GHSA to consider 7 classes, 'multiplier' for city schools

The Georgia High School Association will expand to seven classes – one of which could be called the Big 44 and comprise schools in the top 10 percent of enrollment – if a proposal for reclassification is voted in Monday at the GHSA’s executive committee meeting in Macon.

The reclassification plan also includes a formula to move schools into higher classifications if they have significant numbers of students residing outside their counties. That could affect larger private schools as well as city schools that have open enrollment, such as all-sports powers Buford, Carrollton, Calhoun and Commerce.

‘’The most discussed thing by far is the perceived multiplier,’’ said Dave Hunter, a member of the GHSA’s reclassification committee that will meet Sunday to iron out the final proposal ahead of Monday’s vote. ‘’Most of what we’ve heard about the Big 44 and the added class has been positive.’’

Under the reclass plan, devised primarily by Hunter and fellow long-time GHSA executive committee member Earl Etheridge of Savannah, the percentage of out-of-county students required to bump a school has not been decided but likely would be between 1 and 3 percent. Using a 3-percent model, a school with 1,000 students with 31 or more residing outside its county of origin would be moved up.

The formula would not apply to schools pegged for the lowest classification, nor would it force any school into the Big 44.

If the proposal passes, it will be the first to address claims that certain public schools have sports advantages. Private schools operated under an enrollment multiplier from 2000 to 2008.

‘’I think our membership wanted us to address the perceived unfair advantages of these other schools,’’ Hunter said. “Does that solve all the problems? Probably not. But we’re addressing it.’’

The idea of counting students who live outside of the school district, instead of the county, also was considered, but Hunter said that created unintended consequences for magnet, charter and other schools that gain out-of-district students with no real gain in athletics.

The move to seven classifications - less than 20 years removed from an era of only four classes – will mean more state champions and playoff teams. There were only five state champions per sport as recently as the 2011-12 academic year. Now there will be eight in most sports. It also would mean 240 state-playoff teams among the 454 member schools (of which only 419 play football).

Those additional playoff teams include 16 more in Class A. The plan calls for 24-team draws in both the public- and private-school divisions in A instead of the current 16.

The biggest structural change would be the Big 44, the new highest classification made up of the top 10 percent. The name Big 44 was used as a catch phrase only, as it represents roughly 10 percent of GHSA membership. The actual number of schools probably would be a little higher. Teams falling outside the 10 percent could elect to join the Big 44.

The smallest classification would be called the Public/Private class. There would be five classes in between, from A to AAAAA, each getting about 58-64 schools.

The Big 44 is designed to alleviate the disparity between the largest and smallest schools in the highest classification. In Class AAAAAA currently, Mill Creek (3,708 students) at the high end is more than twice the size of Lee County (1,802) on the other side.

‘’We’ve got lots of people, including several legislators, who want to see something done because of the disparity between the biggest and the smallest,’’ Hunter said. ‘’We’re trying to level the playing field.’’

Under the new plan, the smallest school in the Big 44 would have about 2,000 students. Some 20 schools in the 1,800 to 2,000 range would be eligible for the second-highest class, or AAAAA. At least one school each in Cobb, DeKalb, Gwinnett and Fulton counties now in the highest class falls below 2,000 students, as do Valdosta and Lee County from south Georgia.

The reclassification plan will be discussed Sunday in the GHSA’s reclassification committee, and a final proposal would go before the GHSA’s executive committee Monday. A new classification plan will go into effect beginning with the 2016-17 academic year.