A few weeks ago the new Kansas classes and districts came out for the next two-year cycle. There were a few changes here or there but nothing earth shattering in terms of movement.
I applaud Kansas for how they can take a count of students in September and then release classifications and districts just a month or so later. The Kansas State High School Activities Association has long been an example of how efficient that process can be.
On the other side of the state line the speed of the count and the ability to release new class and district assignments at times is like negotiating Mid East peace. I’m not sure what takes so long but counts are taken in April and class and district assignments are released in August. So four weeks vs. four months I’ll take four weeks.
While KSHSAA is speedy, it lags behind the Missouri State High School Activities Association in how often it reclassifies, and the methods used to decide district seedings and classification of private and charter schools.
Missouri long ago went to a multiplier for private and charter schools that was based on enrollment. That worked for more than a decade but starting next year there will be a success multiplier used instead of the enrollment method.
The jury is still out on how it will work MSHSAA and its member schools are trying something different. Maybe it will work out and schools will find themselves competing for championships with programs that have the same level of success.
While we will have to wait to find out about the success multiplier, we already have two years of experience with the new classification system for football. Instead of counting all students and classify schools for two years, MSHSAA went to a spring count of freshmen through juniors and classified football every year.
I was skeptical at first but two years in I love it. I think it allows for a fair representation of a program based on the students who are in the building for that year. Counting seniors who won’t be in the building can lead to teams playing in a smaller or larger class for two years depending on the size of a group of students who won’t even be there when the games are played.
So Missouri made the jump, now it is time for Kansas to do the same. New class and district assignments for football every year.
Missouri, you’re not off the hook. Find a way to speed up your process. It shouldn’t take four months.
