26 Iowa school districts ask IHSAA classification committee to look at more than enrollment

A classification committee by the Iowa High School Athletics Association is set to meet this fall, according to IHSAA meeting minutes released to the media Monday.

The committee, according to the minutes, 'will be tasked with studying and reviewing the organization's sport classification structure and submit possible recommendations to the IHSAA Board of Control.'

Twenty-six school districts have submitted a form resolution calling for the IHSAA and Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union to, 'convene a committee to seriously evaluate the competitive needs of students and schools to experience success and the inequities inherent in a system based solely on enrollment size without consideration of family and community capacity for support and make a recommendation to a joint board of both associations to resolve this issue in the 2019-20 school year.'

Iowa City High football coach Dan Sabers has been a proponent of classification based on more than strictly enrollment, including other factors such as socioeconomics (like free and reduced lunch) and recent success.

In June, the Des Moines Public Schools sent the resolution to the IHSAA and IGHSAU to convene a committee.

In other news, the IHSAA announced that associate director Brett Nanninga will resign effective Dec. 31. He has been with the Association for 5 1/2 years.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com