Clark County School District principals from 30 high schools have voted to move their football programs to independent status for the next two seasons, a dramatic response to the NIAA’s controversial HRM points rating system. The decision, which takes effect this fall, strips those schools of postseason eligibility but frees them from a system they say was flawed.
CCSD principals are scheduled to meet Monday to finalize the structure for the independent teams, while football coaches will gather Tuesday to build their 2026 schedules. The Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association is also meeting this week with the remaining Southern Nevada private and charter schools—Bishop Gorman, Faith Lutheran, Losee, SLAM! Nevada, Sloan Canyon, Mater East, and Cadence—along with Northern 5A and 4A schools to determine a playoff structure for those programs.
Why the split?
The HRM system, which combined MaxPreps state rankings, NIAA rubric points, and Harbin points to seed teams for the Open Division playoffs, came under fire after the NIAA had to revise final rankings and brackets within 24 hours. An unexpected MaxPreps update and an unreported forfeited game altered several teams’ scores, eroding trust. CCSD principals had previously proposed a 10-team Open Division that would have forced Bishop Gorman to play nine league games, limiting its national schedule. After Gorman’s lawyers threatened legal action—citing NIAA bylaws that bar mid-cycle realignment changes—the proposal was rescinded, and principals began exploring independent status.
What independence means
Independent schools must create their own schedules, can play up to 10 regular-season games, and are not eligible for postseason or any league or region championships. They remain NIAA members in good standing for all other sports, where they can still compete for state titles. The 30 schools—15 from 5A and 15 from 4A—will likely be split into three tiers of 10 based on competitive balance, though the exact format, including whether divisions or league games are used, will be decided Monday. Per NIAA bylaws, independent teams cannot use terms like “leagues,” “division,” or “playoffs” in their structure.
The seven remaining postseason-eligible schools
Bishop Gorman, Faith Lutheran, and Losee are in 5A; SLAM! Nevada, Sloan Canyon, Mater East, and Cadence are in 4A. The NIAA will meet this week to craft a playoff structure for these teams, but forming a single division seems unlikely given the legal threat from Gorman over mid-cycle changes. Gorman’s schedule will include out-of-state powerhouses like Mater Dei and St. John Bosco, plus games against other private and charter schools to fill a 10-game slate.
Lower classifications (3A, 2A, 1A) are unaffected, and the change applies only to football.
