12-17-10- Let’s start with one thing we know they both have in common, they both start with the letter “P”. If you talk to most high school football fans there doesn’t seem to be much else they can agree on. The cry gets louder every year, especially in Ohio after the state football and state basketball tournaments. Most public school supporters say the private schools are blatant in recruiting athletes and that state associations need to take some sort of action to make the playing field level.

Some states in the past years have made some adjustments, Illinois has a multiplier on all private schools (1.65). Some Ohio school superintendents have asked other school districts to help support a movement that could force private schools into their own division. The OHSAA is now discussing what might be done to make both sides happy and plans on holding a hearing in the future. Some folks on the private school side have said that bracketing in this year’s Ohio state football championships were adjusted to cut down on private schools making the championship game. This is becoming a heated topic, not just in Ohio, but around the country. The results do show in these tournaments that private schools do win on a regular basis more state championships. (2010 Ohio state football titles went to five private schools out of six divisions)

Open enrollment in Ohio is a policy over the past ten years that allows a student to attend another school district if that district borders his home district, no questions asked. Private schools say this policy is helping public schools to bring in student-athletes. Students who transfer need only sign a release to make the change.

Recently a Florida Christian schools was fined by the FHSAA $145,000 for recruiting. Florida has dealt with many issues the past several years on recruiting and some have left the FHSAA to form a new association the Sunshine Independent Athletic Association. Most of the schools in this association left due to issues and fines with the FHSAA.

A recent case in Northern Illinois saw an all-conference girl basketball player attending a Catholic school who decided she wanted to transfer to a public school in the same conference. The player’s family stated in an article in the local newspaper that they were unable to continue to pay the high tuition at the school for a non-Catholic student. The IHSA allows a student to transfer in this case without sitting out a year due to the financial situation, had the girl transferred from the public to private school she would have had to sit out a year. It might be noted that the public school the player transferred to has three D1 recruits on it.

Several years ago a small school NW Ohio athletic conference had the chance to expand, three schools applied - two Catholic schools and one public school. The conference had eight members (7 public and 1 Catholic), adding 2 two members would seem to be the way to go, especially for scheduling football. The conference took the public school bypassing the two catholic schools for the tenth spot. Several years later a public school who had a new football program was asked to join the conference as a football member only to help with scheduling. The two Catholic schools at the time were still looking for a conference home. Most high school conferences do not include a mixture of public and private, although there are some who do and most happened years ago.

The above issues are also happening in other states. This topic continues to grow and draws attention to making future adjustments to “even” the playing field.

Private schools depend on student enrollment and tuition to finance it and keep the system open. The recruiting of students is a thin line to what is proper and what is not proper. Private schools in urban areas continue to grow due to public schools facing financial issues, some caused by short-falls in state treasuries and the cutting of programs. Many private schools offer more than just athletics, but also smaller class sizes, discipline and structured academics. Public schools have their hands tied on issues that private schools do not have to be concerned about and deal with. Let’s face it, although they are both educating students they both have different ways of making it work for students.

Solutions, there are many out there who have an opinion, but getting both sides to agree is almost impossible.

The two above are the most common thoughts to help the situation and the multiplier is in play in some states.

Something to consider (there are many ideas being talked about around the country) that might solve the problem. Let schools recruit and allow students to attend the school of their choice. It works in colleges and both private and public schools participate. One item we would add, schools would declare if they are going to recruit or not. Schools would then be put in the appropriate division. Parents or students would then be responsible for the move, especially if it is that important for them to move for athletics. A student can transfer to any school in most states if they don’t play sports but want to enter a quality academic program or even the marching band with no penalty. Athletics could be treated the same way. This would clear up many issues we see and hear today.

This is an issue that has been “burning” for a long time and it needs to be dealt with in the future. That is probably going to be hard thing to accomplish, to make changes just to make them is not good. However; changes that benefit both sides and agreements that are reached together are needed.

The Association and schools need to remember that you are all in this together for the benefit of student-athletes.