OSSAA Competitive Equity Plan for Volleyball

   The Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activity Association (OSSAA) will soon send out to a vote of the membership - a competitive equity revision for Rule 14, which affects only volleyball and tennis. Let's take a look at how it will affect volleyball, if implemented:
   There are currently 32 class 6A, 32 class 5A, 32 class 4A, and 30 class 3A volleyball teams in the OSSAA - for a total 126. There are no private schools in class 6A, 6 private school volleyball teams in class 5A, 10 private schools in class 4A, and 6 private schools in class 3A.
   If implemented, the new competitive equity rule will force the top four finishers in class 5A to class 6A. Since no volleyball team will be forced to advance more than one classification, the rule exempts two of the top four finishers from advancing to class 6A - which leaves Bishop Kelly and Bishop McGuinness to advance to 6A. If BK and BM advances to class 6A, the two smallest 6A teams (as per ADM) will regress to class 5A. Many OSSAA member schools believe the 'playing field' is level in class 6A sports, since no private schools exist in any class 6A activity. Many also believe the addition of BM and BK to class 6A volleyball will only tilt the 'playing field' toward private schools in class 6A competition. The question then becomes - will the departure of BM and BK from class 5A level the playing field for all schools in class 5A? The OSSAA seems to think it will, but at least two private schools will move up from class 4A, replacing BM and BK. Lincoln Christian and Regent Prep are likely to move up to class 5A from class 4A, unless the five other class 4A private schools would also qualify to bump to 5A - in which case a total seven private schools will move from class 4A to class 5A. In this scenario, class 5A volleyball's inequity would only be magnified. In summary, class 6A and class 5A volleyball will become new 'super' classifications for high school volleyball in the OSSAA. What about class 4A volleyball?
   Since LC and RP have vacated class 4A, it leaves room for two class 3A volleyball teams to move up to 4A. The two most likely advancers are Metro Christian and Oklahoma Bible since they have finished as state champion and state runnerup of class 3A. Although no 3A teams have previously advanced in classification, Heritage Hall is also eligible to move to class 4A - providing all other qualifiers have been met. In the opinion of many OSSAA members - the competitive equity in class 4A will not be enhanced with the new bump-up rule (advancing private schools to class 6A), but what about class 3A?
   For class 3A volleyball (the smallest classification) - Metro Christian, Oklahoma Bible, and Heritage Hall will likely advance to class 4A as a result of the old Rule 14, not the new revised competitive equity rule. Since class 4A volleyball is likely to lose two private schools due to the advancement rule, it will likely get three new private schools, for a net gain of one private school.
   In summary, if the above likely scenarios are accurate - The new revised rule for competitive equity will do nothing for leveling the playing field in high school volleyball! If an OSSAA member school votes yes because it thinks the change will level the playing field for volleyball - think again. As a matter of fact many OSSAA members believe the new Rule will only tilt the playing field to a greater degree toward private schools.
   As a prologue to this published re-classification scenario: Several weeks ago the OSSAA was given the opportunity to respond by correcting any errors of assumptions in the possible advancement of private schools (to class 6A). They have yet to respond, so we must assume the scenario is accurate.
 

Misdirected Indignation... or Calculated Smokescreen?

   Most educators and those readers of major state newspapers noticed the story of the newly hired public school superintendent who will earn a "high" contracted salary. The media publicized the fact that the superintendent may be earning a higher salary than superintendents of schools with more than ten times the number of students. Some employees of the school are said to have missed work, as a way to protest the superintendent's contract.
   As a matter of fact, the TV and print news media has 'opined' several times in the past about "high superintendent salaries" as the root cause of low teacher salaries and the predicament of public education funding in Oklahoma. Some lawmakers have also echoed this 'false narrative' and misdirected indignation..., or is it the media echoing the lawmakers' indignation?
   The media justifiably questioned the newly contracted salary for the superintendent mentioned above, but has conveniently ignored the 'public' school CEO right down the street, who is earning in excess of $5 million for a 'one year contract'. The CEO is earning as much as twenty times the salary of a school superintendent with the same number of students. Where is the media attention? Where is the taxpayer outrage? Where is the public school's teacher outrage?
   Many public educators and taxpayers believe the silence on this issue is calculated and intentional. Many also believe the media focus and individual lawmaker indignation at 'other' superintendent salaries - is a calculated smokescreen designed to hide facts from Oklahoma taxpayers. Of course, this is all just one person's opinion, but based on analysis of facts. To be continued...

OSSAA Competitive Equity Plan - Take Four...

   OSSAA research indicates the only sure way to ensure competitive equity for all member schools is to separate schools for state play-off competition (Journal of Amateur Sport, National Review of Interscholastic Competitive Balance Solutions Related to the Public-Private Debate, Volume I, Issue I, 2015). Four other states have ditched their previous "multiplier" or "advancement" systems in favor of separating schools for play-off competition - because they claimed their systems did not work as hoped.The states which separate schools for play-off competition do so based on public and private schools, or separate schools based on advantage factors such as "financial assistance" and "restrictive enrollment".
   Researched play-off competition in Oklahoma high school sports indicates that Rule 14 for competitive equity has also been a dismal failure for Oklahoma and the OSSAA. The competitive equity issue in Oklahoma was addressed by the OSSAA in 2011 with the passage of Rule 14. The Rule became effective for the 2012 sports seasons. In 2011, the year before Rule 14 was implemented, the football season ended with the following results for private schools:
Class 5A - Bishop Kelly, top eight (beaten in the 2011 state quarter-finals)
Class 4A - Bishop McGuinness, top four (beaten in the 2011 state semi-finals)
Class 3A - Cascia Hall, 2011 state runner-up
Class 2A - Lincoln Christian, top eight (beaten in the 2011 state quarter-finals)
Class A   - No private schools
Class B   - No private schools
Class C   - No private schools
Approximately 6% of OSSAA member schools is private. In classes 2A through 5A, 32 schools made the top eight in 2011. Four schools were private, which indicates that 12.5% made the state play-offs. Six percent private membership but 12.5% in play-offs, indicates competitive equity was lacking for football during the 2011 season.
   During the 2019 football season (seven years into the OSSAA's Rule 14 for competitive equity:
Class 5A - Bishop McGuinness ranked #1
Class 4A - No private schools
Class 3A - Heritage Hall ranked #1; Lincoln Christian ranked #2
Class 2A - Metro Christian ranked #1
Class A   - Rejoice Christian ranked #2
Class B   - Regent Prep ranked #2
Class C   - Southwest Covenant ranked #1
   The data analysis from the above play-offs for the 2011 and 2019 football seasons indicates that Rule 14 has been ineffective for promoting competitive equity in the OSSAA. Some member schools say that the implementation of Rule 14 in 2012 even made the problem worse. As a matter of fact, data from the volleyball state championships over the past three years indicate that Rule 14 has been a complete bust, and the OSSAA's solution to 'fix' the problem will only magnify the competitive equity issue.
   So, what would a separation of public schools from private schools look like if the OSSAA decided to solve the competitive equity problem once and for all? The OSSAA executive director David Jackson stated "I think there are 24 private schools in the OSSAA", last week at the Westmoore regional meeting. In football, there are currently ten classifications for member schools (6AI, 6AII, 5A, 4A, 3A, 2A, A, B, C, and I), so the OSSAA is not reluctant to add classes. If Joe Van Tuyl's 2009 competitive equity plan were implemented and private schools were separated from public schools when the state playoffs started, it may look something like this:
Class IA - 8 private schools
Class IB - 11 private schools
Class IC (eight man) - 5 private schools
   All private schools in the OSSAA would make the playoffs. The Class IC play-off scenario would pit the 4th and 5th seeded teams for the first round. The semi-final round would match the top seeded team with the winner of the 4th vs. 5th game, and the 2nd seeded team would play the 3rd seeded team. The class IB championship would play out the same way as the current 16 team bracket for playoffs - 8 vs. 11 and 9 vs. 10 the first week, and an 8 team bracket in weeks thereafter. The class IA championship bracket would play out as an 8 team bracket.
   Everyone wins if the Van Tuyl plan is adopted by the members of the OSSAA: 1) The OSSAA wins because it generates more money for member schools. 2) Private schools win because all private schools make the play-offs, but continue to play public schools during the regular season. 3) Public schools win because more public schools make the play-offs. 4) Fans win because they get to see more "good games". For more information on this subject see:


mybackpagewithjimbeckhamblog.blogspot.com/2019/11/ossaa-regional-meeting-at-westmoore.html

OSSAA regional meeting at Westmoore

   We attended the Oct. 31 regional OSSAA meeting at Westmoore, where the OSSAA's new "competitive equity" plan was to be discussed. OSSAA Executive Director David Jackson explained the plan is to advance four volleyball and tennis teams from class 5A to class 6A - if all Rule 14 criteria are met for the four schools. Rule 14 previously prevented any schools from advancing to class 6A by criteria. Jackson then asked if anyone in the room has concerns or questions about the proposal. Two members spoke up about the concern that a new "super" classification for volleyball will be created when four private schools are added to class 6A volleyball. David Jackson responded that 'we already have that in class 5A volleyball'. He seemed to imply that since we already have one "super" class (5A) for volleyball, we are justified in having two. Jackson went on to say that no other competitive equity plans were considered, other than 'enrollment based' plans. Both coaches that spoke out about the new "super" classification plan, agreed that a plan which separates private schools from public schools for state playoff competition is the only workable solution.
   As an example of a classification system that has gone awry is the case of the Victory Christian (VC) High School volleyball team. In 2017, enrollment classification would have placed the team in class 3A, but was inadvertently advanced to class 5A (should have been advanced to class 4A as per Rule 14) - where it won the 5A championship. The convoluted nature of the Rule 14 advancement requirements was the reason for the OSSAA 'mistake'. As a matter of fact, we are not even sure of the above stated fact due to the 'super convoluted' nature of the rule. After winning the 5A championship in 2017, VC won the class 4A championship in 2018 - where it belonged according to the OSSAA 'enrollment based' system. Since VC won the 4A title in 2018, the OSSAA advanced it to class 5A for the 2019 season, where it won the 5A championship the last week of October. No one, including OSSAA officials, can truly say what class VC should compete, but after it won the 5A state title two weeks ago - the team broke out into a chant "We want 6A! We want 6A!". The OSSAA executive director assured the class 6A coaches at the Westmoore meeting that a team may only be advanced one class upward, and since VC had already 'advanced' to class 5A - it would not be going to class 6A next year (where it would also dominate).
   The new and improved version of Rule 14 will affect volleyball by advancing the top four finishers in class 5A, to class 6A.. if all criteria are met for advancement. The new rule prohibits a team from advancing to 6A if it has already advanced to 5A previously. This would prevent VC from advancing to class 6A, since it had already advanced to 5A from 4A. So class 6A volleyball teams may be worried about something that won't happen. It appears Tulsa Bishop Kelly may be the only class 5A volleyball team to qualify for advancement to class 6A. If that is so, the smallest class 6A team, Yukon, would regress to class 5A, taking the place of Kelly. A class 4A team, Lincoln Christian, would likely be the only 4A team to advance to 5A. If this scenario happened, the smallest class 4A team would drop down to class 3A. The advancement of Lincoln Christian to class 5A would likely knock Bethany out of an earned play-off spot in 2019, resulting in the only class with all eight playoff teams being 'private'. Of course, this scenario is only conjecture, as Rule 14 becomes more convoluted with each revision.
   The OSSAA will undoubtedly vote to send this revision out to a vote of the membership, unlike what it's done in the past for other competitive equity plans. It may pass a vote of the membership because OSSAA officials have told the membership that 'it's the best we can do'. Many OSSAA member schools know better, however, so we'll see how it goes.