Public vs. Private: Which states split, partially split or combine schools?
The debate is heating up daily around the country when it comes to public vs. private when it pertains to high school athletics. The Alabama High School Athletic Association ( AHSAA ) decided back in late January for the first time in its 104-year existence via a 13-2 vote that they will be splitting up the private and public schools when it comes to athletics championships.
The Yellowhammer State became the fifth state to do a partial split when it comes to its public and private schools as the two are still slated to face one another when it comes to regular season play. Debate has heated up in other states when it comes to the public/private topic as Nevada’s NIAA is dealing with 30 members decided to go independent rather than facing the private schools. In New York, several schools decided to move down to a lower tier in wanting to avoid a specific private school in their region and a Pennsylvania district superintendent wrote a letter to the state’s PIAA governing body about the imbalance between public and private schools.
We have gathered where each state stands when it comes to public vs. private schools when it comes to fully splitting their members for regular season/postseason play, combining them or handing it with a partial split down below: FULLY SPLIT (4) Fully split (public and private schools compete on completely separate tracks—both regular season and postseason). These 4 states operate under a fully split model: Maryland Tennessee Texas Virginia PARTIAL SPLIT (5) Partial split (hybrid/mixed approach—typically compete together in regular season or districts/regions, but separated for playoffs, championships, or certain brackets).
These 5 states use a partial-split model: Alabama Georgia Louisiana Maine New Jersey COMBINED (41) Combined (public and private schools compete together with no separation—or only minor adjustments like enrollment multipliers or competitive-balance formulas in some cases). The remaining 41 states fully combine public and private schools (no dedicated public/private split): Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska New Hampshire New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Utah Vermont Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming How to Follow National High School Football For high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the nation, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard . This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the state, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night high school football action.
From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the gridiron excitement across the country.