PRINTER'S NO. 3127
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
443
Session of
2024
INTRODUCED BY CONKLIN, HILL-EVANS, SMITH, CIRESI AND WAXMAN,
MAY 20, 2024
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, MAY 20, 2024
A RESOLUTION
Urging the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association,
Inc., to adopt separate playoff systems for public schools
and private and charter schools.
WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic
Association, Inc., (PIAA) is a nonprofit corporation formed in
Pittsburgh on December 29, 1913, by high school principals with
the intent of eliminating abuses and establishing uniform rules;
and
WHEREAS, According to Article II of the PIAA Constitution,
the purpose of the PIAA is to:
(1) Organize, develop and direct an interscholastic
athletic program which will promote, protect and conserve the
health and physical welfare of all participants.
(2) Formulate and maintain policies that will safeguard
the educational values of interscholastic athletics and
cultivate the high ideals of good sportsmanship.
(3) Promote uniformity of standards in all
interscholastic athletic competition;
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and
WHEREAS, Article IV, Section 1 of the PIAA Constitution
states: "Member schools shall be divided each even-numbered
years into classes based upon criteria established by the Board
of Directors"; and
WHEREAS, Article VII of the PIAA Constitution grants the
board the authority "To exercise such other powers as are in
keeping with the growth and needs of PIAA and which are
consistent with the provisions of the Constitution, Bylaws,
Policies and Procedures, and Rules and Regulations of PIAA"; and
WHEREAS, Article VI of the PIAA Constitution grants the board
of directors the authority "To have general control of Inter-
District Championship Contests"; and
WHEREAS, The PIAA has used their authority in the past to
implement changes to promote fairness and further the purposes
enumerated in Article II of the PIAA Constitution, including a
recent increase in district classification from four to six in
2015; and
WHEREAS, Act 219 of 1972 permitted private schools to join
the PIAA but did not prohibit separate playoffs; and
WHEREAS, As a PIAA member, public schools may build sports
teams from only those students who live within the geographical
boundaries of the school district; and
WHEREAS, Private and charter schools that are members of the
PIAA may recruit students based on academics without
consideration of geographical boundaries, giving these schools
the opportunity to build competitive sports teams and an unfair
advantage over public schools; and
WHEREAS, Of the 36 State titles awarded in basketball in the
past three seasons, nine were won by public schools and 27 were
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won by private and charter schools even though private and
charter schools make up approximately 20% of the schools in the
State; and
WHEREAS, The student benefits of winning State titles include
an increase in confidence, recognition, media coverage and an
increase in college recruitment opportunities; and
WHEREAS, A fair opportunity to win championships in sports
could be provided to public school students if the PIAA would
establish separate playoffs for public schools and private and
charter schools; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge the
Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, Inc., to
adopt separate playoff systems for public schools and private
and charter schools to provide fairness and equality in junior
high school, middle school and high school sports and to further
the purposes enumerated in Article II of the PIAA Constitution.
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