NCHSAA asks member schools for input on realignment process, future of conferences

There will be major changes to the N.C. High School Athletic Association's realignment process over the next two years and the association is asking the member schools to provide their input on the future.

Last year, the membership voted to amend the bylaws, which required the NCHSAA to have four classifications. The new bylaws say classifications cannot be larger than 64 schools, and the NCHSAA Board of Directors decided in December to expand to eight classifications beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.

• Bylaws amendment to increase the number of NCHSAA classes passed overwhelmingly

On Monday, the NCHSAA distributed surveys to all member schools asking for input on potential realignment models using eight classifications. The NCHSAA Bylaw Task Force Committee has been studying various models as the association prepares to move forward with eight classifications.

There were three models provided for member schools to look at. The first model had eight classes that were equally divided with either 54 or 55 schools in each class. The second model had 8A with the largest 32 schools with the other seven classes equally divided. The third model went the other direction with the 32 smallest schools in 1A and the rest of the classes evenly divided.

• For HSOT Insiders: Here is what realignment would look like with the new 32 school proposals in 1A or 8A

What NCHSAA realignment could look like with 32 schools in 1A or 8A

What NCHSAA realignment could look like with 32 schools in 1A or 8A

In addition to the eight-classification models, the NCHSAA asked schools how they would prefer to see conferences determined in the new realignment.

Schools had two options for preferences: conferences with similar sized schools in the same classification, but with the potential for further travel distance during the regular season; or conferences with multiple classifications but closer in distance.

The NCHSAA noted that school sizes within classifications will not be as broad with a maximum of 64 schools in each class as compared to the four classifications today.

• J. Mike Blake: Why conferences should be kept in the upcoming NCHSAA realignment model

Schools were also asked if they would prefer realigning every two years instead of every four years.

In January 2020, schools voted on a proposed bylaw amendment that would have changed the frequency of the realignment process, but that amendment failed. Realigning every two years instead of every four years could prevent schools that experience major changes in enrollment numbers from being stuck in a particular classification.

According to the NCHSAA, schools have until 4 p.m. on Feb. 13 to return the electronic survey.