IHSA Announcements

April 27, 2004

Public/Private Task Force Organizes

BLOOMINGTON - The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Public/Private Task Force held its organizational meeting Monday (April 26) at the IHSA Office. Three committees were established to examine the issues and obtain data for use in development of any proposals that may emerge. Each committee will provide a progress report to the IHSA Board of Directors at its August 9 meeting.

The Task Force is composed of 21 people representing public and private schools in each of the seven IHSA geographic Board of Directors divisions. Board member Joseph Schlender, principal at Hoffman Estates (Conant) is the chair. Other board members on the task force are Dr. James Quaid, principal of Oak Park (Fenwick), and Ron Conner, principal at Clinton. Assistant Executive Directors Dave Gannaway and Beth Sauser also serve.

The committees, their membership, and their focus are:

General Issues -- Study the boundary issues, transfer by-laws, and recruiting issues. In addition, the committee will react to the statement that Football should not drive the other sports. The committee also will examine the issue of enforcing the current by-laws. Dennis Litteken will chair this committee. Joe Schlender will be Board Liaison. Members of the committee are: Sue Franklin, Chicago (Young); Jan Welch, Richmond (R.-Burton); Don Sebestyen, New Lenox (Providence Catholic); Nicole Fairman, Kewanee (Wethersfield); Joe McDaniel, Decatur (St. Teresa); and Dennis Litteken, Breese (Mater Dei).

Multiplier/Other State Approaches - Study the how, why and rationale used in other states. Sarah Keene and Melver Scott will co-chair the committee. Ron Conner will be Board Liaison. Members of the committee are: Melver Scott, Chicago (Crane); Doug Domeracki, Grayslake (H.S.); Ross Cucio, Oak Lawn (Richards); Mike Papoccia, Sterling (Newman Central Catholic); Cindy Helmers, Bloomington (H.S.); Helen Dulle, Springfield (Sacred Heart-Griffin); Sara Keene, Columbia.

Classification - Study the impact and ramifications of potential changes in classification in all sports. Tim Feigh and Joe Schmidt will co- chair the committee. Jim Quaid will be Board Liaison. Members of the committee are: Joe Schmidt, Chicago (St. Patrick); Glenn Schwartzwalder, Aurora (Illinois Math and Science Academy); Tim Feigh, Darien (Hinsdale South); Don Billington, Genoa (G.-Kingston); Mike Clark, Normal (Community); Christine LaCroix, Aledo; Vicky King, Carbondale.

The following table represents the breakdown of the committee membership:

In meeting for the first time, members of the respective committees identified several key issues or directions for gathering data. In conducting their reviews and in developing concepts, they will include but not be limited to the concepts listed for each.

General Issues
a) Gather data on the number of students that participate in athletics outside of the 30-mile radius.
b) Gather data on the school success rates in larger geographical locations as well as rural communities.
c) Gather data on what sports the students are participating in outside of the home district.
d) Gather data on the changes in the success rates by percentage since the 1995-96 Task Force.

Multiplier/Other States
From all 50 states gather the following data:
a) How multiplier/classification is implemented by sport.
b) How school enrollment is used
c) How Public/Private/Other schools are classified and/or grouped for competition
d) How gender is involved
e) How states develop boundaries, whether it is geographic, cultural, etc.

Note: Data is needed comparing what is done in other states with that in Illinois at the levels comparable to the quarterfinals in the IHSA state tournament. The committee will examine rationale for why changes were or were not made in the other states.

Classification Issues
The committee will review the impact of adding classes, concerns by high Class A enrollment schools and low Class AA enrollment schools, the status of cooperative teams in the classification process, and who is winning state championships. The committee also will address which sports are interested in the review of classification. Data to be obtained and reviewed will include but not be limited to:
a) Number of boys and girls sports
b) Number of classifications for each of those sports
c) Number of public schools in each class of each sport
d) Number of private schools in each class of each sport
e) Number of total schools in each of those classes that play that sport

In addition, data collected would incorporate these items: champions from each sport; enrollments of champions from each sport; private school champions per sport plus year; public school champions per sport plus year; quarterfinal round winners from each sport.