Private schools and public schools are different. They have a different set of demographics from each other. An advantage private schools would seem to have is the ability to draw from a larger population area, whereas public schools have a set boundary. As a result of these differences, the Illinois High School Association has developed plan to try to make competition between public and private schools more equitable.
The IHSA does two things to impact all non-boundaried schools:
1- They attach a mulitiplier of 1.65 to non-boundaried schools. So they mulitiple the school’s actual enrollment by 1.65 to in effect raise the schools enrollment.
2- They also have a “success adjustment” where a team can be bumped up to the next highest class.
The plan is not without controversy and is not without confusion. Some of the confusion is the result of the policy changing to react to criticism. In other words, the policy has not always seemed to get the results that the IHSA has hoped for, so over time it has been adjusted. People simply don’t keep up with the changes.
To look at this policy, I went first to the IHSA guidelines, and then reached out to coaches at non-boundaries schools. Even with these coaches, there seemed to be great uncertainty how the policy worked.
Here is my attempt to explain how it works. If am I not 100%, please let me know in the comments.
Two Year Cycles
Everything with the “mulitiplier” and “success adjustment” are based on two year cycles.
2021-2 and 2022-3 were a cycle. Then they will go like this.
2023-4 and 2024-5
2025-6 and 2026-7
2027-8 and 2028-9
What a school does in a given two-year cycle impacts whether the mulitiplier or success adjustment are applied in the next two year cycle.
Whatever class a sport is placed in for a two year cycle, they stay in that class.
Actual enrollment of schools is determined by an average of two years of enrollment in preceding years. (See the chart)
Presently, the IHSA lists enrollments for the 2024-5 basketball seasons for these private schools as:
Bloomington Central Cathlolic 304
Alleman 329
Quincy Notre Dame 378
Peoria Notre Dame 563
Nazareth Academy 715
Basketball Cut Off Enrollments for Classes
1A- up to 286
2A- 287-656
3A- 657-1519
4A- 1520-
These numbers fluctuate each two year period. For our purposes, it should be noted that with their actual enrollment, Bloomington CC and Alleman are close to being 1A.
The mulitiplier enlarges a schools enrollment by multiplying their enrollment by 1.65. The mulitiplier is attached to a program, not to a school. So it might be that in a given two year period that the girls basketball team could have the mulitiplier attached but not the boys basketball program.
In boys and girls basketball, if in the previous two year cycle a team earns a total of three Regional or Sectional trophies, the multiplier is attached in the next two year cycle. Or if a team wins one State trophy, the mulitiplier is attached. That means if the girls basketball team won a Regional in 2022 and then a Regional and a Sectional in 2023, the multiplier will be attached to the girls basketball team’s enrollment for the 2023-4 and 2024-5 seasons.
For example, the girls basketball team at Alleman won the Regional and Sectional in 2024. If they win the Regional in 2025, the mulitiplier will be attached to Alleman girls basketball for the 2025-6 and 2026-7. It should be noted that with their mulitiplier, Alleman’s enrollment would be bumped up to 543. With the cut off for 3A being 656 at this time (it will change for the next two years), the mulitiplier will not impact a movement of class for Alleman girls basketball.
Here is how the mulitiplier impacts certain schools (first is actual, second multiplied)
Bloomington CC 304- 502
Alleman 329-543
Quincy ND 378-624
Peoria ND 563-929
Nazareth 715-1180
In basketball with these five schools, the mulitiplier will only move Peoria ND up a class.
Basketball programs who do not win 3 trophies at a Regional or Sectional, or win a State trophy do have a waiver applied, and do not have the mulitiplier attached.
Success Adjustment
If during a given two year cycle a team wins two State trophies, the success adjustment is applied. The success adjustment is simply moving a given program at a school up to the next class.
Quincy ND won State trophies in girls basketball in 2022 and 2023. So for the 2024 and 2025 seasons, they are bumped for 2A to 3A. Nazareth won State trophies in girls basketball in 2022 and 2023, so for the 2024 and 2025 seasons, they have been bumped from 3A to 4A.
2025 and 2026 Cycles
The IHSA this spring will determine classifications. Based on their performance in 2023 and 2024 cycles. This would seem to be the projections for the girls basketball teams at the following:
Bloomington CC won a Regional in 2024. If they won a Regional and a Sectional in 2025, the multiplier would be attached for 2026 and 2027. The multiplier will not change their class from 2A to 3A. It is also possible if the enrollment of Bloomington CC declines and the multiplier is waived that they could drop to 1A.
Alleman girls basketball won the Regional and Sectional in 2024. If they win a Regional in 2025, the multiplier will be attached for 2026 and 2027. The multiplier will not move them to 3A. It is possible if their enrollment declines and the multiplier is not attached, they could drop to 1A.
Quincy ND won the Regional in 2024. They would need to win both the Regional and Sectional to have the multiplier attached. If the multiplier is attached, their enrollment is close to being in 3A. If the cut off moves a little, the multiplier could bounce them into 3A.
Peoria ND won State in 2024. No matter what they do, the mulitiplier will be attached for 2026 and 2027, moving them to 3A. If PND wins a trophy at State, they would have the “success adjustment,” which means they move to 3A. So it appears obvious that PND will move up to 3A for 2026 and 2027.
For Nazareth, they are in 4A because of the success adjustment. In 2024, they took second in 4A, so regardless of what they do this year, they will have the multiplier applied for 2026 and 2027 in girls basketball. The multiplier is not enough to bump them to 4A. If they get another State trophy this year, they will have the “success adjustment applied,” which will keep them in 4A.
My Questions
1- The “success formula” is obviously a unique concept, a school is in effect punished for being too good. It seems to basically be saying,”When the mulitiplier doesn’t work, let’s just move up the good teams.” Is it fair for one group to be moved up because of what another group accomplished?
2- Basketball is divided into 4-classes, while football has 8-classes. Should the “success formula” for football be to move up 2-classes?
3- It seems impossible to create a formula to make competition between private and public schools balanced or fair. Private and public schools don’t seem like they ever could agree. Would it make sense to just create separate public school divisions and separate private school divisions?
4- Years ago when we played in the State Tourney, a reporter showed me his contact info for players on the team were going to play. It was in the days before cell phones, so all the phones were land lines with their area codes. Three of the starters on the other team had phones that were not in the schools area codes. The reporter claimed he had turned the info over to the IHSA but they just did not have the manpower to get into investigation. Should the movement of players from school to school be just as big a concern as private vs public? If so, what can be done about the movement of players?
5- Many states have gone to forms of open enrollment. If Illinois allows open enrollment, will that make figuring out the multiplier a moot issue?
6- Some school districts with multiple high schools, allow students to attend schools outside their geographic area to attend an “academy” at a different high school. If a school district allows students to leave their geographically assigned school to attend an “academy” at another school, why are they not considered a non-boundary school and have the multiplier attached to them?
7- Will the controversies with the multiplier and the “success formula” eventually cause private and public schools to split into two different associations?
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