A bill in the Iowa House that would create a conference realignment committee to oversee high school athletic conference affiliations has passed the first funnel deadline. In a letter to constituents, Speaker Pat Grassley says that it requires the committee to consider factors such as enrollment, travel distances, and traditional rivalries when evaluating conference changes.
The bill was introduced after a wave of high school conference realignment. In Grassley’s district, Waverly-Shell Rock has struggled to find a conference to join, having been removed from the Northeast Iowa Conference and being denied membership to other conferences.
Grassley says after speaking with people in the Waverly-Shell Rock district, it’s clear that the current process is not built to find resolution. He says school districts need a system that provides them with more certainty. He hopes this new committee will allow for more robust discussions and the ability to make decisions based on what is best for the student-athletes.
