The Georgia High School Association appears headed for full reclassification after all.
GHSA executive director Robin Hines recommended Tuesday to his board of trustees to table any vote that would extend the current two-year classification structure for two more academic years through 2023-24.
Last month, the GHSA’s full executive committee voted to “roll over” the current classes, but for the measure to stick, it requires a second vote from the executive committee or board. That’s now unlikely based on Tuesday’s sentiment of the board, which discussed reclassification at length before Hines made his recommendation.
Board member Jim Finch, the principal at Mary Persons High, supported Hines’ decision. Finch was neutral on the topic last month but now believes full reclassification should take place.
’'Remember, during our last reclassification process [for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 academic years], we just got rid of the inaugural four-year cycle and went back to a two-year cycle,’' Finch said. ’'I think we owe it to all of our member schools to do what we said we would do. Reclassification is labor intensive, but I think we owe to the member schools.’'
During a normal reclassification, as many as 100 of the GHSA’s 450-plus member schools typically go up or down in classification. Had the GHSA simply rolled over the current classification structure, only a few schools likely would’ve been moved, and then only through appeal.
Schools on the borderlines of the classifications are those with the most at stake.
The GHSA has eight classifications that are based primarily on enrollment. In most sports, state championships are contested in each class.
About the Author
