Monday, October 5, 2015

NSAA Classification Committee discussing possible changes

The Nebraska School Activities Association Committee on Classification is meeting throughout the year to formulate goals and a plan of action to address school activity classification. As a member of the committee, I have had the opportunity to contribute to the conversation. Here are some of the issues being addressed:

1.    Ratio, particularly in Class B. 
2.    Classifying.  Use a female count for female sports and use a male count for male sports.  An idea was presented to classify each school within a city to be classified in the same classification of the largest school population.  (i.e. Norfolk Catholic, Lutheran High NE would be Class A as Norfolk High School is Class A.)  Also addressed was to establish an east and west division in Classes C & D based on enrollment.
3.    Utilizing a 2-year classification period for all activities, not just football.
4.    Establishing a break-off number in each class.  (i.e. All schools with an enrollment of 1,000 or greater would be classified Class A, etc.)
5.    Decreasing the number of classes from 6 to 5 in the activities in which there are currently 6 classes.  Other options presented were to increase the number of classes to 7 or restructuring the current 6 classes.
6.    Study a multiplier/success factor.
7.    Opting Up.  A school would need to declare their intention to opt up prior to the release of enrollment numbers for the upcoming classification period.