The South Carolina High School League finalized its classification placements for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years Thursday, shifting several local programs into new competitive tiers.
The new biennial cycle, which determines which schools compete against one another based on size and geography, was developed using enrollment counts, district additions, and the league’s 3.0 out-of-district student multiplier.
Under the new alignment, the Fort Mill School District will see its three high schools split across two tiers. Nation Ford and Catawba Ridge high schools are set to move to Class 4A, while Fort Mill High School will remain in Class 5A.
Other area schools joining the 4A ranks include South Pointe, Legion Collegiate Academy, Clover, and Lake Wylie. Joining the Fort Mill Yellowjackets in Class 5A are Rock Hill, Northwestern, and Indian Land.
“Appreciation is expressed to those who served on the Reclassification/Realignment Guidelines Committee,” said Jerome Singleton, SCHSL commissioner. “Classification placement of schools is the initial phase of the process. The next step for the League staff is to place the schools into regions in their respective classifications.”
The league’s Executive Committee is scheduled to meet Jan. 13-14 to hear appeals from schools regarding their specific placements. Following the appeals process, the league will finalize the geographic regions within each classification.
