Overview
- The Central Board convenes a work session in Montgomery on Jan. 22 ahead of a Jan. 23 vote to release fall‑sport classifications for 2026–27 and 2027–28.
- The board is weighing formats from the current unified setup to postseason‑only or full separation, a choice that could shift class cutoffs and regional maps because fewer than 60 private schools compete among roughly 420 members.
- A USA TODAY‑Alabama reader poll found 44.53% favor a full split and 37.75% prefer a postseason‑only split, with 17.72% backing the status quo.
- A confidential survey of 30 coaches and administrators showed 13 prefer a postseason‑only split, 11 favor no change, and 6 support a full separation.
- Political and legal pressure includes Senate Bill 73 that would require heavy government appointment power on association boards starting Oct. 1, 2026 if enacted, plus an ongoing lawsuit by Gov. Kay Ivey and Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter over the CHOOSE Act.