IHSAA votes to add new socioeconomic factor to high school football classifications
The Iowa High School Athletic Association voted to add a socioeconomic factor to football classifications.
Pending Iowa Board of Education approval, the new model will go into effect for the 2023/2024 football scheduling cycle.
The model is currently used in Minnesota and would reduce 40% of a school's free and reduced-priced lunch count from annual enrollment numbers to determine a school's classification.
For example, if a school with 500 students has 100 students on free or reduced lunch, the school could subtract total enrollment by 40 students (40% of 100). In the end, that school's classification number for football would be 460.
Of the 365 schools in the IHSAA, only 263 voted. To pass, 50% of the total membership or 60% of those voting needed to be in favor of the amendment. Vote breakdown below.
Yes: 211 votes
- 80% of those voting
- 58% of membership
No: 52 votes
- 20% of those voting
- 14% of membership
