2017-19 Realignment Information
January 28, 2016
Contact: UHSAA Executive Director Rob Cuff: cuff@uhsaa.org
UHSAA Board of Trustees Considering Format and Procedures for Alignment of Schools
The Utah High School Activities Association (UHSAA) will adopt format and procedures to align member schools into classifications and regions for years 2017-2019.
In an attempt to get feedback from the various groups who have an interest in the format and procedures, the UHSAA will hold a public hearing at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 23, 2016, at the UHSAA offices (199 E. 7200 S. in Midvale).
In addition to the hearing on March 23, the UHSAA is seeking comment on the proposed format and procedures. To provide input, please use the following link: http://www.uhsaa.org/realignmentfeedback
Under the proposal, the UHSAA Board of Trustees will review and gather input from member schools and districts regarding the recommendation and adopt a final alignment format and procedures in March. As proposed, once October 1 enrollment numbers are released by the State Office of Education, schools will be assigned to a classification based on enrollment. Once schools are assigned to a classification, they will be assigned to regions within the classifications and a public hearing will be held.
The assignment of schools to regions will be completed in November, allowing time for schools and the new regions to organize and schedule for the two-year alignment period. The first contests under the new alignment will take place the following August. The enrollment data upon which the alignment is based will be less than one year old. The UHSAA Board of Trustees retains the responsibility for realignment of all member schools.
First Consideration Proposal made by the UHSAA Board of Trustees on January 28, 2016
Proposed Format:
1. Realignment shall be completed on a two year cycle.
2. 1A-4A classifications shall have 3 regions (4 regions if deemed necessary by Board of Trustees) and regions may be reduced to divisions by the Executive Committee depending on the sport. 5A and 6A shall have 4 regions.
3. No region shall contain schools from multiple classifications (no split regions).
4. Regions or divisions within a classification shall be as equal as feasible (within one school if possible) in having the same number of full member schools in each region. Each region or division shall qualify the same number of teams or individuals for post season as determined by the Executive Committee.
5. Only bubble schools (see procedure #6) may move down a classification as determined by the Board of Trustees.
6. Prior to the final consideration of assigned classifications, any school may apply to a higher classification. Those schools will be considered bubble schools following the consideration of the original bubble schools (see procedure #6) as determined by the Board of Trustees.
7. There shall be six classifications for baseball, basketball, cross country, football, track, volleyball and wrestling.
8. There shall be five classifications for drill team, golf, soccer and softball.
9. There shall be four classifications for swimming and tennis.
Proposed Procedures:
- Voting Members of the Realignment Committee include the following: a chairperson, six BOT members (one from each classification), six Executive Committee members (one from each classification) and an Athletic Director. In the case where a charter or private school is not represented on the committee, then a charter or private school representative may serve as an ex-officio/non-voting member.
- Realignment Committee reviews trends and school sizes to determine a range of schools in each classification and the total number of regions.
- Executive Committee provides BOT a range of schools in each classification and the total number of regions.
- The BOT shall have adopted a range of schools in each classification and the total number of regions prior to October 1 of even calendar realignment year.
- Classifications are established based on October 1 data of senior and junior classes without self-contained students per state office of education in even calendar realignment year. Alternative high school student enrollments shall be counted. (*Alternative high school student enrollment counts are reported by the district. First entry alternative high school students are counted with the boundary school. If a high school student withdraws to attend an alternative school, the student is counted with the member school from which they withdrew.) Once schools have been aligned into classifications and the largest three classifications determined, the assignment of schools to the smallest three classifications shall be determined using enrollment numbers in the 10th, 11th and 12th grades.
- Once schools are initially aligned into classifications, any school with a classification enrollment plus or minus 5% of the school with the highest enrollment in a classification shall be considered tied in enrollment for the purposes of classification assignment. The BOT shall resolve the tie and retains the responsibility for alignment of all member schools.
- Region assignments shall be finalized in December of even calendar realignment year. Region organizational meetings are conducted the following spring of odd calendar years with competition under the new alignment beginning the following August of odd calendar years.
- The recommended range of schools in each classification is as follows:
6A 24-32
5A 24-32
4A 15-24
3A 15-24
2A 15-24
1A 15-24
- The recommended range of schools in each football classification is as follows:
6A 24-32
5A 24-32
4A 12-16
3A 10-16
2A 10-16
1A 8+