FHSAA approves new Metro-Suburban classification for football

The FHSAA Board of Directors voted 9-7 to approve a change in the conference classifications for football on Feb. 28, just in time for the 2022 season. 

The move would split the state up into Metro and Suburban Classifications with the highest eight densely populated counties in Florida being declared Metro counties (the eight counties being Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Duval, Orange, Seminole, Pinellas, and Hillsborough), while the remaining 59 counties would be declared Suburban counties.

The plan would add a ninth classification for football so that would allow the current Class 1A rural classification to maintain its current structure serving rural schools with enrollments with 600 or less and in a designated rural area as declared by FHSAA policy.

Districts would also be added to all schools, rather than just the top four classes.