Just go back to FOUR classes takes care of most of these problems!

From the KHSAA:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MAY 6, 2026

The KHSAA Board of Control conducted its sixth and final regularly scheduled meeting of the 2025-26 academic year this week in Lexington, approving football alignments for the 2027 and 28 playing seasons and draft alignments for Track and Field/Cross Country to be distributed to the membership for geographic feedback. The Board has directed the Commissioner and staff to create a plan and regulations for a pickleball championship in the fall season of 2027-28 and to implement girls’ flag football in the spring of the 2027-28 school year.

As for football, the board considered each request submitted by a member school as part of the alignment review after the April distribution of a draft, and made any submission available publicly on the Association website throughout the process. 

• In Class 2A, the requests of Leslie County and Knott County to move from District 8 to District 7, and Martin County and Prestonsburg to move from District 7 to District 8 were approved, leaving District 7 composed of Breathitt County, Knott County Central, Leslie County and Magoffin County, and District 8 composed of Belfry, Martin County, Pike County Central, Prestonsburg and Shelby Valley; and the rest of the draft alignment was approved as distributed. 

• In Class 3A, the request of Letcher County Central to move to Region 7 was approved, and the remainder of the Class 3A draft of the draft alignment was approved as distributed.

• In Class 4A, the requests of Russell County (District 6 to District 2) and Breckinridge County (District 3 to District 4) to move districts were approved, and the remainder of the Class 3A draft of the draft alignment was approved as distributed.

• The Class 1A, 5A and 6A alignments were approved as originally distributed.

Also, the Board voted that round one of the playoffs will continue to be between “sister districts”, but beginning in 2027, round two of the football playoffs would be played with RPI-based semi-state pairings similar to round three. This would result in districts 1-4; the eight remaining teams in round two would be bracketed by RPI: 1 vs. 8, 2 vs. 7, 3 vs. 6, and 4 vs. 5, with the highest-ranked team hosting each contest. The same process would apply to districts 5-8. This change had been discussed for several months following feedback from various constituent groups on the second-round pairings. Significant input has been received regarding the desire to minimize "routine and repetitive annual matchups where possible. .

The Board approved a proposal to be presented to the membership that would amend Bylaw 22 to allow member schools to participate against members of KCAA and KCSAA in regular-season competition, much the same as is currently permitted against home-school teams. The provisions would apply only to the organizations in this proposal.

A draft was presented for Track and Field (and Cross Country) realignment due to the expiration of the current alignment. This draft is to be distributed to the membership for additional feedback, with the alignment to be finalized at the July meeting.

The Board also considered the follow-up survey results from the Triennial Survey of schools' sports offerings. Responses came from the Designated Representatives (member school Athletic Directors) from each school

By a vote of 11-6, the Commissioner’s office is to present an implementation timeline and draft regulatory changes at the July and follow-up board meetings in September for the initial championship offering in pickleball in the fall of the 2027-28 school year. Having a pickleball championship received an affirmative vote from more than one-third of the KHSAA membership.

By unanimous vote, the Board decided not to add Stunt as a sponsored championship until the next membership survey, due to the lack of significant interest from schools seeking to enter a championship.

By a 15-2 vote, the Board voted to add Girls’ Flag Football to the docket in the spring of 2027-2028. The majority vote favored the spring season over the fall season when the data was collected.

In other action, the Board agreed-

• To hear testimony from the state golf coaches association regarding their thoughts on qualifying for the state championship levels after a membership survey on their submitted proposal, with any implemented change considered for the 2027-28 school year.

• To continue to review regulation changes regarding Candidacy Requirements and Eligibility in Championship Play, Sport and Sport-Activity sanctioning policies and Policies around alignment revisions and wholesale realignment of schools for championship play

• To consider the final wording at the July meeting for a proposed amendment to Bylaw 6 to further restrict eligibility for transferring students failing to meet exceptions A through I of section 2 of the bylaw and who have played the current season.

• To present a proposed amendment to the school delegates allowing for member schools to participate in regular season contests against KCAA and KCSAA members in much the same way as competition against home school teams is permitted.

• To direct the Commissioner and General Counsel to work with the Secretary of State’s office on the implementation of provisions regarding 2026HB1, Pursuant to 26 U.S.C. sec. 25F(g) while maintaining the financial aid restrictions within Bylaw 11.

Did I miss something reading through all that?

RPI starting round 2 is awesome. 

34 minutes ago, DearToday said:

RPI starting round 2 is awesome. 

With RPI meaning more now will impact how teams schedule with RPI in mind. 

39 minutes ago, DearToday said:

RPI starting round 2 is awesome. 

2 minutes ago, Tigerpride94 said:

With RPI meaning more now will impact how teams schedule with RPI in mind. 

I like RPI a round earlier but the elephant in the room with RPI is addressing out of state games and until that is addressed RPI is subpar at best.  

Just now, theguru said:

I like RPI a round earlier but the elephant in the room with RPI is addressing out of state games and until that is addressed RPI is subpar at best.  

Agreed! No reason they shouldn't be able to pull something better than .500 for those games. 

Breck County wants the smoke.

From the Herald Leader/Kentucky.com:

The board passed most of the adjustments reflected in a proposal released by the KHSAA in April. That proposal included the first use of a 1.35-multiplier to the male enrollment of all football-playing private schools, which was approved at an earlier meeting.

And here are some quotes from the Commish:

“We have to recognize that our membership feels there are some disparities between our schools based on school type that we should try to address. The good thing about (the multiplier) is we didn’t say ‘every school of this type has to move up.’ It’s just adding a factor to your enrollment and then seeing if that moves you up.”

The KHSAA is open to exploring a success metric as part of future realignment decisions if desired by member schools, Tackett said, but it must be careful.

“The advantage to success factors is it’s measurable,” Tackett said. “The disadvantage is it’s from the past. That’s why there’s no consensus (in how to do it). We’ve got 10, 12 states that have success factors and no two of them are alike. … Is success just a championship trophy? There are schools who make the second round of the playoffs that think they’ve had a successful year and there’s some that, if they lose the championship game, don’t think it was a successful year. So what is success?”

https://www.kentucky.com/sports/high-school/article315622456.html

Does anyone else find it odd that the KHSAA would not release the information about the 1.35 anti-private school multiplier in their press release?  And where is the vote total on the 1.35 multiplier vote and which Board of Control members voted which way?  Enquiring minds want to know...

I hate to be this way but I really hope some of the affected private schools take legal action against the KHSAA.  

And to Commissioner Tackett specifically, in my 30 years of covering Kentucky High School Football this is the most disingenuous comment I have ever heard from you:

"The good thing about (the multiplier) is we didn’t say ‘every school of this type has to move up.’ It’s just adding a factor to your enrollment and then seeing if that moves you up."

24 minutes ago, theguru said:

And to Commissioner Tackett specifically, in my 30 years of covering Kentucky High School Football this is the most disingenuous comment I have ever heard from you:

"The good thing about (the multiplier) is we didn’t say ‘every school of this type has to move up.’ It’s just adding a factor to your enrollment and then seeing if that moves you up."

That’s a wild comment! 

15 minutes ago, NKYSportFan said:

That’s a wild comment! 

It’s incredible what people in power say when there is no one to question them.

At least be HONEST.

I have no problem with CAL getting moved to 4A although I completely disagree with the multiplier, especially since KY is an open enrollment state, so like it or not, on paper, all schools are already playing under the same rules / advantages.  What I do have a problem with is the fact CAL is now forced to play 5 district games in 4A instead of just 3 district games in 3A & they’re not necessarily any better games.  It’s nothing against the new district opponents, but it’s nice to be able to pick your opponents vs being told who to play.  How ironic that the multiplier is supposed to essentially make things more fair to appease a handful of complainers, but you actually force 2 more teams to play a school like CAL than before.  I have a feeling this will get challenged legally & I like the chances of the private schools if it does.

Agree

The KHSAA have allowed almost unlimited movement of students to avoid going to court and now have GUARANTEED going to court by this.

 

2 hours ago, theguru said:

And to Commissioner Tackett specifically, in my 30 years of covering Kentucky High School Football this is the most disingenuous comment I have ever heard from you:

"The good thing about (the multiplier) is we didn’t say ‘every school of this type has to move up.’ It’s just adding a factor to your enrollment and then seeing if that moves you up."

Commissioner Tackett being disingenuous?  NEVER. HOW DARE YOU? ?