MsProudSooner
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I don't know if anyone here is interested in the age-old 'Public vs Private' school debate with regard to athletics.
Board to review public-private issue today
by: MIKE STRAIN World Sports Editor
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
6/9/2009 3:45:33 AM
One of the most controversial issues in Oklahoma high school athletics will be addressed Tuesday by the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association. This much is clear:
"I think it's one of those issues where you're not ever going to make everybody happy," said Tulsa Public Schools athletic director Stephanie Spring.
That's the nature of the emotionally charged debate that centers on how private schools and public schools fit together in the same organization. On Tuesday in Oklahoma City, Spring will be among the OSSAA's board of directors who will review a proposal that could move Oklahoma's 21 non-public schools into higher classifications.
At issue is whether private schools have a competitive advantage, a controversial topic that has been addressed for years in Oklahoma and states across the country.
"It gets very personal to people — to schools, to coaches, to parents," said Fairview superintendent Rocky Burchfield, the president of the OSSAA's 14-member board.
The board will review a proposal that could force Oklahoma's 21 non-public schools to play in higher classifications — in some cases two classes higher. The OSSAA's board will have a choice Tuesday:
It could vote in favor of sending the proposal to member schools. In that scenario, member schools would be given the opportunity to vote for the proposal or reject it. That vote likely would be in fall, and a majority would be required to make a rule change.
The board could elect to study the proposal further — or consider other proposals — and not send it to a vote of member schools.
"I'm going in with an open mind to listen and hear what they have to say," said Spring, who is vice president of the OSSAA's board. "To me, I don't know what the solution is yet. I hope that we're able to continue moving forward and come up with a good solution."
The proposal has been crafted by a group of schools from rural Oklahoma. School administrators at Bridge Creek, which is southwest of Oklahoma City, have been instrumental in building support for the plan and getting it placed on the OSSAA's agenda for its monthly board meeting.
Private schools that include Cascia Hall and Metro Christian could move up two classes in football and basketball. The proposal could push Bishop Kelley into Oklahoma's largest classification, 6A.
Burchfield has served on the OSSAA's board for six years and says he thinks there has been a lot of "misunderstanding" when it comes to the public school-private school debate. He said recent rules have been approved in an attempt to continue to address the issue.
"I believe we've already done more than some people are willing to believe we have done," Burchfield said. "We need to continue to explore whatever we can do to have as level a playing field as possible."
Neither Spring nor Burchfield predicted how the vote would turn out Tuesday. Spring said her goal is simple — review the proposal carefully and then follow a clear principle.
"At the end of the day, it's all about kids, regardless of what school they're in," Spring said. "That's what I remind myself. That's why the association exists."
A LOOK AT THE PROPOSAL
Oklahoma’s classifications are based on the number of students who attend a school. Class 6A has the largest 32 schools. Class 5A has the next-largest 32 schools, etc.
Tuesday, the OSSAA will address a proposal that would require all nonpublic schools to count their own average daily membership (a number that closely tracks enrollment) along with 50 percent of the average daily membership for the school district in which they are located.
For example, Bishop Kelley’s ADM was 842. Kelley is located within Edison’s school district. Under the proposal, Kelley would have to count half of Edison’s 1,228 ADM. thus, Kelley’s ADM would increase from 842 to 1,456. that would move Kelley from Class 5a into Class 6A.
The most a school could rise is two classes.
Who would be affected?
Classifications for 21 private and federally funded schools within the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association would be affected should the OSSAA adopt a proposal to alter the way average daily memberships are recorded based on the public school districts in which these schools are located:
American Christian of Bartlesville
Bartlesville Weselyan
Bishop Kelley
Cascia Hall
Christian Heritage
Claremore Christian
Corn Bible Academy
Lincoln Christian
Metro Christian
OKC Heritage Hall
OKC McGuinness
OKC Mt. St. Mary
Oklahoma Bible Academy
Oklahoma Christian
Oklahoma Chr. Academy
Southwest Covenant
Summit Christian Academy
Victory Christian
Victory Life Academy
Federally funded schools:
Riverside (Anadarko)
Tahlequah Sequoyah