The following is a letter sent by IHSAA Director Tom Keating to members about the vote to change football enrollment and add a factor based on a school district’s free and reduced lunch percentage (as of this post, KNIA/KRLS has heard from Pella and Knoxville, and both voted yes to approve the measure):

The vote of the Iowa High School Athletic Association membership on the amendment to the Articles of Incorporation regarding classification in the sport of football closed Thursday, Dec. 22 at 3:00 p.m.

In order to pass, 50 percent of the total membership (365 schools) or 60 percent of those voting was required.

The results are as follows:

Number of Schools Voting: 263 (72% of membership)
Yes: 211 votes
80% of those voting
58% of membership
—
No: 52 votes
20% of those voting
14% of membership
—

IHSAA legal counsel Brian Humke will develop an updated version of the IHSAA Articles of Incorporation that we will submit to the Iowa State Board of Education for consideration. I am preparing a summary of the process used to get us to where we currently are. This is due by December 27 in order to be placed on the January 12 State Board of Education agenda.

Should the Iowa State Board of Education approve the amendment, the new model for classification in football will be implemented for the 2023 and 2024 football scheduling cycle.

Pending that approval, the IHSAA Board of Control will review, discuss, and consider IHSAA administrative staff recommendations concerning the Eight-Player enrollment cap, currently at 120 or permitted by exception.

Once again I would like to thank the classification committee, the IHSAA Board of Control, and the IHSAA staff for their efforts regarding this important work.

Sincerely,
Tom Keating
Executive Director, IHSAA