Midsouth Association of Independent Schools facts for kids
The Midsouth Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) is a group of private schools. These schools are located in Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Arkansas. MAIS helps its member schools get official recognition, which is called accreditation. It also organizes sports competitions for these schools. The association was started in 1968.
MAIS also runs two other groups. These are the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Educational Association and the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Coaches Association. These groups help teachers and coaches in member schools.
History of MAIS
When it first started in 1968, the organization was called the Mississippi Private School Association. It was created to help schools that were formed during a time when schools were separated by race. Many of those early schools do not exist anymore. Other schools from that time now have students from all backgrounds. They are also recognized by other groups, like the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
A big change happened in 1987. This was the first time a Black student played on any MPSA boys' sports team. In 2000, Christ Missionary and Industrial College High School became the first Black school to join the association. The first MPSA football game with an all-Black school also took place in 2000.
The organization changed its name in July 2009 to the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools. In 2019, it changed its name again to the Midsouth Association of Independent Schools. This new name shows that it now includes schools from Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana, and Tennessee. In 1992, another group called the Louisiana Independent School Association joined with the MPSA.
How MAIS Classifies Schools
Until 2019, MAIS divided its schools into five groups. The largest private schools were in Academy AAAA. The smallest schools played in an 8-man league. In 2019, MAIS changed to six classifications. This happened after some smaller schools started playing 8-man football.
For football, schools are grouped by size. As of 2023-2025, Class 6A has the six largest private schools. These include Jackson Prep, Jackson Academy, Madison-Ridgeland Academy, St. Joseph Catholic School (Madison, Mississippi), Hartfield Academy, and Presbyterian Christian School.
The other 46 schools that play 11-man football are divided into three classes:
- Class 5A: The largest third of these schools.
- Class 4A: The middle third of these schools.
- Class 3A: The remaining 11-man football schools.
There are 31 schools that play 8-man football. They are divided into two classes:
- Class 2A: The top half of the 8-man schools.
- Class 1A: The bottom half of the 8-man schools.
The championship games for Classes 1A through 5A football are usually held at Jackson Academy. The Class 6A championship game is usually played at Mississippi College.
For most sports other than football, MAIS uses five classifications. Class 6A still includes the six largest schools. Classes 5A, 4A, 3A, and 2A (the smallest group for non-football sports) each have 24 schools. For sports like soccer and volleyball, where fewer schools participate, they are divided into divisions instead of classes.
