National Review of Interscholastic Competitive Balance Solutions Related to the Public-Private Debate
The public-private debate in interscholastic athletics has vexed athletic administrators and policy-makers for more than a century. The ability of private schools to secure athletic talent beyond the defined geographic borders that restrain public schools has led to competitive imbalance in many states. Competitive imbalance is evidenced by a disproportionate amount of athletic success demonstrated by private schools, often in the form of state championships. To determine the current landscape of interscholastic competitive balance, commissioners and high-ranking officials at each state association listed within the directory of the National Federation of State High Schools (NFHS) were contacted to identify their policies. Current competitive balance solutions include enrollment classifications, separate playoffs, enrollment multipliers and subtractors, tournament success factors, and consideration of socioeconomic factors. The results of this analysis provide an overview of competitive balance solutions being implemented in the United States.