The Georgia High School Association has completed its reclassification of multiple high schools, moving some 2A schools to 3A and even 4A divisions. The GHSA even upgraded one 2A school to a 6A competitor.
According to WTVM, the reclassifications will go into effect beginning with the 2026 school year. In Georgia, the association can reclassify schools every two years, if necessary, based on enrollment numbers. The GHSA oversees about 450 total high schools, only 42 of which do not support a football team.
“In the state of Georgia they do a reclassification for athletics every two years they take the school enrollment count and separate into divisions. Based on those numbers once those numbers come out wherever you fall that’s where the reclassification rolls out,” said Muscogee County athletic director Kendall Mills.
The reclassification project also brought the return of Class 7A to Georgia’s high school sports. For the past two years, GHSA has limited the divisions to 1A-6A.
GHSA executive director Tim Scott told Sports Illustrated that moving schools up in the classifications is much easier than schools appealing to move down a level.
“When they request to move up, we grant that request,” said Scott.
The organization first pitched the massive reclassification plan back in September and saw opportunities to relieve programs that were struggling to compete in the higher divisions.
In September, Sports Illustrated shared GHSA president Jim Finch’s goals for the reclassifications: “We want to take the guesswork out of it. Schools deserve to know where they stand and what they need to demonstrate if they believe their athletic performance warrants a move.”
