The ongoing classification turmoil should soon have a resolution.
A meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 24 where the WVSSAC will hear 31 new proposals presented by 17 different schools.
The meeting should bring a head to a problem that’s been ongoing since the new classifications were revealed in December of 2023 Â along with the expansion of the four-class system to sports outside of basketball.
In August a flurry of appeals were granted by the Dept. of Education to schools unhappy with their classifications two weeks before the start of the prep football season, leading to numerous concerns over playoff rating points and more.
Ahead of Thursday’s meeting, a four-question survey was distributed with the following responses.
1. Are you satisfied with the current classification system that was passed by the BOC in 2023?
Yes: 24, No: 95
2. Should enrollment be the only factor considered in the classification system?
Yes: 61, No: 35
3. Should football be classified differently than other sports?
Yes: 25, No: 68
4. Should classification be done every two years or four years?
Two years: 51, Four years: 46.
Attached are summaries of all 31 proposals compiled by Lootpress.
School Submitting Proposal: Cameron
Number of proposals – 1
Proposal Changes – Keep the current system in place as it was approved unanimously.
School Submitting Proposal: Doddridge County and Williamstown
Number of Proposals: 1
Proposal Change: Four classifications with enrollment as the main deciding factor. The lowest enrollment score in a class must be at least 60 percent of the highest enrollment in a four-class system and 50 percent in a three-class system.
School Submitting Proposal: Fairmont Senior
Number of Proposals: 3
Proposal Change: Four class system using WVEIS enrollment solely. The four classes will be divided evenly with the same number of schools in each class.
Proposal Change: Removes competitive balance formula variables of enrollment, location and economics.
Proposal Change: All sports will follow the approved classification changes without allowing the Board of Directors to set different parameters for sports such as golf, wrestling, soccer and track.
School Submitting Proposal: Frankfort
Number of Proposals: 3
Proposal Change: Change back to enrollment based with the following parameters – Class AAAA: 16 schools. Class AAA and AA: 30 percent of the number of schools in Class A-AAA and if a number ends in a decimal, round down. Class A: The remaining member schools. : Ex: Class AAAA 16, AAA 32 schools, AA 32 schools, A 44 schools.
Proposal Change: Change to enrollment based using the following parameters to determine number of teams in class – Class AAAA: 20 percent of total WVSSAC member schools. Class AAA: 25 percent of member schools. Class AA: 25 percent of member schools in Class AAA-A. Class A: Remaining schools. Ex: Class AAAA: 24 schools, Class AAA: 31, Class AA: 31, Class A: 38.
Proposal Change: Classifications will be redone every two years instead of every four years.
School Submitting Proposal: George Washington
Number of Proposals: 1
Proposal Change: Back to enrollment-based classification under these parameters: Class AAAA: 1000+, Class AAA 650-999, Class AA 400-649, Class A 399 and below.
School Submitting Proposal: Lincoln
Number of Proposals: 4
Proposal Change: A four-class system that sets a minimum and maximum number of teams per class. WVEIS end of year attendance numbers are used instead of pure enrollment numbers.
Proposal Change: Reclassifications are shifted to every two years instead of every four.
Proposal Change: Teams that choose to play up a class must choose to do so before Week 7 and will do so for two years should reclassification take place every two years as opposed to every four.
Proposal Change: Adding a published procedure with outlined limits for the Board of Directors, defined by the Board of Control.
School Submitting Proposal: Martinsburg
Number of Proposals: 1
Proposal Change: Rename classes to Divisions (Division 1 being the smallest and 4 being the largest) and eliminate the appeal process for schools unhappy with their classifications.
School Submitting Proposal: Midland Trail
Number of Proposals: 1
Proposal Change: Changes to the formula including – the removal of location score, removal of reduced or free lunch because different counties use different systems, use SAIPE (small area income and poverty estimates), removal the competitive balance committee. Formula would be weighted to reflect 80 percent enrollment and 20 percent county economic score.
School Submitting Proposal: Nitro
Number of Proposals: 1
Proposal Change: Four classes based on enrollment with no two schools with 1,000 or more student discrepancy placed within the same class. Also adds an elimination of the appeal process because of the impact it has on playoff ratings points, conferences and schedules.
School Submitting Proposal: PikeView
Number of Proposals: 1
Proposal Change: Four classes, enrollment based.
School Submitting Proposal: Sissonville
Number of Proposals: 2
Proposal Change: Removes the location variable from the classification formula.
Proposal Change: Appeals heard must be explained in writing with reason. Votes and rationale are recorded and released for public consumption.
School Submitting Proposal: South Harrison
Number of Proposals: 1
Proposal Change: A return to the three-class system based solely on enrollment.
School Submitting Proposal: Spring Valley
Number of Proposals: 1
Proposal Change: Four classes, based on modified enrollment. Direct certified students (free or reduced lunch students) count as 50% (half a student) towards the enrollment. Classification will also occur every two years instead of every four.
School Submitting Proposal: St. Marys
Number of Proposals: 2
Proposal Change: Remove location form the competitive balance formula, redo classifications every two years and for appeal heard the Board of Directors must thoroughly explain their decision in writing with each member providing an explanation of their decision.
Proposal Change: Instead of using U.S. Census data for enrollment the WVSSAC will use the Dept. of Education data for enrollment scores.
School Submitting Proposal: Weir
Number of Proposals: 5
Proposal Change: Location and economics are removed from the formula with out of area attendance added in their place. Students in district account for 1 student towards enrollment. Out of district but in county count as 1.25, outside of the county counts for 1.5 and one out of state counts for 2.
Proposal Change: School classifications are redone every two years instead of four.
Proposal Change: Schools can play up a class for two years provided the previous proposal passes.
Proposal Change: Out of area attendance replaces location and economic variables in the competitive balance formula.
Proposal Change: If a consolidation occurs it uses metrics of attendance and out of area attendance as the formula variables, replacing economic and location variables.
School Submitting Proposal: Wirt County
Number of Proposals: 1
Proposal Change: Keep four classes but split wrestling into two classes – Class A/AA and Class AAA/AAAA.
Full list of appeals is attached below.
Rule-Proposals-for-October-24-BOC
