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No changes in the current classification enrollment numbers could lead to big changes for several Idaho high schools.
The Idaho High School Activities Association's Board of Directors has voted to keep the same enrollment cutoff numbers for the upcoming 2016-2018 classification cycle. The numbers are looked at every two years and different classification proposals are reviewed and voted upon.
"First, our classification committee then our Board of Directors look at them," said Ty Jones, Executive Director of the IHSAA. "If they decide that that this is where the cutoff numbers are for schools, then they will vote on it. That takes two readings and votes from our board."
The numbers the board and committee works with come directly from the Idaho State Department of Education (SDE). They reflect the total number of students in each high school in the state that is an active member of the IHSAA.
These numbers are used to determine in which classification an individual school will compete in athletic and academic events. Two counts are done each year: November 1 and March 1. The counts are added together and divided by two to determine where each school's average enrollment sits.
There are six classifications in Idaho. With the vote and approval of the classification committee and Board of Directors, these are where the classification cutoff thresholds will be for the 2016-2018 cycle.
5A: 1,280 students and over
4A: 640-1,279
3A: 320-639
2A: 160-319
1AD1: 100-159
1AD2: 99 and under
To see the complete list of the November/March enrollment count, CLICK HERE.
With the confirmation of classification enrollment numbers, the next step is the petitioning process for affected schools. Schools can choose to petition to play in a higher classification or to stay at their same, current level. A school cannot petition down. However, these petitions are handled on a case by case basis by the IHSAA. Schools have until September 10th to submit their petitions.
"Petitioning takes two readings most of the time as well," said Jones in early June. "We're still about six months away from anything being final."
That means that in approximately late November or early December, we will know for sure where each school will be participating in activities classification-wise.
But what can we decipher now out of the numbers? And what have administrators for affected schools said about potentially moving up or down in classification?
Let's start in East Idaho. The Rigby Trojans have been part of the 4A classification for quite some time. But an influx of students has caused their enrollment to skyrocket to 1,343 kids, 63 students over the 4A threshold. Rigby's Principal Dr. Yvonne Thurber, in a conversation with me in January, said it was a 'foregone conclusion' that Rigby would move up to 5A beginning in 2016-17.
The North Fremont Huskies currently sit at 153.5 students (remember, this is an average of two enrollment counts, hence the 'half' student). While their numbers would drop them from 2A down to 1AD1 (thereby making them the largest 1AD1 school in Idaho), athletic director Jodi Beard has said that North Fremont would petition to play up in 2A. The reason? A large, incoming freshmen class this year which would put them at 2A numbers anyways during the next 'count' year.
Butte County also has decisions to make. Just a few years ago, the small school in Arco dropped down to 1AD1 after petitioning for several years to stay at 2A. Now, Butte County has to decide if they want to petition up to 1AD1 after their final count revealed that they half of a student below the 1AD1 threshold at 99.5. Athletic director Jody Coburn has said that nothing has been decided yet among administrators and that the school is considering all of its options.
Then we have Idaho Falls and Skyline. These two schools in District 91 have been in the 5A classification for quite some time. However, their current enrollment shows them well below the highest classification threshold, with Skyline at 1223.5 and Idaho Falls at 1233. With the other two Idaho Falls area schools (Bonneville and Hillcrest) well into 5A numbers, the discussion has been there to stay at 5A and keep the city of Idaho Falls rivalries in the same conference. But if that happens is an unknown at this point.
District 91 superintendent George Boland told the Post Register in Idaho Falls after the final enrollment count that 'early indications' pointed to moves down to 4A for both high schools, but the district's board of directors had not decided if the schools will move down or petition to stay at 5A.
In District 4, Valley High School in Hazelton has had their enrollment rise above the 1AD1 threshold just two years after it was announced that they would drop to 1AD1. Their final count put the Vikings at 163.5 students and as athletic director Brian Hardy told KMVT in Twin Falls, they knew it was going to be close.
"We have to look when school starts at what our numbers are even though it's not a count year and try to project what it would be the following year," he said. "When we moved classifications, we knew last year's count year would be close. We were right on that border; we knew this was a possibility for sure."
Valley has another factor in their decision to deal with: their football team. Their decision to not petition to stay in 2A and to drop to 1AD1 two years ago also led to Valley dropping 11-man football and adopting 8-man football. Should the school return to 2A, that means 11-man football would return with it.
Raft River has a decision to make as well. They have competed in the 1AD1 classification for a while now, but their 97.5 student enrollment puts them in the 1AD2 range.
In the Treasure Valley, there will be lots of movement as a new school is opened. Ridgevue High School will take students from Vallivue and Caldwell and is anticipated to have an enrollment of 1,100. Vallivue will drop from 5A to 4A, joining Ridgevue and Caldwell in the 4A SIC.
Also joining the 4A SIC is former member Emmett. The Huskies dropped to 3A two years ago, but a spike in their enrollment has put them 59.5 students over the 3A threshold. Athletic Director Mike Schroeder told the Idaho Statesmen recently that the school prefers to stay at 3A. Emmett will become the smalles 4A school.
Moving up to the 5A SIC will be the Kuna Kavemen. The student population at Kuna continues to grow, as the school was 117 students over the 4A level during the final count. Their enrollment is anticipated to continue to grow.
In the small school ranks, Wilder is slated to move up from 1AD2 to 1AD1 after their enrollment was 10 students over the 1AD2 threshold at 109. On the flip side, North Star Charter (a current 2A school) had their enrollment dip down to 144 students - 15 students below the 2A threshold. It is unknown at this time if the school plans to petition to stay at 2A.
In District 2, there is only one school who could potentially make a move: Genesee. The Bulldogs have competed in 1AD1 in recent years, but their enrollment shows them at 85 students - 15 below the 1AD1 cutoff. They have petitioned up to 1AD1 before, but it is unknown if the school plans to do it again.
And finally, two northern schools could be on the move: Lakeside and Wallace. Lakeside's enrollment has them at 108 students, meaning they will be moving up from 1AD2 to 1AD1, where they were just two years ago. As for Wallace, a potential move to 2A could be in the works. Their enrollment shows them at 161 students, just ONE above the 1AD1 high threshold.
Like Valley, should they move to 2A, the Miners would abandon 8-man football and adopt 11-man football. The move may also get Wallace into a conference, as they have played as an independent in 1AD1 with no other 1AD1 schools nearby.
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