Kansas announces new high school classifications

Dana Becker

Kansas announces new high school classifications image

The upcoming 2026 and 2027 high school football seasons in Kansas will see some pretty significant change to them, as the Kansas State High School Activities Association has released new classifications.

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These changes take effect for the 2025-26 school year, as well as for football in 2026 and 2027. They are based off enrollment numbers in grades 9-12 for all sports other than football, which goes off just grades 9-11.

One of the more notable moves will see defending state champion St. Thomas Aquinas drop down from Class 5A to 4A while Mill Valley moves up to 6A. Great Bend will also be joining St. Thomas Aquinas in 4A next season.

Larned and Hoisington are set to move up from 2A to 3A, Oakley will be dropping down from playing 11-man in 1A to eight-player D1. Other teams moving from eight-player D1 to eight-player DII include Ellis, La Crosse, Quinter and Stockton.

The six-player ranks will add Granfield/Wheatland-Grinnell and Logan, as Logan and Palco no longer have coop schools and are moving to six-player.

Andover-Central, Kansas City-Piper and Kapaun-Mt. Carmel are all dropping down from 5A to 4A while Highland Park moves from 5A up to 6A. 

All of the changes in Kansas high school football classifications for 2026 and 2027 can be found on the KSHSAA website.

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Dana Becker

Dana Becker is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He has been a sports writer since 2000, covering high school sports, the Big 12 and more for On SI, The Fort Dodge Messenger, Mason City Globe-Gazette, Cedar Rapids Gazette and others.