(5-12-25) Recently the WVSSAC (West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission) approved a four-class classification system for West Virginia high school sports with a 150-0 vote, with the new classifications taking effect in the 2025-26 academic year. This system will group schools into Class AAAA, AAA, AA, and A based on enrollment. 

Here’s a breakdown of the new classification system:

  • Class AAAA: 1,050 or more students.
  • Class AAA: 625-1,049 students.
  • Class AA: 351-624 students.
  • Class A: 350 or less students. 

Key points about the reclassification:

  • The reclassification will be based on student enrollment figures from the West Virginia Department of Education, specifically the 9th through 12th grade totals at the start of the second school month of the year prior to the classification. 

This new system aims to provide more competitive balance in high school athletics, according to WVSSAC.  The WVSSAC Board of Control unanimously approved the new classification structure.  The classification is based on enrollment numbers, not location or socioeconomic factors.  The WVSSAC will reclassify schools every two years, starting in 2025 and every odd-numbered year thereafter.

Seven sports will adopt the four-class format, including:

  • Football
  • Boys and girls basketball
  • Volleyball
  • Baseball
  • Softball
  • Cheerleading

Six sports will move to a three-class format (Class AAAA, AAA, and AA/A), including:

  • Golf
  • Cross country
  • Soccer
  • Wrestling
  • Tennis
  • Track

Swimming will remain unclassified, with all participants competing in a single division.

Any proposal passed by the Board of Control must be approved by the West Virginia Board of Education, which will first hear public comments. A review from the Secretary of State Office for a 60-day window would be the next step before going into effect.

The state Board of Education rejected a classification proposal that had been approved by the Board of Control in October 2024. It called for the removal of location score factoring into enrollment and sought to alter the socioeconomic status factor to include direct certified numbers from the state department of education.

The proposal called for a modified enrollment to consist of a school’s enrollment minus students receiving direct certification services multiplied by 0.5. (An example for a school with an enrollment of 1,000 of which 300 students receive direct certification would be 300 x 0.5 equaling 150, which would be subtracted from 1,000 for a modified enrollment of 850.)