The Missouri State High School Activities Association has approved modifications to its Championship Factor formula for non-public schools, the organization announced Monday, June 22.
The changes, designed by the Ad Hoc Committee on Competitive Equity and ratified by the MSHSAA Board of Directors, adjust how private schools are classified based on their postseason success over a rolling six-year period.
Under the updated version of bylaw 5.1.7, MSHSAA will adopt a depreciating model for the accrual of Championship Factor points. This system reduces the weight of historical postseason finishes as they age.
A state championship won in the most recent season (year one) yields 10 points, while finishing runner-up brings seven points, making the final four brings four points and winning a district title brings three points.
In year two, a state championship is worth seven points, a runner-up finish is worth five points, a final four appearance is worth three and a district championship is worth two.
By year three, those same finishes are worth five, four, two and one point.
In year four, a championship is worth four points, a runner-up finish is worth three points and a final four appearance is worth one point, while a district title yields no points.
In year five, a state title brings three points and a runner-up finish brings one point.
By year six, only a state championship yields any value, contributing one point to a school's total.
In addition to modifying how points are calculated, the Board voted to remove the previous two-class maximum shift. Under the prior rule, non-public schools could only be moved up a maximum of two classes above their raw enrollment classification, regardless of their total point accumulation.
The removal of this cap allows exceptionally successful programs to be moved upward indefinitely if they continue to win postseason trophies.
To align with the depreciating point scale and the removal of the classification cap, the Board established new point thresholds to determine school placement.
Schools accumulating between zero and four points will remain classified by their raw student enrollment. Programs earning five to 10 points will be reclassified one class higher, while those with 11 to 17 points will move up two classes. A point total between 18 and 22 results in a three-class promotion, 23 to 26 points triggers a four-class promotion, and any total of 27 or more points will push a school five classes above its enrollment baseline.
"This is a first step toward continuing to examine competitive equity more closely in an effort to be responsive to our member schools," MSHSAA Executive Director Jennifer Rukstad said in a statement. "Our conversations will continue this fall as we explore additional ways to provide fairness and equity within a diverse membership."
The MSHSAA website will reflect these changes no later than July 15. The Ad Hoc Committee on Competitive Equity is scheduled to meet again in August.
The MSHSAA Board of Directors approved a recommendation from the Basketball Advisory Committee to allow the use of a 35-second shot clock in preseason jamborees involving varsity teams, expanding the current allowance beyond regular season varsity tournaments and shootout-style events.
The Board approved a recommendation from the Officials Advisory Committee to allow the use of replay at the MSHSAA Basketball Show-Me Showdown to determine whether a basket scored at the expiration of time in the fourth quarter or any overtime period should count and, if so, whether the basket is worth two or three points.
The rule provides replay authority only in these specific situations and helps ensure the correct call is made during the Show-Me Showdown (semifinals, championships and third-place games).
Sports editor Jack Denebeim can be reached at 660-530-0142.
