I count 356 KSHSAA member schools (2009/2010 School Classification). 32-6A, 32-A, 64-4A, 63-3A, 64-2A, 101-1A.
I count only 24 KSHSAA member parochial or private schools (P/Ps). Zero 6A, 4-5A, 3-4A, 6-3A, 6-2A, 5-1A.
Could have missed a school in either count.
A little simple division shows that only 6.7% of member schools are private or parochial. Thus, 93.3% of the membership are public high schools.
Check out the lists of current and past champions in each sport (reference Gary Siebel post above). Clearly indicates private and parochial schools have won far out of proportion state championships. In volley ball, soccer (boy and girls), base ball, soft ball, and basket ball are all dominated by the P/P schools--in some sports almost to the exclusion of public schools.
State championships only tell part of the story. Look at the number of P/P schools in the state semi-finals. I could only find info for 2009/2010. Boys soccer: 5A: 2 of 4 semis from P/Ps, plus the state champ; 4321A: 2 of 4 semis plus state champ. Girls soccer: only one class (54321A) 4 of 4 semis plus the state champ. Foot ball: 5A: 2 of 4 semi-finalists, 4A: 2of 4 semi-finalist plus state champ; 3A; 1 of 4 semi and state champ. Similar for all other sports in all classes. Not going to go through every sport. Think you can get the picture!
Why do P/P schools advance so far and win state championships?? Good question. Is it better coaching---not always--lots of very good public school coaches. Must be something else. Might be the athletes, and the number of extra good athletes at P/P schools. But, why are their athletes better than almost all other public schools in almost all sports. It has to generate that P/P schools have a disproportinate number of good athletes way out of wack with their expected 6.7% of the total of all HS athletes. Has to raise the question of how do the P/P shools get all those extra ordinary athletes.
Shoul be recognized there has been some very harsh feelings out there for a long, long time over trying to compete against private and parochial schools.
Just a couple of thoughts about the crap that P/Ps save the public schools money, that P/Ps are more efficient. How many P/Ps have special education programs, how many have alternative schools, how many have English as a Secondary Language Programs, how many stuudents do they have on free or reduced price breakfast and lunch. All of these type programs are hughe drains on public school budgets, administrators and staffs at all grade levels, facilities, transportation, etc. So, why should they now put up with inequities, real or perceived, in High school sports.
I think the proposal to split 4A into 4A1 and 4A2 and put all private and parochial schools into two separate classes has no merit. It would generate another 2 or 3 new state tournaments in each sport, and it would be costly.
Right now I would not see the benefits of modifying the current class structures into a 48 school'Big Class", a 48 school "Not So Big Class" and then doing something with the current 32 smallest schools in 4A.
The proposal to move private and parochial schools up to the next higher classification has merit. It maintains the current classification structure and state level play in all sports, and it costs nothing--no new state tournaments, no two stand- alone P/P classes with only 24 schools with an enrollment range of 17 to o/a 850 students. Will it bring equity in sports competition---would have to be better than what we see now.
I would think that Private and parochial school administrators, ADs, athletes, and yes, parents, would agree that this proposal might be the best in the long run for their schools, rather than some less pleasant alternative. Don't believe many would want to suffer the expenses of travel to KC, ST Louis, Denver, Omaha, Memphis, etc for every team to find opponents outside the boundaries of Kansas.
