The Alabama High School Athletic Association is set to make a decision this week that could reshape the landscape of high school athletics in the state, and if a public-private split becomes reality, the AHSAA classification map could look very different.
AHSAA officials are scheduled to meet Friday, Jan. 23, to determine the state’s reclassification structure of fall sports for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years. Among the possibilities on the table would be one of the most sweeping changes the AHSAA has considered in recent memory: separating public and private schools.
The discussion has grown over the past several months as private school leaders have raised concerns about policies they believe disproportionately impact private programs, including the 1.35 enrollment multiplier, the competitive-balance formula and questions surrounding the interpretation of the CHOOSE Act, Alabama’s private school tuition tax credit program…