Metro Atlanta private schools Blessed Trinity, Greater Atlanta Christian, St. Pius and Woodward Academy are moving up in classification next year under the Georgia High School Association’s tentative reclassification plan released Tuesday morning. So are city schools Buford, Calhoun and Carrollton.
Notable private schools that won’t be forced up are Marist, Lovett, Pace Academy, Westminster and Benedictine. Some city schools not slated to move up are Bremen, Decatur, Dublin, Social Circle, Thomasville and Vidalia.
Meanwhile, schools in Savannah and Albany appear to be unintended victims of the GHSA’s new 2.0 multiplier that was designed to address perceived competitive advantages of private schools and schools from city school systems. Johnson, Groves, Beach and Islands of Savannah are moving up along with Westover, Monroe and Dougherty of Albany, although the GHSA’s new reclassification rule wasn’t intended for them.
The GHSA has seven classifications based on school enrollment. For this reclassification, the GHSA adopted a 2.0 multiplier that applies to out-of-zone students and is designed to promote schools believed to have competitive advantages into higher classes.
The 2.0 multiplier produced mixed results.
Each of the seven private schools and city schools that are moving up finished in the top six of their classifications’ all-sports standings for 2018-19. St. Pius, which is facing a two-class jump to AAAAAA, is the reigning all-sports champion in AAAA. Blessed Trinity, slated to move up one to AAAAA, finished second to St. Pius. Buford, which is moving up one to AAAAAA, finished second in the AAAAA all-sports standings.
City schools Cartersville, Jefferson and Rome are other top-10 all-sports finishers that are moving up, but they likely would’ve gone up anyway because of enrollment increases from the most previous reclassification four years ago.
The new rules don’t apply to everybody. Schools with 550 or fewer students automatically are classified in Class A and are not affected by the multiplier, so smaller private and city schools such as Wesleyan, Holy Innocents’ and Pelham are not subject to being moved.
The private and city schools that were targeted — but unaffected — were those with AAA and AA enrollments. Among the privates, those included perennial AAA all-sports champion Westminster, No. 3 Lovett and No. 4 Pace Academy. Those Buckhead private schools get only about 35-50 percent of their students from outside their attendance zones. Lovett, in fact, was moved down to AA, and Pace Academy is eligible for Class A.
By contrast, St. Pius, GAC, Woodward Academy and Blessed Trinity get more than 75 percent of their students out of zone, and that factored in their promotion.
Among city schools not affected were defending AA all-sports champion Bremen, No. 4 Vidalia and No. 9 Thomasville. Dublin, a football powerhouse that was No. 45 in the AA all-sports standings, was moved down to Class A.
This reclassification remains tentative as schools can appeal the raw enrollment data and request to play in higher classes this month. Pace Academy and Marist, for example, are schools that chose to play up for the current reclass cycle. After appeals, the GHSA will place schools into regions, probably around Dec. 1.
Below are some facts and figures from Tuesday’s GHSA announcement.
Moving up
AAAAAAA - Alpharetta, Dacula, Dunwoody, Gainesville, Harrison, Richmond Hill
AAAAAA - Buford, Carrollton, Chamblee, Denmark, East Paulding, North Springs, Northside (Columbus), Paulding County, Riverwood, Rome, South Effingham, St. Pius
AAAAA - Blessed Trinity, Calhoun, Cartersville, Chapel Hill, Druid Hills, Eastside, Westover, Woodward Academy
AAAA - Beach, Central (Macon), East Hall, Greater Atlanta Christian, Islands, Jackson County, Jefferson, Jenkins, KIPP Atlanta, Monroe, North Hall, Southeast Bulloch, Stone Mountain
AAA - Douglass, Hapeville Charter, Harlem, Hephzibah, Jordan, Rockmart, Spencer, Westside (Augusta)
AA – Riverside Military
Note: Denmark, Northside (Columbus), St. Pius, Calhoun and KIPP Academy are making two-class jumps from their current classifications.
Moving down
AAAAAA - Central Gwinnett, Kennesaw Mountain, Lakeside (Atlanta), Lassiter, Rockdale County, Westlake, Wheeler
AAAAA - Apalachee, Coffee, Creekside, Drew, Forest Park, Greenbrier, M.L. King, Mount Zion (Jonesboro), Mundy's Mill, New Manchester, Northgate, Northview, Tri-Cities
AAAA - Arabia Mountain, Bainbridge, Cedar Shoals, Fayette County, Lithonia, Mays, Miller Grove, New Hampstead, Riverdale, Southwest DeKalb, Stephenson, Thomas County Central
AAA - Americus-Sumter, Carver (Atlanta), Carver (Columbus), Cross Creek, LaFayette, Mary Persons, McDonough, Oconee County, Salem, Sandy Creek, Stephens County, Thomson, West Hall
AA - Columbia, Cook, Fannin County, Haralson County, Kendrick, Lovett, Savannah, Towers, Worth County
A - Armuchee, B.E.S.T Academy, Brooks County, Dublin, Metter, Pace Academy
Private schools with the highest percentage of out-of-zone students: St. Pius (99%), Greater Atlanta Christian (98%), Savannah Christian (97%), Woodward Academy (95%), St. Francis (95%), Providence Christian (92%), Savannah Country Day (87%), Walker (86%), North Cobb Christian (85%), Whitefield Academy (84%), Calvary Day (82%), Mount de Sales (79%), Darlington (78%), Eagle's Landing Christian (77%), Mount Vernon Presbyterian (77%), Mount Paran Christian (77%), Marist (77%), KIPP Atlanta (76%), Athens Academy (75%), Blessed Trinity (75%)
Private schools with the lowest percentage of out-of-zone students: Landmark Christian (10%), Pacelli (12%), Stratford Academy (17%), Deerfield-Windsor (22%), Strong Rock Christian (26%), Lakeview Academy (36%), Lovett (37%), Mount Pisgah Christian (40%), Benedictine (41%), First Presbyterian (43%), Westminster (44%), Pace Academy (46%), Riverside Military (47%), Fellowship Christian (50%), Heritage (Newnan) (53%), Brookstone (55%), King's Ridge (61%), Trinity Christian (62%), Tattnall Square Academy (63%), Pinecrest Academy (63%)
Public schools with the highest percentage of out-of-zone students: Trion (69%), Gordon Lee (61%), Pelham (55%), ACE Charter (54%), Jenkins (35%), Groves (35%), Carrollton (34%), Commerce (32%), Chamblee (31%), Central (Macon) (31%), Johnson (Savannah) (31%), Islands (30%), Bremen (30%), Georgia Military College (26%), Carver (Columbus) (25%), Laney (25%), Beach (25%), Schley County (25%), Bradwell Institute (24%), Jordan (23%)
Public schools with no reported of out-of-zone students: Berkmar, Richmond Hill, Habersham Central, Lee County, Clarke Central, Grady, Baldwin, Banks County, Southwest, Elbert County, McNair, Bryan County, Lakeside (Atlanta), Northgate, Arabia Mountain, Mary Persons, Telfair County, Manchester, McIntosh County Academy, Washington-Wilkes, Wilkinson County, Terrell County, Macon County, Turner County, Jenkins County, Towns County, Greenville, Hancock Central, Twiggs County, Randolph-Clay, Pataula Charter, Warren County, Glascock County, Central (Talbotton), Stewart County
Tentative realignment:
Class AAAAAAA
Alpharetta (+1)
Archer
Berkmar
Brookwood
Camden County
Campbell
Cherokee
Collins Hill
Colquitt County
Dacula (+1)
Discovery
Duluth
Dunwoody (+1)
East Coweta
Etowah
Forsyth Central
Gainesville (+1)
Grayson
Harrison (+1)
Hillgrove
Lambert
Lowndes
Marietta
McEachern
Meadowcreek
Mill Creek
Milton
Mountain View
Newnan
Newton
Norcross
North Cobb
North Forsyth
North Gwinnett
North Paulding
Parkview
Peachtree Ridge
Pebblebrook
Richmond Hill (+1)
Roswell
Shiloh
South Forsyth
South Gwinnett
Tift County
Walton
West Forsyth
Woodstock
Class AAAAAA
Alcovy
Alexander
Allatoona
Bradwell Institute
Brunswick
Buford (+1)
Cambridge
Carrollton (+1)
Centennial
Central Gwinnett (-1)
Chamblee (+1)
Chattahoochee
Creekview
Dalton
Denmark (+2)
Douglas County
East Paulding (+1)
Effingham County
Evans
Glynn Academy
Grovetown
Habersham Central
Heritage (Conyers)
Houston County
Hughes
Johns Creek
Kennesaw Mountain (-1)
Lakeside (Atlanta) (-1)
Lakeside (Evans)
Lanier
Lassiter (-1)
Lee County
Lovejoy
Morrow
North Atlanta
North Springs (+1)
Northside (Columbus) (+2)
Northside (Warner Robins)
Osborne
Paulding County (+1)
Pope
River Ridge
Riverwood (+1)
Rockdale County (-1)
Rome (+1)
Sequoyah
South Cobb
South Effingham (+1)
South Paulding
Sprayberry
St. Pius (+2)
Tucker
Valdosta
Westlake (-1)
Wheeler (-1)
Winder-Barrow
Class AAAAA
Apalachee (-1)
Banneker
Blessed Trinity (+1)
Calhoun (+2)
Cartersville (+1)
Cass
Chapel Hill (+1)
Clarke Central
Clarkston
Coffee (-1)
Creekside (-1)
Cross Keys
Decatur
Drew (-1)
Druid Hills (+1)
Dutchtown
Eagle’s Landing
Eastside (+1)
Forest Park (-1)
Grady
Greenbrier (-1)
Griffin
Harris County
Hiram
Johnson (Gainesville)
Jones County
Jonesboro
Kell
Lithia Springs
Locust Grove
Loganville
M.L. King (-1)
Maynard Jackson
McIntosh
Mount Zion (Jonesboro) (-1)
Mundy’s Mill (-1)
New Manchester (-1)
Northgate (-1)
Northview (-1)
Ola
Starrs Mill
Statesboro
Stockbridge
Tri Cities (-1)
Union Grove
Veterans
Villa Rica
Walnut Grove
Ware County
Warner Robins
Wayne County
Westover (+1)
Whitewater
Woodland (Cartersville)
Woodland (Stockbridge)
Woodward Academy (+1)
Class AAAA
Arabia Mountain (-1)
Bainbridge (-1)
Baldwin
Beach (+1)
Burke County
Cairo
Cedar Shoals (-1)
Cedartown
Central (Carrollton)
Central (Macon) (+1)
Chestatee
Columbus
Dougherty
East Hall (+1)
Fayette County (-1)
Flowery Branch
Gilmer
Greater Atlanta Christian (+1)
Hampton
Hardaway
Heritage (Ringgold)
Howard
Islands (+1)
Jackson County (+1)
Jefferson (+1)
Jenkins (+1)
KIPP Atlanta (+2)
LaGrange
Lithonia (-1)
Luella
Madison County
Marist
Mays (-2)
Miller Grove (-1)
Monroe (+1)
New Hampstead (-1)
North Clayton
North Hall (+1)
North Oconee
Northwest Whitfield
Perry
Pickens
Richmond Academy
Ridgeland
Riverdale (-1)
Shaw
Southeast Bulloch (+1)
Southeast Whitfield
Southwest DeKalb (-1)
Spalding
Stephenson (-2)
Stone Mountain (+1)
Thomas County Central (-1)
Troup
Upson-Lee
West Laurens
White County
Class AAA
Adairsville
Americus-Sumter (-1)
Appling County
Benedictine
Brantley County
Carver (Atlanta) (-2)
Carver (Columbus) (-1)
Cedar Grove
Cherokee Bluff
Coahulla Creek
Crisp County
Cross Creek (-1)
Dawson County
Douglass (+1)
East Jackson
Franklin County
Groves
Hapeville Charter (+1)
Harlem (+1)
Hart County
Hephzibah (+1)
Jackson
Johnson (Savannah)
Jordan (+1)
LaFayette (-1)
Lakeview-Ft. Oglethrope
Liberty County
Long County
Lumpkin County
Mary Persons (-1)
McDonough (-1)
Monroe Area
Morgan County
Murray County
North Murray
Oconee County (-1)
Peach County
Pierce County
Pike County
Redan
Ringgold
Rockmart (+1)
Rutland
Salem (-1)
Sandy Creek (-1)
Sonoraville
Spencer (+1)
Stephens County (-1)
Tattnall County
Thomson (-1)
West Hall (-1)
Westminister
Westside (Augusta) (+1)
Westside (Macon)
Windsor Forest
Class AA
Bacon County
Banks County
Berrien
Bleckley County
Bremen
Bryan County
Butler
Callaway
Chattooga
Columbia (-3)
Cook (-1)
Coosa
Dade County
Dodge County
Early County
East Laurens
Elbert County
Fannin County (-1)
Fitzgerald
Glenn Hills
Gordon Central
Haralson County (-1)
Heard County
Jeff Davis
Jefferson County
Josey
Kendrick (-1)
Lamar County
Laney
Lovett (-1)
McNair
Model
Monticello
Northeast
Oglethorpe County
Pepperell
Putnam County
Rabun County
Riverside Military (+1)
Savannah (-1)
Screven County
Social Circle
South Atlanta
Southwest
Swainsboro
Temple
Therrell
Thomasville
Toombs County
Towers (-1)
Union County
Vidalia
Washington
Washington County
Worth County (-1)
Class A Private
Aquinas
Athens Academy
Athens Christian
Brookstone
Calvary Day
Christian Heritage
Darlington
Deerfield-Windsor (-2)
Eagle's Landing Christian
Fellowship Christian
First Presbyterian
George Walton Academy
Hebron Christian
Heritage (Newnan)
Holy Innocents
King’s Ridge
Lakeview Academy
Landmark Christian
Loganville Christian
Mount de Sales
Mount Paran Christian
Mount Pisgah Christian
Mount Vernon Presbyterian
North Cobb Christian
Our Lady of Mercy
Pace Academy (-2)
Pacelli
Pinecrest Academy
Prince Avenue Christian
Providence Christian
Savannah Christian
Savannah Country Day
St. Francis
Stratford Academy
Strong Rock Christian
Tattnall Square Academy
Trinity Christian
Walker
Wesleyan
Whitefield Academy
Class A Public
ACE Charter
Armuchee (-1)
Atkinson County
B.E.S.T Academy (-1)
Baconton Charter
Bowdon
Brooks County (-1)
Calhoun County
Central (Talbotton)
Charlton County
Chattahoochee County
Claxton
Clinch County
Commerce
Crawford County
Dooly County
Dublin (-1)
Emanuel County Institute
Georgia Military College
Glascock County
Gordon Lee
Greene County
Greenville
Hancock Central
Hawkinsville
Irwin County
Jenkins County
Johnson County
Lanier County
Lincoln County
Macon County
Manchester
Marion County
McIntosh County Academy
Metter (-1)
Miller County
Mitchell County
Montgomery County
Mount Zion (Carroll)
Pataula Charter
Pelham
Portal
Randolph-Clay
Schley County
Seminole County
Stewart County
Taylor County
Telfair County
Terrell County
Towns County
Treutlen
Trion
Turner County
Twiggs County
Warren County
Washington-Wilkes
Wheeler County
Wilcox County
Wilkinson County
About the Author
