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CHAPEL HILL – A process that began last year to expand NCHSAA member schools from four to eight classifications has been finalized.

This week, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association has posted the final Realignment Plan for 2025-2029. The plan was approved late Monday evening after hearing final requests from 27 member schools.

This 8-classification plan represents the first expansion of classifications since 1960 when the NCHSAA moved from three classifications to four.

The final revisions made to the plan did impact one local conference. The NCHSAA approved a 1A/2A split conference consisting of Northampton County (2A), Northwest Halifax (2A) and Warren County (2A) joined by 1A schools KIPP Pride, Southeast Halifax and Weldon.

In the first two drafts of the plan, this particular conference included Oxford Prep (1A), Vance Charter (1A), and Henderson Collegiate (2A), but those three were placed in other conferences when the final revisions were approved.

The conference placements of the other public schools in the Roanoke-Chowan area were not affected by the final revisions.

Bertie and Gates County will compete within a conference comprised of all 2A-sized schools. Joining them are Camden County, John A. Holmes, Manteo, and Perquimans County.

Hertford County (realigned as a Class 3A school) remains in a split conference comprised of Martin County (3A), Northeastern (3A), Pasquotank County (3A), First Flight (4A), and Currituck County (5A).

The conference affiliations of other regional schools are as follows:

6A/7A split conference: J.H. Rose (6A), Jacksonville (6A), White Oak (6A), D.H. Conley (7A), New Bern (7A), and South Central (7A).

5A/6A split conference: C.B. Aycock (5A), Fike (5A), Hunt (5A), Rocky Mount (5A), Southern Nash (5A), Southern Wayne (5A), and Northern Nash (6A).

4A conference #1: Eastern Wayne, North Johnston, North Lenoir, North Pitt, SW Edgecombe, Washington, and West Craven.

2A/3A/4A split conference: American Leadership Johnston (2A), Louisburg (3A), Wake Prep (3A), Bunn (4A), Nash Central (4A), and Roanoke Rapids (4A).

2A/3A split conference: Tarboro (2A), Ayden-Grifton (3A), Beddingfield (3A), Farmville Central (3A), Greene Central (3A), and Kinston (3A).

1A/2A split conference: East Carteret (2A), Lejeune (2A), Pamlico County (2A), Southside (2A), Jones (1A), and Northside-Pinetown (1A).