complete this project not later than its May meeting, allowing plenty of time for scheduling the 2015 season and beyond.

ENROLLMENT FIGURES USED

The enrollment figures used to divide the teams into classes are the average number of boys enrolled on the KDE second month report for the 2013-2014, 2012-2013, 2011-2012 and 2010-2011 school years. Those numbers are listed on the KHSAA web site at http://khsaa.org/football/realignment/20152018/SchoolEnrollment10YearHistory.pdf. Adjustments were made for schools that have opened or consolidated in the past four years to discard a transition period and use the most recent data to project size.

PLAYING UP TO A HIGHER CLASS

Schools will be given the voluntary option to play up into a higher classification. If this is desired by the school, it must be indicated by using the link at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PlayingUpSurvey20152018 and completing the form by the close of business on Friday, February 21, 2014. Absent such a request, the draft alignment will be formed without considering a playing up option for that school. The destination class must be specified on the request. If team(s) elect to play up and the request is approved, then the smallest school in the next class up (or each class if playing up is requested multiple classes) will be given the voluntary option of moving to the class being vacated in an effort to attempt to keep the number of teams in each class approximately equal. YOU DO NOT NEED TO RESPOND TO THE SURVEY IF YOU DO NOT DESIRE TO PLAY INTO A HIGHER CLASS.

DRAFT ALIGNMENT OF TEAMS IN EACH CLASS

Based on the ranked enrollment numbers detailed above, the schools have been divided into classes. The smallest class (1A) is the smallest 32 schools. The largest class (6A) is the largest 32 schools. The remainder of the schools have been divided to form the middle four classes. The class-by-class listing is at http://khsaa.org/football/realignment/20152018/FourYearRankedAlphabyClass.pdf which is the basis from which to indicate the school’s playing up decision. The class by class listing is posted in enrollment order at http://khsaa.org/football/realignment/20152018/FourYearEnrollmentsbyDraftClass.pdf.

COMPOSITION OF DISTRICTS

Once the playing up decisions, and the resultant options for teams in the next highest class are completed, the teams will be drawn into districts. Until that time, no projections will be made regarding districts. These districts may or may not be the same as the current district alignment, based solely on membership responses.

FINAL ALIGNMENT PROCEDURE

The Board of Control will consider a draft alignment of teams at its April, 2014 meeting. Following that meeting, the draft will be submitted to the membership with the final adoption scheduled for the May Board of Control meeting.

SCHEDULING GRID

The scheduling grid will continue to be utilized. Week 10 (the last week) will be non-district. Weeks 9 back through the number necessary are reserved for district games.

INTERIM REVIEW DURING ALIGNMENT

The Board will again look at the averages of enrolled boys with the average of the 2014-15 and 2015-16 year to review and make any adjustments viewed necessary at that time based on extreme situations due to new school openings, consolidations, natural disasters and other emergencies, or other items that may be identified by the membership for interim review.

Member schools should contact the KHSAA if there are any questions.