IHSA Announcements

April 24, 2007

Board Approves Enrollment Cutoffs for 2007-08 Term

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Board of Directors at its regular April meeting Tuesday (April 24) approved the enrollment cutoffs for the inaugural three-and four-class tournaments to be played in the 2007-08 school term.  The cutoffs are as follows:

TWO-CLASS SYSTEM

THREE-CLASS SYSTEM

FOUR-CLASS SYSTEM

At the same time, the Board approved a revised “Playing-Up” policy that allows a school to play in a higher classification, if desired.  A school wishing to play up must make a two-year commitment to the higher class in all sports run under the same system.  For example, any school wanting to move from Class 3A to 4A would be required to compete in 4A in all sports run under the four-class system.  Schools will also be allowed to play up in football, competitive cheer, and music, which have their own unique classification systems.  The deadline for requests to play up is September 1.

“We are pleased to announce the new enrollment cutoffs for next year," said Executive Director Marty Hickman. "As we prepare to transition to a new classification system, our member schools are eager to know where they will fit in the new system. Our Board also approved a policy that will allow schools to play up in classification. Some coaches have expressed some disappointment in our class expansion model and this policy will give them the flexibility to play at a level dictated by their enrollment or at a higher level, if they are so inclined.”

In related action, the Board voted to eliminate the “football enrollment” formula that has been used since 1992. Under that policy, a school’s classification in football was determined by a combination of its own enrollment and the average enrollment of its opponents.  Starting in 2007-08, a school’s football classification will be determined only by its adjusted enrollment (which may include the 1.65 multiplier).

Finally, the Board postponed the implementation of the three-class track and field meet until the 2008-09 school term. Analysis by IHSA staff, meet personnel, and the Track and Field Advisory Committee has determined that running a three-class meet in the existing two-day format could lead to many potential problems. The Board authorized the staff to present other three-class track options to the membership at the town meetings in November.

Jim Woodward, president of the IHSA Board of Directors, said: “After extensive review, the Board of Directors felt that the best decision at this time would be to postpone expansion in track. It was our determination that, under the plan presented to our membership, we would not be able to ensure the same quality experience that boys and girls are accustomed to when they travel to Eastern Illinois University for the IHSA Girls and Boys Track and Field State Finals.”

Other Action

1. The Board approved several interpretations of new by-laws for the 2007-08 school term.
   
2. The Board approved a by-law interpretation that defines a clerical or administrative error as “an inadvertent or unintentional error or omission that results in technical, rather than substantive, noncompliance with these by-laws. The failure to comply with any affirmative requirement of these by-laws shall not be deemed a clerical or administrative error.”
   
3. The Board approved a Member School Publicity Policy and a Licensed Officials Publicity Policy.  The new policies clarify that IHSA competitions are public events, that persons participating in those events may have their pictures taken, and that those images may be used by the IHSA for publicity, marketing, and other appropriate purposes, including event programs. The Member School Publicity Policy requires each member school to take appropriate actions to notify its participants.

Eligibility Rulings

1. Sustained the Executive Director’s ruling that a student is ineligible at Wheaton (St. Francis) High School until October 14, 2007, for non-compliance with transfer By-law 3.043 and its subsections.
   
2. Sustained the Executive Director’s ruling that a student is ineligible at Orland Park (Sandburg) High School for the second semester of the 2006-07 school term, for non-compliance with By-law 3.022.
   

Discussion Items

At each meeting of the Board of Directors, there are certain agenda items that the Board discusses, but upon which it takes no action.  Following is a report of those on the April, 2007, agenda:

Preliminary Budget: The Board heard a discussion of the preliminary budget for 2007-08.

IHSA Workshops: The Board heard information regarding the development of IHSA Workshops on a number of topics, including residence and transfer rules and season limitations.

Other Items

School Suspended: Venice (Lincoln Charter School) has been suspended from IHSA membership for failing to take corrective measures required by the Executive Director.

Distinguished Service Banquet: The inaugural IHSA Distinguished Service Award Banquet will take place on Monday, June 11 in Bloomington. Twelve award winners will be honored at the event.

Award Received: The Illinois State Police will present the Director’s Award of Distinction to the IHSA on May 11, in recognition of the Association’s contributions to the department.