KSHSAA releases 2025-26 classifications, 26-27 football classifications
The Kansas State High School Activities Association on Thursday released classifications for the 2025-26 school year, as well as football classifications in 2026-27.
Starting off with 2025-26 classifications, there were no area schools that changed classifications. Among the notables, Holton drops from Class 4A to 3A, Phillipsburg jumps back up to 3A, Humboldt drops to Class 2A, and Wabaunsee falls to Class 1A. Among the area schools, Dodge City is the largest school in the region, and is the fourth largest school in Kansas, while Garden City is the sixth largest school. Hugoton remains the smallest school in Class 4A. The annual classifications reflects enrollment from grades 9-12 from the student count around September 20.
While the yearly classifications saw no change from the area, football in the upcoming cycle for 2026-27 school years saw several area schools moving around. The main shuffling from southwest Kansas schools came in the 8-Man and 6-Man classifications. Stanton County is officially making the jump to 8-Man, Division I. They are currently playing an 8-Man schedule this year, but will be part of the next cycle in that grouping of football. Two area schools will be dropping to 8-Man II after this year, as Kinsley and Meade will drop to 8-Man II. Dropping to 6-Man football in the next cycle will be Ashland, Bucklin, Deerfield and Satanta. Ashland and Bucklin are in a co-op this year only for 6-Man football, after being 8-Man II teams separately last year. Ulysses is the smallest 4A football school and Elkhart was tied for the smallest 8-Man I school, while Ingalls is the largest 6-Man school for the next cycleThe student county is grades 9-11 this year.
Several notables across the state are making moves, including 5A power Mill Valley bumping up to 6A, Andover Central and Kapaun Mt Carmel will move up to 5A, WAC member Great Bend, Highland Park and St. Thomas Aquinas will drop to Class 4A, Rock Creek will bump up to Class 4A, Atchison drops to Class 3A, Hoisington, Larned, Lyons and Nemaha Central bump up to Class 3A, Marysville drops to Class 2A, Atchison County and Hillsboro drop to 1A, Oakley is now in 8-Man I, 6-Man power Cunningham bumps up to 8-Man II, and Ellis, LaCrosse, Ness City, Quinter and Troy drop to 8-Man II.