Logo courtesy of the WIAA
WIAA to Vote on Classification Numbers
January 9, 2019
Votes on classification and enrollment numbers top the docket at the
Washington Interscholastic Activities Association Winter Coalition coming up at the end of the month. Two amendments come before the 53-member Representative Assembly on January 28th.
The first amendment establishes hard line numbers for high school classifications. The second admendment adjusts high school enrollment. Both amendments allow the WIAA Executive Board to modify classification policies and procedures.
If HS Amendment #1 passes, the enrollment numbers will be utilized for counting purposes in 2019 and will determine the classifications beginning with the 2020-21 school year. Those numbers would be established every four years for all schools counting grades 9-through-11 with the following parameters:
4A 1300+
3A 900 – 1299
2A 450 – 899
1A 225 – 449
2B 105 – 224
1B 1 - 104
The proposed change would do away with the current classification process of balancing the number of schools in each classification for the purposes of equitable entry into the state tournaments. The rationale for the proposal is lessening the impact of schools that opt up on other schools. The proposal says the with the constantly moving line between classifications created a "great deal of turmoil" and hard line numbers do not necessarily impact other schools.
If the amendment passes, the WIAA Executive Board will implement a board policy which will create equitable entry into the state tournaments.
An approximate ratio of 4:1 of schools in the classification to number of entries into the state tournament, would be used to determine the size of the state tournament.
MORE: View the proposed WIAA amendments
The second amendment establishes adjusted enrollment figures based upon the high school free or reduced lunch count. If HS Amendment #2 passes, the enrollment numbers will be adjusted due to Free and Reduced Lunch data and will determine the classifications beginning with the 2020-21 school year. Schools with a free and reduced lunch count 10% or greater than the state wide average will have their Average Monthly Enrollment reduced.
The amendment also narrows the window for schools wishing to opt up in classification. Schools must notify the WIAA office of their intent on or before the second Friday in January of the reclassification year.
The Representative Assembly will also consider 10 other amendments, ranging from adding sixth graders to WIAA jurisdiction and establishing standardized warm-up times for regular season volleyball, during the Spring online voting window between April 26th and and May 3rd.
- Doug Lange
Information from a WIAA press release used in this story
