AHSAA director, private school members discuss future relationship between two sides

AHSAA executive director Heath Harmon met with officials to discuss issues between the association and private schools on Wednesday. (File photo)

By TIM GAYLE

Representatives of some of the state’s top private schools met on Wednesday at Faulkner University, continuing a series of meetings that are designed to shape the strategy of the schools as they navigate through legislation passed by both the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s Central Board and the state legislature.

Wednesday’s meeting was the fourth held over the past year by the private schools that are members of the Alabama High School Athletic Association in response to several rulings by the Central Board affecting the private schools, such as Competitive Balance Factor, and legislative proposals that include the CHOOSE Act.

The first meeting was an organizational one that involved less than two dozen schools and came on the heels of several proposed laws submitted for passage by the state legislature, including one that would have permitted cross-play between AHSAA member schools and schools of other organizations, such as the Alabama Independent School Association, a proposal that drew a quick show of force by AHSAA officials at the legislative committee meeting.

Another legislative proposal would have prohibited public schools and non-public schools from competing against each other in the postseason.

At the second meeting of the private school representatives, there was a request to invite AHSAA executive director Heath Harmon to the gathering to discuss issues affecting the private schools. Harmon showed up at the third meeting, in late August, but left a short time later, citing a scheduling conflict.

The fourth meeting attracted the attention of Al.com, whose advance notification of the meeting apparently caused AHSAA officials to release a statement from Harmon. Private school representatives had hoped Harmon would use the opportunity to show some support for the group, but he remained non committal.   

“The purpose for today’s meeting with our 58 independent school members was to have an open dialogue with our schools as we move forward in this reclassification year,” Harmon said in the release. “I wanted to hear what their concerns are as members of the AHSAA and I wanted to share important concerns facing our association.

“We were able to share meaningful dialog and ideas as we move forward. This meeting, in addition to our recent meetings with the superintendents,’ high school principals’ and junior high principals’ committees have all been beneficial.”

Private school members have made it clear from the beginning they wanted to meet openly to discuss issues that are unique to their status in the Alabama High School Athletic Association, including a private school multiplier instituted in 1999, Competitive Balance instituted in 2018, the extension of Competitive Balance to all private schools during reclassification, instituted in 2023, and the CHOOSE Act battle between AHSAA officials and state government officials that is ongoing. Harmon was invited to meetings to maintain transparency between the group and AHSAA officials.