4.1.0          DATES FOR CLASSIFICATION OF HIGH SCHOOLS - All high schools are to be classified according to enrollment in grades 10-12.  (Schools new to the Association will take the average of their estimated enrollment for their first two years.)

                   4.1.1                    The P223 enrollment figures as sent to the Office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction will be used for classification purposes. 

                   4.1.2                     A school's classification is determined by the average monthly enrollment from October 1 through December 1 of odd-numbered years and will be the basis for classification for the next two years.  (In order to get into sequence, the 2001-2002 school year will be considered the next and complete cycle, with the 2002-03/2003-04 school years being the first full cycle.)

                   4.1.3                    The responsibility for investigating enrollment figures lies with the WIAA and this may be invoked by any member school with the support of four (4) other member schools.

4.2.0          HIGH SCHOOL CLASSIFICATIONS - High schools whose enrollment for grades 10-12 is 1,201 and over will be classified as "4A,” 601 -1,200 enrollment as “3A, ”  301 - 600 enrollment as "2A,” 151-300 enrollment as "1A,” and 1-150 enrollment as "B.”   

                   4.2.1                    In four-year high schools (grades 9-10-11-12), any students who are repeating the 9th grade shall be counted in the school's 10-12 WIAA enrollment figures for that year even though, academically, the school may not consider them sophomores.

                   4.2.2                    School districts with a separate, approved alternative school(s), as reported on district P-223 enrollment forms, must assign their students for WIAA Classification Head-count purposes to the high school in which the students would normally be enrolled provided that the alternative school(s) is not a separate member of the WIAA with a demonstrated two year history of participation in the same number of WIAA sanctioned activities as other WIAA member schools of the same enrollment. 

                   4.2.3                    Students must be counted in their school of residence unless they are enrolled in a separately established member school. Member schools in this situation must attempt to gain league affiliation and demonstrate a two (2) year history of participation in the number of WIAA sanctioned activities comparable to other WIAA member schools of the same enrollment.

4.3.0          CLASSIFICATION FOR ALL-BOY SCHOOL or ALL-GIRL SCHOOL - In an all-boy or all-girl school, the enrollment is doubled to determine classification for athletics.

4.4.0          CLASSIFICATIONS FOR SCHOOLS IN MULTIPLE HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICTS - In multiple high school districts the total grade level enrollment figures are listed on the OSPI P-223 form.  The following method will be used to calculate a high school’s enrollment when that high school is part of a multiple high school district:

                   4.4.1                    All of the district’s 10-12 grade September enrollment as reported to the WIAA office will be totaled.

                   4.4.2                    Each high school’s percentage of that total will be determined by the September count as reported to the WIAA by each high school in a multiple high school district.

                   4.4.3                    The percentage for each high school as calculated above will be applied to the school district’s October 1, November 1, and December 1 average as reported on the OSPI P-223 enrollment form to determine a single school’s enrollment.

4.5.0          CLASSIFICATIONS FOR ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS IN MULTIPLE HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICTS - School districts that have alternative high schools may separate the alternative school enrollment count from their regular high school count for those students living within the district boundaries.  This separation of student enrollment may occur under the following conditions:

4.5.1           In order to separate an alternative school’s enrollment for classification purposes, an alternative school must demonstrate a two (2) year history of participation in the same number of WIAA sanctioned activities as other WIAA member schools of the same enrollment.

4.5.2           Once a school has met these criteria, it must continue to do so in order to establish a separate enrollment for classification purposes.

4.6.0          COMBINED PROGRAMS - DEFINITION - Students from more than one school competing as one team.

                                A.             Schools that combine in all WIAA-sponsored sports and/or all activities shall be considered as one (1) school and are not required to follow the combined program approval process.

                                B.            The process of approval requires the following steps:

                                                1.             The following process must be completed for the first year of the allocation cycle.

                                                2.             Approval of each school board of school(s) involved, and

                                                3.             Approval of the league(s) involved, and

                                                4.             Approval of the WIAA District(s) involved, and

                                                5.             Appropriate action of the WIAA Executive Director.

                                                                a.             Any combination for team or individual sports between a B, 1A and/or a 2A school will be permitted provided all steps above have been completed.

                                                                b.             A combination between any B, 1A, or 2A school with either a 3A or 4A school must be approved at least the level described above in steps 2,3, and 4, and then by the WIAA Executive Director.

                                                                c.             Any configuration of classifications of member schools may combine for individual sports for regular season play and coop for post season play.  This option is not available for team sports.

                                                                d.             Combined programs will not be allowed for team sports for 3A and 4A schools (whether 3A with 3A, 3A with 4A, or 4A with 4A.)

                                                                e.             Combined programs will not be allowed for individual sports for post-season play for 3A or 4A schools (whether 3A with 3A, 3A with 4A, or 4A with 4A.)

                                                                f.              All requests with all appropriate signatures must be received in the WIAA office no later than the Monday following the end of each season’s 3-week window.  Requests submitted after the deadline will be denied.

                                                                g.             No competition will be allowed until the WIAA Executive Director has taken the appropriate action.

                                                                h.             The WIAA Executive Board will review each action taken by the Executive Director.

                                                                i.              Program approval shall coincide with the two (2)-year classification/allocation cycle.

                                C.            The combined teams’ classification is determined by combining the enrollments of the schools.

                             1.             The total 10-12 grade enrollment of the schools involved will determine the classification for that sport.

                             2.             The name used for the team must indicate the schools involved.

                                D.            Following the determination of classifications during the even-numbered years (outlined in 4.2.0) approval for the combined program would be for the next two (2) year classification period.

             E.            Either school district may terminate the program(s) providing notification is given no later than January 1 prior to the next school year;

             F.             The WIAA Office must be notified annually on the status of each program via the WIAA membership form.

4.7.0          COOPERATIVE PROGRAMS - DEFINITION - Students from more than one school sharing resources, but competing as representatives of their home school in individual sports/activities.

                                A.             The WIAA Executive Director is authorized to coordinate all requests for cooperative programs, contingent upon written confirmation of approval from both school districts, league (s), and WIAA District(s).

                                B.            Following the determination of classifications during the even-numbered years (outlined in 4.2.0) approval for the cooperative program would be for the next two (2) year classification period.

             C.            Either school district may terminate the program(s) providing notification is given prior to January 1 of the year preceding the termination of the program(s).

                                D.            The WIAA Office must be notified annually on the status of each program via the WIAA membership form.

                                E.            Wrestling - An outing involving a cooperative wrestling program will equal one (1) team date (also refer to 64.3.1A.)

4.8.0          OPTING FOR A HIGHER CLASSIFICATION - Schools may opt up to a higher classification.

4.9.0          EXEMPTION FROM CLASSIFICATION - Schools will compete in sub-district, district and state meets and tournaments within their classification in all athletic activities.  The WIAA Executive Board may waive this rule in special cases due to geography and competition with other schools.

                   4.7.1                    APPEAL OF DETERMINED CLASSIFICATION - A school may appeal their determined classification to the WIAA Executive Board.  The appeal must be filed no later than January 10 of the odd year.

4.10.0        COMPETITION OUTSIDE OF CLASSIFICATION - Any school that chooses to play in school athletic competition outside of its own classification throughout the season may do so; however, unless granted an exception as in Article 4.9.0 they may not participate in post-season play outside their classification.

4.11.0        OPSTAD FORMULA - The Opstad Formula consists of two factors used in computing the ideal allotments for each WIAA District to Association State Events.  The factors are (1) a school factor, and (2) an enrollment factor.  These two factors are calculated and combined in the following manner:

                   4.11.1                 School Factor - The number of schools in a given classification statewide is divided by the number of tournament entries.  This figure is then divided into the number of schools in the classification in each WIAA District.  The result is the school factor of the formula for that district.

                   4.11.2                 Enrollment Factor - For any activity, the number of students in a given classification statewide is divided by the number of tournament entries.  This figure is then divided into number of students of the schools participating in that classification in each WIAA District.  The result is the enrollment factor of the formula for that district.

                   4.11.3                 Ideal Allocation - These factors are combined by adding them together and dividing by two.  This gives the ideal allocation for the WIAA District for that particular tournament; thus, each district's allocation represents an average between its school factor and its enrollment factor.

                   NOTE:                 Beginning with the 2001-2002, 2002-2003 allocation cycle, the state event entry formula using the school factor only will be used to determine allocations to Association state events

4.12.0        APPLICATION OF THE OPSTAD FORMULA - The Allocation Formula shall be applied each even-numbered year.  In cases of fractional team (ideal allocation) representation in athletic districts, the WIAA Executive Board is empowered to make decisions regarding the fractional representation.

                   4.12.1                 The Allocation Formula is applied by the WIAA Executive Board to the WIAA Districts for all post-season tournament events except baseball and wrestling.

                                                4.12.1.a.        Baseball allocations will be assigned to districts, then placed into the state tournament bracket which will consist of four-team regional events in each classification.

                                                4.12.1.b         For wrestling the state shall be divided into four regions for each classification.

                   4.12.2                 The Allocation Formula is the basis for allotting representatives from WIAA Districts to the Representative Assembly  (Article 6.7.0).