2026-2027 UIL Realignment

[RaElk99]

[BugWub24]

On 12/9/2025 at 3:22 PM, BugWub24 said:

I have been in the process of making spreadsheets for conferences 4A through 6A, giving an outlook for this next cycle of realignment under the current area alignment. When the cutoff numbers are released, I will make some final adjustments and post the sheets here.

Here are those spreadsheets! I tried to include as many schools as I knew that are opening in 2026 and 2027! If I missed any, feel free to shout at me

2026-2028 UIL Marching Band Realignment.xlsx

[Toasty]

13 minutes ago, BugWub24 said:

Here are those spreadsheets! I tried to include as many schools as I knew that are opening in 2026 and 2027! If I missed any, feel free to shout at me

2026-2028 UIL Marching Band Realignment.xlsx 194.06 kB · 1 download

Is el dorado a region 2 5A school? You don’t have them listed as jumping up or coming down, have they always been there?

[BugWub24]

1 minute ago, Toasty said:

Is el dorado a region 2 5A school? You don’t have them listed as jumping up or coming down, have they always been there?

Region 22, they've always been there.

[Toasty]

1 minute ago, BugWub24 said:

Region 22, they've always been there.

Ohhh sorry, 24 bands in 5A really sucks 

[dullbanddad]

3 hours ago, RaElk99 said:

Confirms all LISD bands (minus Glenn) will be 6A next year.

[TexasStrangers]

3 hours ago, BugWub24 said:

Region 22, they've always been there.

Would love to see you continue with 3A at least. I think there were 20 or so schools that dropped down to 3A

[TexasStrangers]

Any ideas of them redoing the Areas as well? I know last realignment some schools stayed in the same classification but got moved to another Area. 

[Samuel Culper]

15 minutes ago, TexasStrangers said:

Any ideas of them redoing the Areas as well? I know last realignment some schools stayed in the same classification but got moved to another Area. 

TMEA realignment will probably happen in the spring.

[BugWub24]

3 hours ago, TexasStrangers said:

Would love to see you continue with 3A at least. I think there were 20 or so schools that dropped down to 3A

Shoutout to 3A Region 11 for all of their bands getting 1s this year lol

EDIT: Smithville and Caldwell got 1s, I just didn't mark it as such 🤦🏻‍♂️

3A 2026-28.xlsx

[imnewhere]

I know we’re the little guys, but for anyone curious about how 1A marching might shake out (since we advance straight to State):

Bold programs earned a Division 1 rating this past year.
Because advancement is tied to the number of Division 1 bands, Region 6 would be the only region with Division 1 bands left out. Everyone else either stays the same or becomes easier due to changes in participation (except Region 16, where the addition of Whiteface makes it harder for bands that did not earn a Division 1).

I’m curious whether the upcoming TMEA realignment will change any of this, but probably not.
It be like that XD 

*edit because I forgot Region 7

Region 1

Booker, Claude, Happy, White Deer

Region 6

Baird, Bronte, Eden, Iraan, Irion, Menard, Rankin, Rotan, Water Valley

Region 7

Knox City, Santa Anna

Region 8

Coolidge

Region 11

D'Hanis, Leakey, Nueces Canyon, Rocksprings

Region 12

Runge

Region 16

Crosbyton, Jayton, O'Donnell, Petersburg, Ralls, Springlake-Earth, Whiteface

Edited December 17, 2025 by imnewhere
forgot region 7

[Cosmo]

Now that the realignment numbers are out, we are starting to get a picture of how 6A will look for the next two years. This is how some of the areas look now after reclassifying but before redistricting (will happen in the spring).

This is for 6A: Dallas-Fort Worth Areas

Area B lost: Cedar Hill, Mansfield Legacy

Area B gained: Aledo, Granbury

 

Area C lost: Lancaster, Rowlett, Garland, Mesquite, 

Area C gained: Red Oak

 

Area J lost: 

Area J Gained: Frisco wakeland, Prosper Walnut Grove

[cajunman]

14 hours ago, BugWub24 said:

Shoutout to 3A Region 11 for all of their bands getting 1s this year lol

EDIT: Smithville and Caldwell got 1s, I just didn't mark it as such 🤦🏻‍♂️

3A 2026-28.xlsx 50.08 kB · 8 downloads

You are missing the Region 18/26 bands in Area D: Thrall, Columbus, Halletsville, Rockdale, Lexington, and Schulenberg. 

[BugWub24]

I have been playing around with creating a new alignment for the DFW areas, and man, I cannot find a good alternate to these two options:

1. Maintain the current alignment

2. Go back to the 2022-24 alignment

 

In my honest opinion, the way it is currently set is really good geographically, and Area J will only get bigger as more people move up north. The only issue is that Area C isn't getting the same level of growth out east of Dallas. The only cities that have seen that growth out east are Forney and Crandall.

This wouldn't be as huge of an issue if Garland ISD didn't have such crazy enrollment imbalance between the schools:

North Garland - 2903
Sachse - 2866

(big gap)

Garland - 2144
Lakeview Centennial - 2080
Rowlett - 2024
South Garland - 1915
Naaman Forest - 1822 (oh btw, for football, they have 5A-D2 numbers but will probably still play in 6A, make it make sense lol)

[crunchycookie3]

I think it’s time to disband Area C to pad back up areas B and J

[TexasStrangers]

11 hours ago, BugWub24 said:

I have been playing around with creating a new alignment for the DFW areas, and man, I cannot find a good alternate to these two options:

1. Maintain the current alignment

2. Go back to the 2022-24 alignment

 

In my honest opinion, the way it is currently set is really good geographically, and Area J will only get bigger as more people move up north. The only issue is that Area C isn't getting the same level of growth out east of Dallas. The only cities that have seen that growth out east are Forney and Crandall.

This wouldn't be as huge of an issue if Garland ISD didn't have such crazy enrollment imbalance between the schools:

North Garland - 2903
Sachse - 2866

(big gap)

Garland - 2144
Lakeview Centennial - 2080
Rowlett - 2024
South Garland - 1915
Naaman Forest - 1822 (oh btw, for football, they have 5A-D2 numbers but will probably still play in 6A, make it make sense lol)

I think the reason why you are not seeing alot of school growth with Area C is because it is encumbered with 3A/2A bands that are all very close to each other. There really isn't alot of 4A/5A schools out East especially schools that are known for having a decent band program.

I know numerous 3A/2A schools saw declines in enrollment with students going "home school", students going back to "mexico" and several schools have students jump back and forth between districts alot or accepting/denying transfers. 

[dfwhorn]

23 hours ago, BugWub24 said:

I have been playing around with creating a new alignment for the DFW areas, and man, I cannot find a good alternate to these two options:

1. Maintain the current alignment

2. Go back to the 2022-24 alignment

 

In my honest opinion, the way it is currently set is really good geographically, and Area J will only get bigger as more people move up north. The only issue is that Area C isn't getting the same level of growth out east of Dallas. The only cities that have seen that growth out east are Forney and Crandall.

This wouldn't be as huge of an issue if Garland ISD didn't have such crazy enrollment imbalance between the schools:

North Garland - 2903
Sachse - 2866

(big gap)

Garland - 2144
Lakeview Centennial - 2080
Rowlett - 2024
South Garland - 1915
Naaman Forest - 1822 (oh btw, for football, they have 5A-D2 numbers but will probably still play in 6A, make it make sense lol)

Don't forget GISD has their open enrollment system, meaning anyone from any corner of the district could go to the other side. Someone in 635 Garland could go to Sachse, or someone from Rowlett could go to Lakeview, or really any possibly scenario like that. Leaves GISD in a bit of a pickle regarding enrollment, well not for football because they all opt up LOL but for other activities such as band where they don't opt up.

[TrenBS]

16 hours ago, crunchycookie3 said:

I think it’s time to disband Area C to pad back up areas B and J

Made this for fun, just splitting J and balancing the two

[BugWub24]

15 hours ago, dfwhorn said:

Don't forget GISD has their open enrollment system, meaning anyone from any corner of the district could go to the other side. Someone in 635 Garland could go to Sachse, or someone from Rowlett could go to Lakeview, or really any possibly scenario like that. Leaves GISD in a bit of a pickle regarding enrollment, well not for football because they all opt up LOL but for other activities such as band where they don't opt up.

I remember back when all of these schools besides South Garland and Naaman were all safe 6A. Since then, North and Sachse have stayed around the same, while everyone else has declined pretty significantly. I don't know if consolidation will ever become a thing for GISD high schools, although it's already in motion with some of the elementary schools.

[lost]

On 12/16/2025 at 2:21 PM, BugWub24 said:

Here are those spreadsheets! I tried to include as many schools as I knew that are opening in 2026 and 2027! If I missed any, feel free to shout at me

2026-2028 UIL Marching Band Realignment.xlsx 194.06 kB · 96 downloads

Really well done!

As is tradition area d gets a little bit harder with the addition of a few area finals bubble bands, because of course it does.

[BugWub24]

8 hours ago, lost said:

Really well done!

As is tradition area d gets a little bit harder with the addition of a few area finals bubble bands, because of course it does.

This is how I see 5A potentially balancing things back up. Six bands are dropping down to 5A Area E and it would now be way overcrowded. I could see College Station ISD and Rudder going back to Area D with the rest of Region 8 - this would maintain 5 state slots in Area D. In return, Victoria ISD goes to Area H. And I think it makes sense to keep Laredo ISD in Area G, as that is the designated South Texas/RGV area for 5A/6A.

Smithson Valley almost wins in this situation. All of their main competition for 5th Place moved up, but A&M Cons. and College Station moving in would keep things interesting.

[crunchycookie3]

It’s early but the realignment map is updated! No big changes as far as I can see in 6A. 

Edit: A lot of the enrollment data isn’t accurate (like Wakeland as 5A etc.) so this is likely not official yet.

[BugWub24]

2 hours ago, crunchycookie3 said:

It’s early but the realignment map is updated! No big changes as far as I can see in 6A. 

Edit: A lot of the enrollment data isn’t accurate (like Wakeland as 5A etc.) so this is likely not official yet.

The dropdown menus haven't been changed yet, but all of the data is accurate. If you click the Frisco ISD page open, Wakeland is listed as a 6A.

Something interesting to note on this same topic: all of the Garland ISD schools are marked as 6A. Are we introducing opt-ups for band??? lol

[dfwhorn]

3 hours ago, crunchycookie3 said:

It’s early but the realignment map is updated! No big changes as far as I can see in 6A. 

Edit: A lot of the enrollment data isn’t accurate (like Wakeland as 5A etc.) so this is likely not official yet.

I think more things will chance, this still feels a lot like 2024. Id expect more things closer to Feburary-ish when they release the districts for athletics. I have a feeling something will chance, possibly in 2/24/25 region wise. Will probably be something simple like swapping a few ISDs around with eachother for balance

[TrenBS]

On 12/22/2025 at 1:04 PM, dfwhorn said:

I think more things will chance, this still feels a lot like 2024. Id expect more things closer to Feburary-ish when they release the districts for athletics. I have a feeling something will chance, possibly in 2/24/25 region wise. Will probably be something simple like swapping a few ISDs around with eachother for balance

Its just the 2024 map right now, and I expect J to get split to B and C with 24 to B and 2/25 to C. If not, then UIL is likely making a major rule change that will affect how area functions since H and J are downright horrible at the moment and B/C are starting to lag behind some of the other areas with the high state bubble