There will be changes coming to Iowa’s high school football classification structure that aims to help schools with a high number of students on free and reduced lunch. 

The Iowa High School Athletic Association recently reported that schools voted overwhelmingly in favor of an amendment that would adopt a new classification system focused on socioeconomics. The amendment would reduce 40 percent of a school’s free and reduced lunch count from its annual enrollment to determine its final classification number only for football. Perry Superintendent Clark Wicks is encouraged by this ruling and says it’s good for their football program. 

“A win-win for competitive football in Iowa. What it would do for the likes of Perry, and other schools, is that kids are attracted to hope. If they feel they have hope, they will go out for an activity, whatever it might be, and they will perform to the very best of their abilities. And this is the whole point of what we’re looking for to give folks a fighting chance to give student athletes hope.”

Wicks says this new amendment would reduce their total enrollment by 80 students which would move them down a classification in football. The proposal will now be submitted to the Iowa State Board of Education and if accepted there, the amendment will take effect for the 2023-24 season.