Clark County School District principals are set to meet Monday to finalize the structure and postseason format for 30 high school football programs that have declared themselves independents for the next two seasons. The move, which affects 5A and 4A schools, leaves those teams ineligible for NIAA-sanctioned state championships and limited to 10 games.
Football coaches will follow Tuesday to build 2026 schedules. Meanwhile, the seven remaining 5A and 4A private and charter schools—Bishop Gorman, Faith Lutheran, Losee, Sloan Canyon, SLAM! Nevada, Mater East, and Cadence—have already coordinated their in-state schedules after a planned scheduling meeting was canceled in January.
The split stems from the Jan. 27 NIAA Board of Control meeting, which rescinded a CCSD-proposed 10-team Open Division that had been approved in an emergency November meeting. In response, the 30 CCSD schools opted for independent status, a move that had been under discussion for weeks.
“We don’t want to delay this,” NIAA executive director Tim Jackson said Thursday. “We know everybody wants to get everything in place for the season and get their schedule solidified.”
The controversial HRM points rating system remains in place for determining playoff qualifiers among the remaining Southern schools. Northern 5A and 4A teams, which have opted out of the Open Division for three consecutive years to avoid facing Bishop Gorman and other top Southern programs, will meet this week to discuss a playoff format with the postseason-eligible Southern schools.
“I think the conversations are going to be positive,” Jackson said. “I’m optimistic that we are going to be moving in a good direction.”
Bishop Gorman’s legal threat over the Open Division change makes a drastic format overhaul unlikely. The independent CCSD schools are expected to be split into three competitive tiers, though the NIAA prohibits them from using terms like “leagues” or “playoffs.”
“I hope that when this realignment comes back up, they’re going to take a look at and listen to what CCSD wants,” Liberty football coach and co-athletic director Rich Muraco said. “We’re the largest school district in the state. We give the most money to the NIAA with our dues. It’s long overdue that the NIAA really starts listening to what we want.”
No changes affect Class 3A, 2A, or 1A. The next two seasons could set a precedent for future realignment, with a possible separate state championship for public schools versus private and charter schools on the table.
