AHSAA Reclassified: Separates Public and Private Schools, Scraps Multiplier

In a historic shift set to take effect in 2026–27, the AHSAA eliminated Class 7A, split private schools into their own divisions, and removed the long-debated 1.35 multiplier—reshaping competitive balance statewide.

AHSAA Executive Director Heath Harmon speaks during a press conference following an AHSAA Board Meeting where they voted on school reclassification in Montgomery, Ala., on Friday January 23, 2026. / Mickey Welsh / Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

On Friday morning, the AHSAA officially announced the reclassification of its schools in Alabama.

A Historic Reclassification Takes Shape

This reclassification also includes the private schools breaking away into two separate classifications under the AHSAA. As a result of this, the public classifications lose one class, 7A, with the public schools now competing in their own two classifications.

Under the AHSAA, the public schools will now have classifications from 1A-6A, and the private schools will have Single-A Private and Double-A Private. This historic transformation in Alabama high school sports will take effect beginning in the 2026-27 academic school year.

AHSAA Announces Removal of the 1.35 Multiplier for Private Schools

According to The Messenger, the 1.35 multiplier that was given to private schools is being removed as a result of the reclassification. The private schools were also given a competitive balance factor prior to today's news, and that is also being removed. The multiplier, as outlined in The Messenger, was when the AHSAA valued 1.35 students for every singular student at a public school.

As a result of today's decision and the removal of these two factors that determined what a private school was in the state of Alabama should help with more competitive play for the public schools.

Public and Private Schools May Still Schedule Each Other in Non-Regional Contests

Today's ruling might have an adverse effect on some traditional rivalries, especially in football, as yearly match-ups will slowly go away. However, every public and private school will still have the opportunity to schedule each other in non-regional and district matchups. Therefore, the upper echelon private schools can test themselves against the top public schools, which is what happens on a yearly basis in Mississippi across all sports. Also, given with what we have seen in the past in Mississippi, this can create some hard-fought and thrilling games that will be talked about for years to come.

However, there is another negative side effect that may come to fruition as a result of this. Once the playoffs start, the bigger private schools with more money and a higher enrollment might dominate the playoffs on a yearly basis which is the case in Mississippi. With that being said, this remains a mystery here in the present, but there is a reality where that could happen. The AHSAA might speculate on further reclassifying the private schools into more classifications if this potential side effect does happen.

Each Classification and the Number of Schools in Each

In 1A-6A for the public schools, each classification, with the exception of 6A, has over 60 schools. 1A will feature 69 schools, 2A will have 65 schools, 3A and 4A each have 66 schools and 5A will have 64 teams. The 6A class will feature 32 schools in the future.

In the Single-A Private classification, there will be 43 schools with Huntsville Christian being an associate member. There will be 17 schools in the Double-A Private classification.

New Football Classifications and Regions

Class 6A, Region 1

• Alma Bryant High School
• Baker High School
• Daphne High School
• Davidson High School
• Fairhope High School
• Foley High School
• Mary G. Montgomery High School
• Robertsdale High School

Class 6A, Region 2

• Auburn High School
• Caiver Senior High School
• Montgomery Central High School, Phenix City
• Dothan High School
• Enterprise High School
• Johnson Abernathy Graetz (JAG) High School
• Opelika High School Smiths Station High School

Class 6A, Region 3

• Hewitt-Trussville High School
• Hoover High School
• Oak Mountain High School
• Prattville High School
• Spain Park High School
• Thompson High School
• Tuscaloosa County Htgh School
• Vestavia Hills High School

Class 6A, Region 4

• Bob Jones High School
• Buckhorn High School
• Gadsden City High School
• Grissom High School
• Hazel Green Htgh School
• Huntsville High School
• James Clemens High School
• Sparkman High School

Class 5A, Region 1

• Baldwin County High School
• Elberta High School
• Gulf Shores High School
• Mattie T. Blount High School
• Murphy High School
• Saraland High School
• Spanish Fort High School
• Theodore High School

Class 5A, Region 2

• Benjamin Russell High School
• Park Crossing High School
• Percy Julian High School
• Pike Road High School
• Rehobeth High School
• Russell County High School
• Stanhope Elmore High School
• Wetumpka High School

Class 5A, Region 3

• Bessemer Cily High School
• Brookwood High School
• Central High School, Tuscaloosa
• Hillcrest High School, Tuscaloosa
• Hueytown High School
• McAdory High School
• Northridge High School
• Paul W. Bryant High School

Class 5A, Region 4

• Calera High School
• Chelsea High School
• Chilton County High School
• Helena High School
• Homewood High School
• Mountain Brook High School
• Pelham High School
• Ramsay IB High School

Class 5A Region 5

• A.H. Parker High School
  
• Cullman High School
• Gardendale High School
• Huffman High School-Magnet
• Jasper High School
• Minor High School
• Mortimer Jordan High School
• P. D. Jackson-Olin High School

Class 5A, Region 6

• Clay-Chalkville High School
• Douglas High School
• Oxford High School
• Pell City High School
• Pinson Valley High School
• Southside High School
• Springville High School
• St. Clair County High School

Class 5A, Region 7

• Athens High School
• Austin High School
• Decatur High School
• East Limestone High School
• Florence Htgh School
• Hartselle High School
• Muscle Shoals High School
• Russeltville High School

Class 5A, Region 8

• Albertville High School
• Arab High School
• Boaz High School
• Columbia High School
• Fort Payne High School
• Lee High School
• Mae Jemison High School
• Scottsboro High School

Class 4A, Region 1

• B.C. Rain High School
• Citronelle High School
• LeFlore Magnet High School
• Orange Beach High School
• Satsuma High School
• Vigor High School
• Williamson High School

Class 4A, Region 2

• Andalusia High School
• Ashford High School
• Carroll High School
• Dale County High School
• Eufaula High School
• Headland High School
• New Brockton High School
• Straughn High School

Class 4A, Region 3

• Demopolis High School
• Holl High School
• Jemison High School
• Montevallo High School
• Northside High School
• Selma High School
• Shelby Counly High School
• Sipsey Valley High School

Class 4A, Region 4

• Beauregard High School
• Charles Henderson High School
• Elmore County High School
• Greenville High School
• Holtville High School
• Marbury High School
• Tallassee High School
• Valley High School

Class 4A, Region 5

• Center Point High School
• Dora High School
• Fairfield High Preparatory School
• G.W. Carver-Birmingham High School
• Oak Grove High School
• Shades Valley High School
• Wenonah High School
• Woodlawn High School

Class 4A, Region 6

• Alexandria High School
• Anniston High School
• Central High School ol Clay County
• Jacksonville High School
• Leeds High School
• Lincoln High School
• Moody High School
• Sylacauga High School

Class 4A, Region 7

• Ardmore High School
• Brooks High School
• Deshler High School
• Hamilton High School
• Lawrence Counly High School
• Priceville High School
• West Morgan High School
• West Point High School

Class 4A, Region 8

• A.P. Brewer High School
• Cherokee County High School
• Crossville High School
• Fairview High School
• Good Hope High School
• Guntersville High School
• Hayden High School
• Sardis High School

Class 3A, Region 1

• Escambia County High School
• Excel High School
• Flomaton Htgh School
• Jackson High School
• Opp High School
• T.R. Miller High School
• Wilcox Central High School
• W.S. Neal High School

Class 3A, Region 2

• Beulah High School
• Booker T. Washington High School, Tuskegee
• Bullock Counly High School
• Daleville High School
• Geneva Htgh School
• Pike Counly High School
• Slocomb High School
• Wicksburg High School

Class 3A, Region 3

• Bibb County High School
• Cordova High School
• Corner High School
• Fultondale High School
• Hale County High School
• Pleasant Grove High School
• Tarrant High School
• West Blocton High School

Class 3A, Region 4

• Ashville High School
• Childersburg High School
• Cleburne County High School
• Handley High School
• Muntord High School
• Talladega High School
• Weaver High School
• White Plains High School

Class 3A, Region 5

• Curry High School
• Danville High School
• East Lawrence High School
• Fayette County High School
• Haleyville High School
• Hatton High School
• Oakman High School
• Winfield High School

Class 3A, Region 6

• Etowah High School
• Glencoe High School
• Hanceville High School
• Hokes Bluff High School
• Holly Pond High School
• Oneonta High School
• Susan Moore High School
• Vinemont High Sdlool

Class 3A, Region 7

• Central High School
• Florence Clements High School
• Colbert Heights High School
• Elkmont High School
• Lauderdale County High School
• Rogers High School
• West Limestone High School
• Wilson High School

Class 3A, Region 8

• Asbury High School
• Geraldine High School
• Kate Duncan Smith
• OAR High School
• Madison County High School
• New Hope High School
• North Jackson High School
• Plainview High Sdlool
• Sylvania High School

Class 2A, Region 1

• Chickasaw High School
• Clarke County High School
• Hillcrest High School, Evergreen
• J.U. Blacksher High School
• Luverne High School
• Monroe County High School
• Thomasville High School

Class 2A, Region 2

• Ariton High School
• Cottonwood High School
• Geneva Counly High School
• Goshen High School
• GW Long High School
• Highland Home High School
• Houston County Htgh School
• Zion Chapel High School

Class 2A, Region 3

• Aliceville Htgh School
• Dallas County High School
• Greene Counly High School
• Greensboro High School
• Isabella High School
• Southside High School
• Selma Sumter Cenlral High School
• Thorsby High School

Class 2A, Region 4

• B.B. Comer High School
• Cenlral High School, Coosa
• Dadeville High School
• Horseshoe Bend High School
• Lanett High School
• Ranburne High School
• Randolph County High School
• Reeltown High School

Clas 2A, Region 5

• Carbon Hill High School
• Cleveland High School
• Cold Springs High School
• Gordo High School
• Lamar County High School
• Locust Fork High School
• Midfield High School
• Southeaslern High School

• Gaston High School
• Ohatchee High School
• Piedmont High School
• Pleasant Valley High School
• Saks High School
• Vincent Middle High School
• Walter Wellborn High School
• West End High School

Class 2A, Region 7

• Colbert County High School
• Falkville High School
• J.B. Pennington High School
• Lexinglon High School
• Phil Campbell High School
• Shetfield High School
• Tanner High School
• Winston Counly High School

Class 2A, Region 8

• Brindlee Mounlain High School
• Collinsville High School
• Fytte High School
• Ider High School
• North Sand Mountain School
• Pisgah High School
• Sand Rock High School
• Section High School

Class 1A, Region 1

• Choctaw County High School
• Fruttdale High School
• Leroy High School
• Marengo High School
• McIntosh High School
• Millry High School
• Southern Choctaw High School
• Washington County High School

Class 1A, Region 2

• Abbeville High School
• Barbour County High School
• Brantley High School
• Elba High School
• Florala High School
• Kinston High School
• Pleasant Home High School
• Samson High School

Class 1A, Region 3

• Breakthrough Charter School
• Francis Marion School
• J.F. Shields High School
• Ketlh High School
• Linden High School
• R.C. Hatch High School
• Sweet Water High School
• University Charter School

Class 1A, Region 4

• Billingsley High School
• Calhoun High School
• Central High School
• Hayneville Georgiana High School
• Maplesville High School
• McKenzie High School
• Red Level School
• Verbena Htgh School

Class 1A, Region 5

• Berry High School
• Brilliant High School
• Hubbertville High School
• Lynn High School
• Marion Counly High School
• Pickens County High School
• South Lamar High School
• Sulli Gent High School

Class 1A, Region 6

• Alabama Aerospace & Aviation High School
• Fayelleville High School
• Lalayelle High School
• Loachapoka High School
• Notasulga High School
• Wadley High School
• Winterboro High School
• Woodland High School

Class 1A, Region 7

• Addison High School
• Belgreen High School
• Cherokee High School
• Hackleburg High School
• Meek High School
• Phillips High School
• Red Bay High School
• Waterloo High School

Class 1A, Region 8

• Appalachian High School
• Cedar Bluff High School
• Gaylesville High School
• Ragland High School
• Spring Garden High School
• Valley Head High School
• WoodVille High School

Double-A Private, Region 1

• Faith Academy
• Glenwood School
• Houston Academy
• McGill-Toolen Catholic High School
• Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School
• St. Michael Catholic High School
• St. Paul's Episcopal School
• UMS-Wright Preparatory School

Double-A Private, Region 2

• American Christian Academy
• Briarwood Christian School
• John Carroll Catholic High School
• Lee-Scoll Academy
• Madison Academy
• Randolph School
• SIt John Paul II Catholic High School
• Westminster Christian Academy

Single-A Private, Region 1

• Bayshore Christian School
• Bayside Academy
• Cottage Hill Christian Academy
• Mobile Christian School
• Northside Methodist Academy
• Providence Christian School
• St. Luke's Episcopal School

Single-A Private, Region 2

• Alabama Christian Academy
• Fort Dale Academy
• Pike Liberal Arts School
• Prattville Christian Academy
• Saint James School
• The Montgomery Academy
• Trinily Presbyterian School

Single-A Private, Region 3

• Autauga Academy
• Ellwood Christian Academy
• Holy Spirit Catholic School
• Pickens Academy
• The Donoho School
• Tuscaloosa Academy
• Victory Christian School

Single-A Private, Region 4

• Coosa Christian School
• Decatur Heritage Christian Academy
• Lindsay Lane Christian Academy
• Mars Hill Bible School
• Shoals Christian School
• Westbrook Christian School
• Whitesburg Christian Academy