Class A private schools could join 3A, 2A

Class A private schools such as Wesleyan, Eagle’s Landing Christian and Athens Academy will be moved up to 3A or 2A to compete with public schools next year if the Georgia High School Association approves a plan to apply the 3.0 enrollment multiplier to all Class A schools and eliminate the public-private split that has existed in Class A since 2012.

A ripple effect would send Class 2A football powers Rabun County, Bleckley County, Heard County and Swainsboro into Class A, where a few private schools, such as Prince Avenue Christian, would remain.

The GHSA’S reclassification committee approved the plan 15-1 on Wednesday. The GHSA’S executive committee must also approve it.

The reclass committee’s plan would place five Class A Private schools — Hebron Christian, Mount Vernon, St. Vincent’s Academy, Savannah Christian and Wesleyan — in Class 3A. Thirteen other Class A private schools, including football powers Athens Academy, Calvary Day, Darlington, ELCA and Fellowship Christian, would go into Class 2A. Other private schools would remain in Class A, which would be restructured into two divisions based on size after applying the 3.0 multiplier.

The most notable private schools remaining in Class A are probably Prince Avenue Christian, a football powerhouse, and St. Francis, a basketball juggernaut. For the first time in a decade, they’ll compete for the same state championships as existing Class A public programs but also with schools falling into Class A from above. Under this plan, the GHSA would recalculate 3A, 2A and A to ensure a similar number of schools reside in each. With private schools going up, others must fall.

Ten Class A private schools left the GHSA last month, and more departures are almost certain if the GHSA doesn’t give the remaining Class A private schools what they believe are meaningful region alignments and playoffs. The reclass committee will hear appeals Wednesday.