PIERRE, S.D. — The South Dakota High School Activities Association Board of Directors will meet Wednesday, Jan. 21, at 9 a.m. CST at the SDHSAA office in Pierre, with a wide-ranging agenda that includes school classification appeals, cooperative agreements, policy changes and planning for future athletic seasons.
Several items are listed on the consent agenda, including consideration of requests from schools seeking to petition up a class in various sports and activities beginning with the 2026-27 school year. The board will also consider a request from Bridgewater-Emery to add softball starting in the 2025-26 season.
In addition, multiple cooperative agreements are on the agenda. The board will review paperwork to dissolve the current cooperative among Marion, Freeman and Freeman Academy in football, wrestling and softball effective in 2026-27. New cooperative requests include a proposal between Freeman and Freeman Academy for football, boys and girls wrestling, softball and sideline cheer, as well as a request from Parker and Marion to form a similar cooperative beginning in the 2026-27 school year.
Action items include a second reading on proposed policy changes related to spectators entering the playing area prior to awards ceremonies. The board will also hear and consider classification appeals from nine schools: Parkston, Eureka/Edmunds Central, Sisseton, Flandreau Indian School, Hamlin, DeSmet, Mount Vernon/Plankinton, Douglas and Sioux Falls Lutheran.
Other discussion and decision items include establishing classification structures and enrollment counts for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years, potential changes to officials’ registration fees, proposed adjustments to start times for state basketball sessions and a board interpretation of specific sections of the SDHSAA bylaws.
The agenda also includes a first reading of any proposed constitutional changes, a legislative update for the 2026 session, board sharing and an executive session related to personnel matters.