THOMASTON — The Georgia High School Association held its second reclassification meeting Sept. 26, which discussed proposals on private schools and competitive balance.

Class A is expected to be split into two divisions again for the reclassification cycle of 2024-26, D1 and D2. D2 will be for the schools with the smallest attendance numbers.

Minutes from the GHSA’s reclassification meeting mention “several members of the committee” discussed private schools. “Several members of the audience echoed this view, saying that private schools actually won more state titles last school year than the previous year.”

From 2012-2022, Class A split into public and private divisions in many sports, which guaranteed at least one private school champion in those particular sports. A multiplier was applied to all schools across all divisions beginning in 2022 for out-of-district students in each school system.

Though the list of state champions published do show more private school champions from 2022-23 than a year previous, the numbers were very close. Examining the list of all champions in traditional sports, eSports and literary events, the GHSA had 65 private school champions in 2022-23. There were 61 championships earned by private schools in 2021-22.

The GHSA increased its amount of championships in 2022-23, opening up a third division of lacrosse for boys and girls, and, with numbers growing in girls wrestling, the league added team duals and traditional titles in that sport. Lacrosse saw one additional private school win state in 2023. Both girls wrestling team champions were public schools (the team champion forfeited because an ineligible competitor).

Member Curt Miller suggested splitting public and private schools into separate championships again. Another member, Kevin Petroski, said it would only be fair to public schools. Petroski instead suggested “a competitive balance model.”

Steven Craft, also a member of the reclassification committee, said that would also be difficult. Craft was quoted in the minutes “[Y]ou could have a school with a dominant boys basketball team, but a mediocre girls team and the girls team would be brought up to a higher classification because of the boys success.”

It was mentioned that other high school associations use a competitive balance model. GHSA reclassification committee members voted 15-2 to form a sub-committee to study how those associations are doing so.

Full minutes of the meeting, as well as other dates of discussion on the upcoming reclassification can be found at the GHSA’s website, ghsa.net.