Arkansas Activities Association releases 2024-26 classification numbers

Conference alignments will be announced at a later date

By Kyle Sutherland 

The Arkansas Activities Association released the latest classification numbers for the 2024-26 cycle on Thursday in football, 8-Man football, other sports and non-public schools.

Additional details will follow according to an AAA press release. 

“Non‐public member schools will be added to the applicable classifications after the completion of each specific sport season and four year review of the competitive equity factor. Conferences will not be determined until classifications are finalized,” the release said.

For football, there was no change in Class 7A as all 16 teams will remain the same.

However, Class 6A is where the shifts began as Pine Bluff and Arkansas High moved up, along with Jacksonville, while Greenbrier and Greene County Tech move back down to Class 5A.

The growth in Northwest Arkansas continues to show as Gravette and Huntsville both bump up to Class 5A from the 4A-1, while other notable moves include longtime 4A power Nashville going to 5A.

Forrest City and Southside Batesville will drop back down from the 5A-East to Class 4A, while traditional 3A powers Booneville, Glen Rose, and McGehee, as well as Newport, move up to 4A along with Fountain Lake, Genoa Central, and Mountain View assuming they all come back to 11-Man football from 8-Man.

Class 3A added defending 2A runner-up Carlisle and it will be the first time in over a quarter of a century the Bison have not competed in the state's smallest classification. Bigelow, Hector, and Mountainberg also move up, while Harrisburg and Little Rock Hall move down. Danville is expected to return after abruptly cancelling their 2022 season due to lack of participation. 

Cutter-Morning Star, Mountain Pine, and Parkers Chapel will be reclassified to 3A if they move back up from 8-Man, while Brinkley, Dermott, and Marvell-Elaine face the same scenario in Class 2A if they leave the 8-Man ranks. 

The full list of reclassifications can be viewed as follows:

Football

Sanctioned 8-Man

Other Sports 

Non-Public Schools