Buford quarterback Dylan Raoila runs the ball during the game against Carver-Atlanta on September 15, 2023, at Tom Riden Stadium. Photo by Alicia Payne.

The Georgia High School Association has released its new reclassification list for the 2024-26 cycle, and there are a few changes to take in. 

The biggest change with the new classifications is there will no longer be a Class 7A. Class 6A will be the largest classification within the GHSA and will feature 65 of the state’s largest schools. Under the current classification cycle, Class 7A has 46 schools, the smallest number of schools in a class in the GHSA.

There will be Classes 6A through 2A, as well as A Division-I and A Division-II. 

The 3.0 multiplier used to factor out-of-district students put in place in the last reclassification period for 2022-24 will remain in effect for the upcoming 2024-26 cycle. 

With the multiplier, Buford will be in the highest classification, Class 6A. Buford’s enrollment number is 1,923 with 177 of those being out-of-district students. With the multiplier, that brings Buford’s adjusted enrollment to 2,277. Buford falls close to the bottom of Class 6A in terms of enrollment numbers, with only eight other schools with an adjusted enrollment less than them. 

All Gwinnett County Public Schools, except for Lanier and Seckinger will be in Class 6A. Shiloh is the only Gwinnett County school to remain in the same classification of 6A, although it is the school that will perhaps have the toughest road ahead as they barely make the cut for 6A. Shiloh is just third from the bottom of the list for Class 6A in terms of enrollment numbers. Lanier moves from Class 6A to Class 5A and Seckinger moves up to Class 5A from Class 4A. 

Specific region alignments have yet to be released, although, more than likely, Buford will have many of the same schools within its region like Mill Creek and Mountain View. With Lanier and Seckinger being the only two Gwinnett schools in Class 5A, they will most likely be new region opponents.

With one less classification meaning more schools to compete against, the road to capture any state championship should be even harder to navigate. Only time will tell how local schools fare in the latest reclassification. 

To view the full list of the GHSA 2024-26 Reclassification, click here.

Verified by MonsterInsights