(9-16-26) petition that seeks a vote on whether the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA)should have separate public and private high school postseason state tournaments is circulating around the state.

The organizers face a Dec. 1 deadline to gather enough support in order to have a referendum item on the May 2027 ballot for high school principals. If it passes in May, then it would be implemented during the 2028-29 school year.

Only principals can sign the petition. If 75 signatures — five from each district — are secured then the petition language will be placed on the May 2027 ballot for full membership vote.

The effort is led by superintendents, principals, and athletic directors from Northeast Ohio’s Suburban League. Schools associated with the push include Aurora, Barberton, Brecksville-Broadview Heights, Copley, Highland, Hudson, Kenston, North Royalton, Nordonia, Mayfield, Medina, Revere, Solon, Stow-Munroe Falls, Twinsburg.

Key details of the petition process

• Only high school principals can sign.

• Organizers need 75 signatures total, with at least five from each of the OHSAA’s six athletic districts.

• Deadline to gather signatures is Dec. 1, 2026, to place the item on the May 2027 referendum ballot (voted on by principals May 1–15).

• If approved, separate tournaments would take effect for the 2028-29 school year.

The proposed bylaw language would classify all member schools into two categories for tournament competition:

• Public schools: Traditional district schools, community/charter schools, STEM schools, and others operated under Ohio’s public education system.

• Non-public schools: Private/chartered and non-chartered nonpublic schools.

Background and context

This is a long-running issue in Ohio high school sports. Similar separation proposals were voted down by OHSAA membership in 1978/1979 and 1993. Discussions in the late 2000s led to a Competitive Balance Committee; the current competitive balance system (which adjusts tournament divisions based on roster composition, including students from outside traditional boundaries) was approved in 2014 and implemented for the 2017-18 school year in team sports like football, basketball, soccer, volleyball, baseball, and softball.

Proponents cite ongoing competitive balance concerns. One league commissioner noted that private schools make up about 16% of OHSAA members but win roughly 43% of state championships. OHSAA currently has about 812 high school members (roughly 691 public and 121 non-public). Only a handful of other states (including Alabama, Maryland, Texas, and Virginia, per recent reports) fully separate public and private state tournaments.

The topic was discussed at recent OHSAA regional administrator meetings in September 2026. The OHSAA is a voluntary membership organization that regulates interscholastic athletics; each member high school principal casts one vote on referendum items.