MSHSAA Myth Series: How the Championship Factor Works (2026–27 Changes Explained)

On the MSHSAA All-Access Podcast, Executive Director Dr. Jennifer Rukstad and Assistant Executive Director Lou Mazzocco explain Missouri’s championship factor and the board-approved changes taking effect in 2026–27. They describe the shift from a static six-year point system to a depreciating model that weights recent postseason success more heavily, including new point values (e.g., a state championship starts at 10 points and declines over six years) and a new five-point threshold that typically reduces the bump from a single title to three years. They also note the removal of the two-class cap for teams accumulating many points. Finally, they clarify the “order of operations” for classification—initial enrollment breaks, applying championship factor moves,  ...