2019-21 Realignment Information

 

March 23, 2018

Contact:   UHSAA Executive Director Rob Cuff:  cuff@uhsaa.org 

UHSAA Board of Trustees Approves Format and Procedures
The Utah High School Activities Association (UHSAA) Board of Trustees approved the format and procedures to align member schools into classifications and regions for school years 2019-2021.  Following a public hearing on Thursday, March 22, the UHSAA Board of Trustees approved the final format and procedures regarding the 2019-2021 realignment of member schools.

Once October 1 enrollment numbers are released by the State Office of Education, schools will be assigned to a classification.  Once schools are assigned to a classification, they will be assigned to a region within the classification and a public hearing on placement of member schools will be held in December.    

The assignment of schools to regions will be completed in December, allowing time for schools and the new regions to organize and make schedules for the two-year alignment period.  The first contests under the new alignment will take place the following August in 2019.  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.

Approved Format:

  1. In classifying and aligning schools for participation in Association activities, the Board of Trustees shall have plenary power to make such classification and alignments as shall promote the best interests of the Association.
  2. Realignment shall be completed on a two year cycle.

3.   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.
4.   No region shall contain schools from multiple classifications (no split regions).
5.   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 teams or individuals for post season as determined by the Executive Committee.
6.   Only bubble schools (see procedure #6) may move down a classification as determined by the Board of Trustees.
7.   Prior to the first consideration of assigned regions, any school may apply to a higher classification. Schools will be considered bubble schools following the consideration of the original bubble schools (see procedure #6) as determined by the Board of Trustees.
8.   Prior to the first consideration of assigned regions, any school with at least 55.0% free and reduced lunch per state office of education 2017 Child Nutrition Program (CNP) survey may appeal to move down one classification.  Schools will be considered bubble schools following the consideration of the original bubble schools (see procedure #6) as determined by the Board of Trustees.

Approved Procedures:

  1. Voting Members of the Realignment Committee include the following:  a chairperson, six Board of Trustees members (one from each classification), six Executive Committee members (one from each classification) a charter school representative, a private school representative and an athletic director.
  2. Realignment Committee reviews trends and school sizes to determine a range of schools in each classification and the total number of regions.
  3. Executive Committee provides BOT a range of schools in each classification and the total number of regions.
  4. 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 year.
  5. 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 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.
  6. 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.
  7. Region assignments shall be finalized in December of even calendar years. 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.
  8. For consideration during an established alignment, any school with at least 40% reduction in enrollment may appeal prior to January 15 of even calendar years to move down no more than one classification.
  9. The recommended range of schools in each classification is as follows:

6A        24-32
5A        24-32
4A        21-28
3A        15-24
2A        15-24
1A        15-24

  1. The recommended range of schools in each football classification is as follows:

6A        24-32
5A        24-32
4A        21-28
3A        10-16
2A        10-16
1A        8+
*Words in italics are used for explanation and to provide clarity.

About the Utah High School Activities Association (UHSAA)The UHSAA is the leadership organization for high school athletic and fine arts activities in Utah. Since 1927, the UHSAA has led the development of education-based interscholastic athletic and fine arts activities that help students succeed in their lives. The belief is these activities are an essential part of the high school experience and go a long way to improving academic performance and producing better citizens.

The UHSAA reaches 149 member schools and nearly 100,000 participants in high school activity programs. The organization sanctions 10 girls’ sports and 10 boys’ sports and music, theatre/drama and speech/debate in six different classifications. The UHSAA is governed by a 15 member Board of Trustees made up of elected school board members, superintendents and principals representing school districts and areas throughout Utah, a charter school representative, a private school representative and a state board of education representative.

The organization is committed to stressing educational and cultural values, improving the participation experience in activities, promoting life skills and lessons involved in competitive activities, fostering sportsmanship and mutual respect and assisting those who oversee high school sports and activities in UHSAA member high schools. For more information, visit the UHSAA website at www.uhsaa.org.