DELAWARE STATE SENATE

152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE BILL NO. 328

AN ACT TO DIRECT DIAA TO SEPARATE ALL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOL TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP SANCTIONED EVENTS.

WHEREAS, during the 2023/2024 school year, private schools won 25 of the DIAA’s 34 state team titles; and

WHEREAS, over the last three years there have been 102 DIAA sponsored team championships, 73 have been won by private schools, 23 by public schools, and 6 by charter schools; and

WHEREAS, the once powerful Blue Hen Conference, comprised mainly of northern New Castle County high schools, has been disproportionately affected by the imbalance having won just 3 of the 102 team titles in the past 3 years; and

WHEREAS, private school sports teams in the State of Delaware hold a regulatory advantage over public schools in the way they can recruit athletes across district, county, and state lines; and

WHEREAS, the majority of states separate private and public schools in some way from sanctioned athletic association team championships; and

WHEREAS, if name, image, and likeness (NIL) is approved by DIAA, it will further divide the playing field by allowing high school athletes to be compensated; and

WHEREAS, to ensure the integrity of what it means to have a level playing field, state team championship games shall be separated by public verses private.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. The Board of Directors for the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association shall separate public and private schools for the purpose of team championship sanctioned events.

SYNOPSIS

This Act directs DIAA to separate all public and private school team championship sanctioned event.

Author: Senator Buckson