Public vs. Private Debate: House Bill 41 Moves Forward

Tagged under: News, pfn, Playoffs

Matt Herring | May 19, 2025

As the General Assembly of Pennsylvania considers House Bill 41 which aims to allow (not mandate) the PIAA to split public and private post-season competitions across all sports we take a look at how that landscape might take shape across the state for high school football.  We only considered football in this examination as other sports and their dynamics are drastically different in terms of competing teams and logistics.

For this examination, we referenced the PIAA website listing 554 competing football schools across the Commonwealth (for the 2024-2026 cycle) and also their designation as public, charter or private.  House Bill 41 definitively references boundary schools as “public” and non-boundary schools as “private, charter or parochial”.  All of the schools listed below in this article are classified as non-boundary on the PIAA website and would effectively be moved into that classification for post-season competition.

Assuming HB 41 will pass is a grand premise as this exact exercise has been met in the past devoid of action on behalf of the General Assembly as well as with warnings of legal action on behalf of member institutions opposing the potential outcome.  House Bill 41 has two noteworthy tailwinds, however, that increase the chances of its passing.  #1 it has garnered bi-partisan support with both sides of the aisle signaling their co-sponsorship.  #2 it has already passed a committee vote by a considerable margin.

Click below to view HB 41 in its entirety…

https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/2023/hb41https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/2023/hb41

While the passage of HB 41 in itself would be a monumental step in allowing the PIAA to create separate playoffs for public and private across the Commonwealth it also produces additional issues regarding a possible structure for those post-season tournaments in football.  Take a look at what schools currently would be slotted into the private//non-boundary portion of the PIAA Football Championships should the PIAA be given the opportunity by HB 41 passage to take action (Districts noted).

6A
Pittsburgh Central Catholic (7)
LaSalle College (12)
St. Joe’s Prep (12)
Imhotep Charter (12) – 3A playing 6A

5A
Cathedral Prep (10) – 3A playing 5A
Father Judge (12)
Pickett Mastery Charter (12)
Roman Catholic (12)

4A
Bishop Shanahan (1)
Boys Latin of Philly Charter (12)
Bonner-Prendie (12)
Cardinal O’Hara (12)
Archbishop Ryan (12)

3A
Pope John Paul II (1)
Bishop McDevitt (3)
Berks Catholic (3)
Notre Dame Green Pond (11)
Allentown Central Catholic (11)
Archbishop Wood (12)
Simon Gratz Charter (12)
Conwell-Egan Catholic (12)
Archbishop Carroll (12)

2A
Holy Redeemer (2)
Lancaster Catholic (3)
Bishop McCort (6)
Seton LaSalle Catholic (7)
Shady Side Academy (7)
Mercyhurst Prep (10)
Bethlehem Catholic (11)
Executive Education Academy Charter (11)
Lansdale Catholic (12)
Neumann-Goretti (12)
Kipp DuBois Academy (12)
West Catholic (12)

1A
Renaissance Academy Charter (1)
Holy Cross (2)
York Catholic (3)
Delone Catholic (3)
Bishop Guilfoyle (6)
Bishop Canevin (7)
Imani Christian (7)
Our Lady of Sacred Heart (7)
Greensburg Central Catholic (7)
Nazareth Prep (7)
Serra Catholic (7)
Summit Academy (7)
Elk County Catholic (8)
Kennedy Catholic (10)
Marian Catholic (11)
Nativity BVM (11)
Belmont Charter (12)

Considering the ample number of schools in each class the lower designations (1A, 2A and 3A) are well represented across the state while the upper classes (4A, 5A and 6A) are less represented and any post-season tournament specific to those current classes would be devoid of a robust competition (although a four–iaateam tournament in 6A with those current schools would be highly anticipated).  Additionally, combining the upper classes into one larger designation could also be more problematic in terms of realistic competitive balance (which HB 41 already seeks to alleviate by separating public and private in the post-season).

Whatever the case, as House Bill 41 makes its way through the Legislature it will be intriguing to monitor its progress and support or opposition.  The timing of its potential passage comes at an opportune moment as the PIAA will soon be reclassifying its member schools for the upcoming 2026-2028 two-year cycle (based on enrollment).

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