TMSAA Classification Process

TMSAA only classifies sports in which they host a state championship, and classification is set through the end of the 2024-25 school year.

Beginning with the 2025-26 school year, classification will be based on a 3-year average of the school's end-of-year 6th-8th grade enrollment numbers from the State Department of Education. During the 2024-25 school year, classification will be set for the next four-year cycle (2025-26 through 2028-29) based on this average. After two years, schools may be reclassified based on new average enrollment numbers. The TMSAA Committee meets twice annually and works to place classified schools into Areas and Sections for postseason competition.

If a school does not offer grades 6, 7, and 8, its enrollment numbers from the grades they offer will be used to calculate an estimated enrollment total for 6th-8th grade.
Example: a school does not have 6th grade and has a 7th-8th grade enrollment of 200. Their average enrollment for one grade would be calculated (100) and then multiplied by 3 to cover all three grades, giving them a 6th-8th enrollment number of 300.

Similarly, a single-sex school must double its 6th-8th enrollment number for classification purposes.

Classification Enrollment Numbers

Sports with two classes (cross country, volleyball, wrestling, track & field, baseball, and softball) are divided based on the following 6th-8th grade enrollments:

• Class A: 0 to 510
• Class AA: 511+

Basketball has three classes and is divided based on the following 6th-8th grade enrollments:

• Class A: 0-300
• Class AA: 301-600
• Class AAA: 601+

Currently, girls' wrestling only has one class. Soccer state championships for girls and boys will be added in the 2025-26 school year and will have two classes.

Cooperative Agreements

Cooperative teams involving more than two schools are automatically moved up to the next classification.

For cooperative teams of only two schools, TMSAA will combine the 6th-8th enrollments of both schools to determine classification. Schools may appeal being moved up in classification to the TMSAA office to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Schools that terminate in the 6th grade will not be counted when determining the classification for a cooperative team. Schools terminating in the 6th grade are unable to field their own teams according to TMSAA Bylaws and must join into cooperative agreements to participate. Therefore, those cooperative agreements will not force a school to move up in classification.

School Enrollment Numbers for the 2025-2029 Classification Cycle

Below is the 3-year average of school's 6th-8th grade enrollment that will be used for the next classification cycle. A few school's enrollment numbers are missing and will be updated as we gather that information.