Class A private schools such as Wesleyan, Eagle’s Landing Christian and Athens Academy will be moved up to 3A or 2A to compete with public schools next year if the Georgia High School Association approves a plan to apply the 3.0 enrollment multiplier to all Class A schools and eliminate the public-private split that has existed in Class A since 2012.
A ripple effect would send Class 2A football powers Rabun County, Bleckley County, Heard County and Swainsboro into Class A, where a few smaller but prominent private schools, such as Prince Avenue Christian, would remain. (See the proposed classifications for 3A, 2A, A-1 and A-2 below.)
The GHSA’s reclassification committee approved the plan 15-1 on Wednesday. The GHSA’s executive committee must approve it.
The reclass committee’s plan would place five Class A Private schools - Hebron Christian, Mount Vernon, St. Vincent’s Academy, Savannah Christian and Wesleyan - in Class 3A. Thirteen other Class A private schools, including football powers Athens Academy, Calvary Day, Darlington, ELCA and Fellowship Christian, would go into Class 2A.
Other private schools would remain in Class A, which would be restructured into two divisions based on size after applying the 3.0 multiplier.
The most notable private schools remaining in Class A are probably Prince Avenue Christian, a football powerhouse, and St. Francis, a basketball juggernaut. For the first time in a decade, they’ll compete for the same state championships as existing Class A public programs such as Irwin County and Brooks County but also with schools falling into Class A from above, such as Rabun County and Bleckley County, along with Elbert County and Heard County.
Under this plan, the GHSA would recalculate 3A, 2A and A to ensure a similar number of schools reside in each. With private schools going up, others must fall.
The GHSA had hoped it was done with reclassification last month, with all schools assigned to their 2022-23 classifications and regions. Classes 3A and 2A had only one private-school member. And that one, Aquinas, was granted permission only because of extreme geographic isolation.
Many public schools believe that private schools have an unfair competitive advantage because they lack natural school boundaries. To combat that, the GHSA this year adopted a 3.0 multiplier, which means that students outside a school’s attendance zone are counted three times to determine a school’s classification. That effectively moved larger private schools such as Westminster, Lovett and Greater Atlanta Christian out of 3A and 2A and into 4A and above.
However, the 3.0 multiplier wasn’t used on Class A private schools because they already competed a private-only classification. But change became necessary because the GHSA could be down to about 25 Class A Private schools that field football teams next year.
Ten Class A private schools left the GHSA for another association last month, and more departures are almost certain if the GHSA doesn’t give the remaining Class A private schools what they believe are meaningful region alignments and playoffs.
The reclass committee will meet again Wednesday to hear appeals from schools in classes 3A, 2A and A. They can appeal to move up or down.
Proposed realignment for classes 3A, 2A and A:
Class 3A
School (Enrollment/out-of-zone - Total)
Richmond Academy (1096/146 - 1388)
Johnson, Savannah (746/288 - 1322)
West Hall (1186/49 - 1284)
Ridgeland (1267/5 - 1277)
Cross Creek (1157/57 - 1271)
Pickens (1260/3 - 1266)
Oconee County (1246/7 - 1260)
Douglass Atlanta (1182/35 - 1252)
Sandy Creek (1155/47 - 1249)
Carver, Columbus (865/189 - 1243)
Dougherty (1121/61 - 1243)
Monroe (1117/55 - 1227)
Ringgold (1058/80 - 1218)
Mary Persons (1190/14 - 1218)
Columbus (1171/23 - 1217)
White County (1183/15 - 1213)
Salem (1138/37 - 1212)
Savannah Christian (421/394 - 1209)
Gilmer (1208/0 - 1208)
Harlem (1169/18 - 1205)
Upson-Lee (1195/5 - 1205)
Cedar Grove (1167/12 - 1191)
Hephzibah (1014/84 - 1182)
Adairsville (1089/40 - 1169)
Mt. Vernon Presbyterian (456/356 - 1168)
Bremen (733/217 - 1167)
Wesleyan (497/335 - 1167)
Hebron Christian (438/363 - 1164)
Coahulla Creek (1031/66 - 1163)
LaFayette (1126/17 - 1160)
Long County (1144/7 - 1158)
Crisp County (1070/42 - 1154)
Dawson County (1126/14 - 1154)
Groves (884/132 - 1148)
Beach (915/115 - 1145)
Lumpkin County (1130/5 - 1140)
St. Vincent’s Academy* (582/279 - 1140)
Liberty County (1081/26 - 1133)
Lakeview-Ft. Oglethrope (1063/34 - 1131)
Stephens County (1104/5 - 1114)
Monroe Area (1097/5 - 1107)
Morgan County (1048/28 - 1104)
Hart County (1064/17 - 1098)
Spencer (929/81 - 1091)
Jackson (1078/2 - 1082)
Peach County (1045/18 - 1081)
Pike County (1078/1 - 1080)
Franklin County (1067/6 - 1079)
Thomasville (771/151 - 1073)
Jordan (887/92 - 1071)
Murray County (1059/5 - 1069)
Vidalia (760/152 - 1064)
North Murray (997/29 - 1055)
Pierce County (1034/5 - 1044)
Savannah (635/30 - 695)
Woodville-Thompkins* (663/0 - 663)
Class 2A
School (Enrollment/out-of-zone - Total)
KIPP Atlanta (803/622 - 2047)
Therrell (1003/26 - 1055)
Central, Macon (827/272 - 1371)
Appling County (1028/6 - 1040)
North Cobb Christian (371/334 - 1039)
Sumter County (1025/6 - 1037)
Tattnall County (1005/15 - 1035)
Windsor Forest (982/21 - 1024)
Carver, Atlanta (992/12 - 1016)
Kendrick (925/40 - 1005)
Westside, Augusta (906/49 - 1004)
Columbia (985/9 - 1003)
East Jackson (984/9 - 1002)
Model (712/143 - 998)
Savannah Country Day (359/318 - 995)
Landmark Christian (347/324 - 995)
Thomson (984/1 - 986)
ACE Charter (504/240 - 984)
Union County (915/30 - 975)
Gordon Lee (428/272 - 972)
Rutland (880/45 - 970)
Gordon Central (848/60 - 968)
Callaway (895/35 - 965)
Rockmart (956/4 - 964)
Redan (932/10 - 952)
Brantley County (931/10 - 951)
Haralson County (947/1 - 949)
Walker (338/303 - 944)
Pelham (432/250 - 932)
Cook (890/20 - 930)
Calvary Day (367/281 - 929)
Washington (862/30 - 922)
South Atlanta (857/32 - 921)
Savannah Arts* (913/3 - 919)
Providence Christian (306/304 - 914)
Athens Academy (350/281 - 912)
Toombs County (809/45 - 899)
Laney (665/115 - 895)
Glenn Hills (871/11 - 893)
Fannin County (893/0 - 893)
Washington County (881/5 - 891)
Eagles Landing Christian (337/277 - 891)
Banks County (886/0 - 886)
Berrien (845/20 - 885)
Trion (381/250 - 881)
Worth County (834/20 - 874)
Fitzgerald (838/18 - 874)
Jeff Davis (842/16 - 874)
Putnam County (860/3 - 866)
Butler (770/47 - 864)
Lamar County (819/21 - 861)
Pepperell (730/62 - 854)
Dodge County (838/8 - 854)
Fellowship Christian (389/230 - 849)
Whitefield Academy (310/267 - 844)
Darlington (562/136 - 834)
Aquinas (219/130 - 479)
Davidson Fine Arts* (415/0 - 415)
Elite Scholars Academy* (366/3 - 372)
Coretta Scott King* (362/0 - 362)
Johnson, Augusta* (348/0 - 348)
B.E.S.T Academy (336/0 - 336)
Technical Career Magnet* (282/0 - 282)
Class A Division 1
School (Enrollment/out-of-zone - Total)
Elbert County (818/3 - 824)
Social Circle (591/113 - 817)
St. Francis (281/268 - 817)
Towers (795/6 - 807)
Bleckley County (652/73 - 798)
Northeast (724/35 - 794)
Southwest (779/7 - 793)
Swainsboro (779/1 - 781)
McNair (776/0 - 776)
Commerce (489/139 - 767)
Paideia* (465/150 - 765)
Tallulah Falls* (351/207 - 765)
Coosa (658/53 - 764)
Atlanta International* (391/181 - 753)
Weber School* (271/238 - 747)
Temple (674/32 - 738)
Heard County (647/42 - 731)
Chattooga (677/18 - 713)
East Laurens (664/23 - 710)
Josey (692/8 - 708)
Prince Avenue Christian (289/202 - 693)
Rabun County (657/15 - 687)
Mt. Paran (444/118 - 680)
Armuchee (509/75 - 659)
Jefferson County (651/2 - 655)
Jasper County (650/2 - 654)
Dublin (544/54 - 652)
Brookstone (327/162 - 651)
Early County (559/39 - 637)
Dade County (621/5 - 631)
Bacon County (604/12 - 628)
Oglethorpe County (611/8 - 627)
Dalton Academy* (617/4 - 625)
Barrow Arts and Science Academy* (611/3 - 617)
Bryan County (598/4 - 606)
Riverside Military (574/14 - 602)
Galloway* (327/132 - 591)
King’s Ridge (275/156 - 587)
Screven County (576/5 - 586)
Brooks County (524/28 - 580)
Schley County (401/88 - 577)
Stilwell Arts* (534/21 - 576)
Athens Christian (224/173 - 570)
Claxton (524/12 - 548)
Crawford County (529/8 - 545)
Seminole County (423/57 - 537)
Drew Charter* (493/21 - 535)
Mt. Pisgah (275/129 - 533)
Chattahoochee County (471/28 - 527)
Loganville Christian (202/161 - 524)
Our Lady of Mercy (187/167 - 521)
Irwin County (484/12 - 508)
Metter (452/26 - 504)
Mt. Zion, Carroll (450/24 - 498)
Class A Division 2
School (Enrollment/out-of-zone - Total)
Atkinson County (440/28 - 496)
Georgia Military (316/78 - 472)
Lanier County (446/9 - 464)
Charlton County (435/5 - 445)
Emanuel County Institute (330/52 - 434)
Christian Heritage (194/116 - 426)
Bowdon (395/15 - 425)
Telfair County (414/4 - 422)
Mount Bethel Christian* (144/139 - 422)
Manchester (405/6 - 417)
Hawkinsville (350/32 - 414)
Greene County (409/1 - 411)
Taylor County (366/20 - 406)
Pataula Charter (171/113 - 397)
Marion County (382/3 - 388)
McIntosh County Academy (385/0 - 385)
Washington-Wilkes (385/0 - 385)
Wilkinson County (378/0 - 378)
Wilcox County (345/13 - 371)
Mitchell County (346/8 - 362)
Macon County (359/0 - 359)
Lincoln County (349/4 - 357)
Johnson County (316/14 - 344)
Turner County (339/0 - 339)
Clinch County (317/10 - 337)
DeKalb School of Arts* (327/0 - 327)
Wheeler County (265/27 - 319)
Jenkins County (316/0 - 316)
Dooly County (310/3 - 316)
Baconton Charter (225/45 - 315)
Terrell County (312/0 - 312)
Montgomery County (288/10 - 308)
Towns County (303/0 - 303)
Treutlen (274/14 - 302)
Miller County (251/23 - 297)
Portal (270/6 - 282)
Echols County* (233/17 - 267)
Greenville (264/0 - 264)
Lake Oconee Academy (263/0 - 263)
Randolph-Clay (263/0 - 263)
Pinecrest Academy (178/42 - 262)
Fulton Leadership Acad* (226/17 - 260)
Ben Franklin* (92/79 - 250)
Hancock Central (245/0 - 245)
Atlanta Classical* (192/24 - 240)
Twiggs County (206/1 - 208)
G.S.I.C. (203/0 - 203)
Rainey McCullers* (166/11 - 188)
Glascock County (170/0 - 170)
Savannah Early College* (170/0 - 170)
Calhoun County (168/0 - 168)
Warren County (159/1 - 161)
Furlow Charter* (140/0 - 140)
Central, Talbotton (131/0 - 131)
Stewart County* (122/1 - 124)
Southwest Atlanta* (100/10 - 120)
W.D. Mohammed* (45/35 - 115)
Georgia School of the Deaf (107/0 - 107)
Baker County* (77/11 - 99)
Quitman County* (89/0 - 89)
STEAM Academy* (86/0 - 86)
Webster County* (66/7 - 80)
Greenforest Christian* (52/10 - 72)
Savannah Classical Academy* (64/0 - 64)
Taliaferro County* (49/6 - 61)
GA Academy for Blind* (55/0 - 55)
Southwest Georgia STEM* - projected (55/0 - 55)
GA Fugees Academy* - projected (50/0 - 50)
Excel Christian* (23/4 - 31)
Woody Gap* (20/1 - 22)
