AHSAA approves public-private split for postseason competition
The Alabama High School Athletic Association Central Board of Control has voted to approve a new classification system for championship play.
The new classification system will take place starting in the fall of 2026.
The plan would create six classifications for public school members and two classifications for private school members. The current seven-class system would not be in effect.
The board says it reorganized the classification system so that it created an opportunity for more championships being awarded in the organization’s history. It also removed the 1.35 multiplier assessed to private school members since 1999 and removed the competitive balance factor added to private school teams since 2018.
“The landscape of education-based athletics in Alabama is changing, and the AHSAA must continue to adapt,” said Executive Director Heath Harmon. “After careful review – and after listening to our public and private school members – the Central Board determined that now is an appropriate time to restructure championship play, resulting in restructured championships for public and private schools. This model will be implemented for the next two years.”
While public and private school teams will be competing in different divisions for state championships, all member schools will have the opportunity to schedule and compete against all member schools.
The board also approved the AHSAA’s largest classification, Class 6A since Class 7A was removed, to include the 32 largest schools in the AHSAA. The board is also studying a plan for Class 6A that could see more teams advance to the AHSAA state football playoffs and are studying adding a sub-regional round in the state volleyball playoffs similar to the basketball playoffs prior to the Super Regionals.
The AHSAA says while most alignments are for six public school classes and two private school classes, some sports programs may include two or more classes in a division.
For more information on the new classification system, click here.
