Arkansas Activities Association

Other activities

Although the word "activities" is used in the name, the AAA is directly responsible only for interscholastic athletics. Other activities, including music, forensics, and spirit groups, are governed by their own associations affiliated with yet not part of the AAA, who is only responsible for sanctioning the events. These associations usually adopt the AAA's means of determining eligibility as well as its size classifications seen below, but regional classifications and means of organizing events are left only to their respective associations.

The AAA maintains affiliations with several non-sporting activities associations. These associations generally use AAA guidelines regarding a student's eligibility to participate.

• Arkansas Communication and Theatre Arts Association (ACTAA) — a professional non-profit organization that serves the students and teachers of Oral Communication, Debate, Forensic Activities, Theatre, and Dance in Arkansas. ACTAA is affiliated with the Arkansas District of the National Forensics League.
• Arkansas Association of Student Councils (AASC) — an organization that support student government and Student Council activities; affiliated with National Association of Student Councils (NASC).
• Arkansas Junior Science & Humanities Symposium (AR JSHS) — annual event that is designed to challenge and engage students (Grades 9-12) in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM). Individual students compete for scholarships and recognition by presenting the results of their original research efforts before a panel of judges and an audience of their peers.
• Arkansas School Band and Orchestra Association (ASBOA) — supports students and educators with competitions in a variety of marching band, jazz band, and orchestra.
• Arkansas Scholastic Press Association (ASPA) & Arkansas Journalism Advisors Association (AJAA) — provides students and educators with resources, competitions and programs focused on yearbook, newspaper, photography and digital media.
• Arkansas FFA — chartered in 1928 and serves as state organization within the National FFA Organization.

Classifications

Since 2006, the schools have been organized as follows.

• Class 7A (16 largest schools)
• Class 6A (next 16 largest schools)
• Class 5A (next 32 largest schools)
• Class 4A (next 48 largest schools that sponsor football ("football schools"), as well as all non-football schools within range)
• Class 3A (same means as Class 4A)
• Class 2A (next 48 largest schools and remainder of football schools)
• Class 1A (all remaining schools)

The means of placing private schools within these classifications have become a key issue in Arkansas. Prior to 2002, only single-gender schools would have its enrollment altered, in this case by doubling the reported enrollment. In 2002, the enrollments reported by private schools was multiplied by 1.35. In 2006, that multiplier was increased to 1.75. Starting in 2008, the multiplier wil be dropped altogether, and each private school will be placed one classification above where the enrollment would otherwise place the school. In 2012, enrollment for private schools that were segregated were combined (for example, Catholic High School for Boys with Mount Saint Mary Academy (for Girls)).

Within each classification, the schools are further grouped into conferences, each with 6-8 schools apiece. In Classes 7A-5A, the conferences are named according to directional region (i.e. 7A-West, 6A-Central, 5A-Southeast). In the smaller classes, the conferences are named according to the activity district number which the conference is centrally located (a class 4A conference in western Arkansas would be the 4A-4 conference). In smaller classes, there can be more than one conference within an activity district. These are further named according to directional area (a pair of class 2A conferences in southwest Arkansas would be the 2A-7 West and 2A-7 East). Classes 3A and 2A group conferences for football and basketball separately (Mountainburg is in Conference 3A-1 for football and 3A-4 for basketball). Finally, sports with limited sponsorship, such as soccer and swimming, have their own conferences between the participants. These special conferences often transcend multiple classes.

From 2010 to 2016, the rules for 7A and 6A classification for football were changed. The divisions still compete in separate playoffs, but two regional conferences that have previously been exclusive to 7A or 6A now have a mix of 7A and 6A schools so as to save on transportation expenses during the regular season.

Conferences

For purposes of clarity, the activity districts with regions covered are as follows.

• District 1 (northwest Arkansas)
• District 2 (north central Arkansas)
• District 3 (northeast Arkansas)
• District 4 (west Arkansas)
• District 5 (central Arkansas)
• District 6 (east Arkansas)
• District 7 (southwest Arkansas)
• District 8 (southeast Arkansas)

The AAA has changed both the names and means of these classifications over time.

• Prior to 1977, the classes ranged from Class AAAA to Class C, with AAAA including the 8 largest schools in Arkansas. In 1977, the first "class shift" added an "A" to each class, and references to Class C were removed.
• In 1983, Class AAAAA merged into and was renamed Class AAAA, with all other classes relatively consistent.
• In 1998, the state witnessed the second "class shift", this time removing all references to Class B.
• In 2006, Class AAAAA was split in half, and Classes AAA and AA, both with over 70 schools each, were reorganized into three smaller classes. At first, the largest class was called Class AAAAAAA. The current naming conventions, changing the reference to 7A, were adopted soon after.

Prior to 2006, the activity district number was placed in front of the class for conference names (i.e. 4AAA, 7AA-East). These naming conventions changed as well, but many local media outlets still placed the district number before the class (3-4A instead of 4A-3). Prior to this, a few outlets mixed prior references to new ones (some newspapers in western Arkansas made references to the 4AAA-West, yet such a conference never existed).^[3]

Class 7A

The following conferences exist within the 7A classification for the 2016–18 school years:

Class 6A

The following conferences exist within the 6A classification for the 2016–18 school years:

Class 5A

The following conferences exist within the 5A classification for the 2016–18 school years:

Class 4A

The following conferences exist within the 4A classification for the 2016–18 school years:

Class 3A

The conference membership within the 3A Classification are adjusted for schools that do not field a football team. The following conferences exist within the 3A classification for the 2016–18 school years:

Class 2A

The conference membership within the 2A Classification are adjusted for schools that do not field a football team. The following conferences exist within the 2A classification for the 2016–18 school years:

Class 1A

The following conferences exist within the 1A classification for the 2016–18 school years:

Academic competitions

The state's Quiz Bowl competitions are organized by the Arkansas Governor's Quiz Bowl Association (AGQBA) as sanctioned by the AAA.

Fall sports

Winter sports

Spring sports