Finally some potential changes to KSHSAA rules that we all could support......
Arkansas Activities Association Discusses Public/Private DifferencesBy Bob Herman
In an effort to help alleviate differences between public and nonpublic high schools in Arkansas, the Arkansas Activities Association (AAA) holds meetings biannually to discuss the issues between the two parties. The most recent meeting occurred October 9, and the next is scheduled for March 5.
"There was never any communication between the two administrative groups," AAA Executive Director Lance Taylor said. "(These meetings) have been very beneficial."
Taylor said that public schools think private schools have a distinct advantage in state championships, and that's the root of the public/private issue.
"Nonpublic schools were winning a lot of state championships, and that became a problem (between the two groups)," Taylor said. "There are about 500 members in the AAA, and about 25 are nonpublic. They make up seven percent of our membership, but they're winning 38 to 39 percent of our state championships. We've worked hard to try to establish rules and policies to make sure we have a level playing field."
One of those policies was a multiplier for private schools. A multiplier was the three-year enrollment average of 10th- to 12th-grade students multiplied by 1.35 (and later 1.75). Hypothetically, a private high school with about 400 students would be classified like a high school of 540 students. However, starting in 2008, the multiplier will be discontinued, and the private schools will instead be simply bumped up one classification.
"The multiplier moved some nonpublic schools up two classifications, and some didn't move up at all," said Mike McSpadden, assistant superintendant of the Alma (Arkansas) School District. "The governing body in our schools felt that simply moving the nonpublic schools up one class was fairer."
These meetings began last year, and the most recent one further discussed details and initiatives that had been passed in the spring.
Although the AAA distinctly holds these discussions, public and private issues are universal across the United States.
"I don't think this is a problem that is unique to Arkansas," McSpadden said. "There is contention between public and nonpublic schools, and there is initiative by the AAA staff to try and bring these two groups to the table."
McSpadden also explained that the meetings help set up a stronger relationship between the administrators, who don't convene frequently.
"It's been a great and positive thing for our state," McSpadden said. "Many of our nonpublic school members don't attend the same school meetings as the public schools, so there hasn't been much relationship-building between the administration at nonpublic and public schools. Public school administrators always see each other at other education meetings, but nonpublic administrators only see each other at athletic events.
"The more opportunities for these two to meet together, the better it'll be for the future."
http://www.nfhs.org/web/2007/12/in_the_news__decemberjanuary.aspx
