The GHSA Reclassification Committee officially placed schools in Classifications for the 2012-14 school years Monday. Before the committee got to work, the GHSA Executive Committee voted to rescind a policy that allowed schools to drop certain special-needs students from their FTE counts. Once the Executive Committee adjourned, the Reclassification committee got to work and placed the schools into one of six classifications based on enrollment numbers. GHSA member schools will have the opportunity to choose to play at a higher classification by submitting a request by Dec. 5, 2011. Schools will be placed into regions starting Dec. 6, and appeals for lateral transfers will be heard through Dec. 19. The GHSA will ratify the reclassification in January.
Some of the biggest changes will obviously come at the top. Sixty-five schools will make up the new Class AAAAAA with several moving up from the current AAAA classification. Five schools (Lambert, North Forsyth, Bethany Bend, West Forsyth and Douglas County) are in this classification due to projections of enrollment numbers that may change. Football powers Colquitt County, Lowndes, Valdosta and Camden County all fall into this class, along with many Gwinnett and Cobb County schools.
In Class AAAAA, ML King stays put, but Tucker, Kell, Flowery Branch, Thomas County Central, Ware County, Gainesville and Allatoona move up. Allatoona and Gainesville will be moving up from Class AAA.
Sandy Creek won a AAAA title two years ago, and beginning in 2012 the Patriots will be back in AAAA. Cairo also moves up to AAAA as does Baldwin. Buford and Carver-Columbus both make the move up to AAA and the two will contend with Blessed Trinity, Cook and current AAA hold-overs St. Pius X, North Hall and Henry County. North Clayton, a AAAA power, would drop down in the new classifications
In AA, Calhoun and GAC welcome in Wesleyan and Marist. The War Eagles, though, will likely petition to play at a higher classification. In the new Class A, most of the same schools remain including Warren County, Charlton County, Wilcox County, Holy Innocents’ and Marion County.
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Has the state verified these numbers, or is it possible that only 9th through 11th grade is being counted (as is done in New York)? There are a number of schools in the Decatur area that I keep up with, and I know for an absolute fact that these numbers are 20-25% less than their actual 9-12 enrollments this fall.
Anyone have an explanation for this?