02/20/24 – Board of Control Approves Draft of 2025, 2026 Football Alignment

February 20, 2024 2023-2024 News Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: FEB. 20, 2024

The KHSAA Board of Control conducted its fifth regularly scheduled meeting of the 2023-24 academic year on Tuesday in Lexington, approving an initial draft football realignment that would be effective for two years starting with the 2025 season.

With the approval of an initial draft, a survey of all member schools will be conducted to determine postseason participation for the 2025 and 2026 seasons. Pending member school feedback upon distribution of the alignment draft, any appeals and potential adjustments will be finalized at the next regularly scheduled Board meeting in May.

Each year, Board members are reminded that the officers for the following year are elected at the fifth meeting of the year. The Board annually elects a president-elect from its membership to serve the following year and then transition to the role of president in the second year following. On Tuesday, the Board selected Warren County Public Schools District Athletic Director Greg Howard as its newest Board of Control President-Elect.

“With the release of a new two-year football alignment draft, we are eager to gather feedback from member schools ahead of the next time our Board meets,” said KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett. “Our Board represents the interests of a diverse range of constituents all across the state, but it is vital to hear directly from our members regarding our efforts to finalize an alignment that makes the most sense for the next two years. 

“I would also like to formally congratulate Mr. Howard on his election as Board President-Elect,” Tackett said. “I am in firm agreement with his peers among the Board that he was an ideal candidate for the role.”

The Board also approved the following items:

• A request by KHSAA staff to post an opening for a newly created fifth Assistant Commissioner position on staff to help manage the myriad of championships now conducted by the Association;
• The continuation of a reduced official’s administrative fee for officials licensing; and
• The authorization of the Commissioner to finalize the site and schedule for the 2024 Tennis State Championships.

Additionally, the Board reviewed and accepted the following reports:

• A presentation by ArbiterSports;
• A status of Kentucky Board of Education reports;
• Individual sport and sport-activity reports and non-sport-related reports from staff;
• A status report of the experimental format of the Region 15 Basketball Tournaments;
• An officials’ licensing comparison;
• A disqualification report and comparison;
• A transfer and appeals eligibility report;
• A status of regulations promulgation and legislative discussions;
• A presentation from ArbiterSports;
• A review of corporate sponsor and non-corporate finance reports, including the payment of fall team sports expenses; and
• Information from around the state and nation.

– 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 290 member schools, both public and non-public. The KHSAA awards 229 state championships to 59 teams and 178 individuals in 13 sports and six sport-activities, funds catastrophic insurance coverage for its more than 109,000 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.