The Alabama High School Athletic Association Central Board of Control has approved a new classification system for championship play for the 2026–27 and 2027–28 school years, creating six classifications for public school members and two classifications for private school members.
The current seven-class system, implemented during the 2014–15 school year, will no longer be in effect as the 7A classification has been removed. The reorganization removes the 1.35 enrollment multiplier assessed to private school members since 1999 and eliminates the competitive balance factor applied to private school teams since 2018.
“The landscape of education-based athletics in Alabama is changing, and the AHSAA must continue to adapt,” said AHSAA Executive Director Heath Harmon. He continued, “After careful review, and after listening to our public and private school members, the Central Board determined that now is an appropriate time to restructure championship play.”
Under the new model, public and private school teams will compete in separate divisions for state championships. However, all member schools may continue to schedule and compete against one another during regular-season play.
“The Central Board has approved a championship alignment model that applies only to post-season play,” Harmon said. “Its purpose is to expand opportunity and strengthen the overall championship experience for student-athletes across Alabama. All championships will be played together at our championship venues.”
Classification is based on Average Daily Membership (ADM) figures provided by the Alabama State Department of Education for grades 9–11, plus eighth-grade hold-back students. Private schools report enrollment data directly to AHSAA.
The approved classification structure for 2026–27 and 2027–28 is as follows: Class 6A: 32 schools (ADM 2240.9–1042.65); Class 5A: 64 schools (ADM 1036.35– 520.95); Class 4A: 66 schools (ADM 519.55–326.55); Class 3A: 66 schools (ADM 325.75–222.5); Class 2A: 65 schools (ADM 222–157.90); Class 1A: 69 schools (ADM 155.15–31.65); Private Double A: 17 schools (ADM 190–31); Private Single A: 43 schools (ADM 483–191)
More than 175,000 student-athletes are expected to participate during this classification period.
According to Harmon, private school leaders requested greater financial flexibility.
“Through multiple meetings with our private school members, they expressed a desire for greater financial flexibility,” Harmon said. “This model directly addresses those concerns while maintaining fair play for all.”
Under the new system, funds from the Choose Act, Accountability Act, tuition assistance, teacher reductions and scholarships will no longer impact athletic eligibility. Private schools will now be classified strictly based on enrollment.
The AHSAA also plans to establish a Private School Headmaster and Principal Committee and designate a Private School Director of Championships.
Central Board President Terry Curtis said the board ultimately “did what they knew was right for kids.”
As part of the reclassification process, schools were instructed to verify enrollment data prior to final placement.
According to the Scottsboro City School System, an error in Average Daily Membership (ADM) reporting was identified and submitted for correction but was not adjusted before classifications were finalized. Scottsboro’s ADM was overstated by 11 students, making it the second smallest 5A school at 522.40, and forcing the system to compete with schools nearly twice its size. The corrected ADM would move the system to 4A, allowing it to compete with schools of similar size.
The district issued the following press release outlining the appeal time line:
“When reclassifications were publicly released on January 23, the district learned that the incorrect ADM figure had still been used. Superintendent Jennifer Williams submitted a formal written appeal to Executive Director Heath Harmon requesting correction of the verified ADM error. He denied the appeal.
Upon denial of her written appeal by AHSAA Executive Director Heath Harmon, Superintendent Jennifer Williams formally requested an audience and review of the decision by the AHSAA Central Board of Control.
On Friday, February 6 Superintendent Williams appeared before the Central Board of Control and presented documentation outlining the time line of events and reiterating the district’s request that accurate, verified data be used for classification purposes.
During her presentation, Superintendent Williams specifically asked the Central Board of Control to consider and apply the same precedent used during the 2023-2025 reclassification cycle, when AHSAA permitted verified data corrections to ensure accuracy and competitive equity. She noted that in the prior 2023-2025 reclassification cycles, schools including Brooks High School, Winfield City High School, Anniston City and J.B. Pennington High School were allowed to correct verified data errors so that classifications reflected accurate enrollment figures.
She pleaded that this same standard be applied consistently to Scottsboro High School.
Later that evening, Williams received written correspondence from Harmon stating that: ‘No action was taken on classification as announced on January 23, 2026.’ In a subsequent phone call, Harmon explained that classification decisions are not subject to appeal and that the opportunity to appear before the Board was extended as a courtesy. He further stated Scottsboro student-athletes would compete in the 5A classification for 2026-2028.
‘Our focus throughout this process has been on accuracy, fairness, and doing what is right for students,’ said Superintendent Jennifer Williams.
‘When schools are asked to verify data, they do so in good faith, trusting that verified corrections will be treated consistently. The Central Board is composed of educational administrators and former coaches, leaders who have a responsibility to make hard decisions when it is necessary for the best interest of Alabama students.
It is a sad day for Scottsboro’s student athletes when known, verifiable information is not used in decisions that directly affect them. Even so, our students will continue to work hard, we will lead with integrity and advocate for what is best for kids. We remain committed to supporting our students, coaches, and families and will continue to compete with integrity while advocating for fairness and accuracy in all decisions impacting student-athletes,’ Williams stated.”
In education-based athletics, few words matter more than fairness and integrity. They are the foundation of competition, what coaches preach, what student-athletes are taught, and what governing bodies are entrusted to protect.
That is why the decision to deny Scottsboro High School’s request for a verified data correction is so troubling, not just for one school system, but for the credibility of the classification process itself.
If the process exists to ensure accuracy, then accuracy must be applied completely, not selectively. Eleven students may seem minor on paper, but in classification they can determine playoff access, travel demands, competitive equity, and student-athlete opportunity.
Precedent shows verified corrections have been allowed before. Consistency builds trust. Inconsistency erodes it. Fairness demands consistency.
Scottsboro reported the error properly, yet the incorrect number stood. Student-athletes will now compete for two years under a classification based on data known to be inaccurate. They will do so with pride, but pride in competition should never have to compensate for preventable inequity in placement.
by Heather Dohring
