It’s once again time for realignment season. Several Dallas-area schools will change athletics classifications or divisions starting in the 2026-27 school year.
Below, we’ll break down the D-FW schools that will compete in a new classification or division next year.
Moving up to Class 6AFrisco Wakeland
It is well-equipped for the move up to 6A after setting a school record for wins this season by going 11-2. That is the fourth time in six years that Wakeland won eight or more games. The downside is that Wakeland will be one of the state’s smallest 6A schools, as its enrollment of 2,245 was just 30 students above the 6A cutoff number.
Prosper Walnut Grove
Walnut Grove is one of the fastest-growing schools in Texas, as its enrollment jumped from 1,716 to 2,476 over the last two years, forcing a move up from 5A Division II all the way to 6A. Walnut Grove finished 12-1 in its third year of varsity football, and it returns star quarterback Hayes Hackney, who threw for 3,164 yards and 37 touchdowns as a sophomore.
High School Sports
Red Oak
Red Oak moves up from 5A Division I to 6A and has won nine or more games in five of the last eight years. Red Oak will be ready for the talent it will face in 6A after sharing a district with six-time state champion Highland Park for the last two years.
Moving up or down to Class 5A Division ICedar Hill
A longtime member of District 11-6A, the “District of Doom,” the three-time state champion will move down to 5A Division I after a 6–5 finish in 2025.
Crandall
Crandall will move up to 5A Division I from 5A Division II. The program posted a 7–4 record last season.
DeSoto
The defending 6A Division II state champion opted up to 6A two years ago, despite turning in 5A Division I numbers. For the 2026-28 reclassification and realignment cycle, DeSoto turned in 5A Division I numbers yet again and could move down this time.
Frisco Liberty
Liberty will move up from 5A Division II to 5A Division I after spending two seasons in District 4-5AII, the new “District of Doom.”
Garland Naaman Forest
Naaman Forest turned in an enrollment that would classify it as a 5A Division II school, but it has opted up to 5A Division I after spending several years in Class 6A.
Lancaster
After spending the last two seasons in District 11-6A, Lancaster is moving back down to Class 5A Division I, where it has experienced previous success. The program advanced to the 5A Division I regional finals in 2023.
Mansfield Legacy
Legacy will move down to 5A Division I after spending the last two seasons in District 3-6A.
Mansfield Summit
The program will move up to 5A Division I from 5A Division II.
Melissa
The 2025 5A Division II state semifinalist almost made the 6A cutoff with an enrollment number of 2,203. But it will move up to 5A Division I for this cycle.
Mesquite
After two seasons in District 11-6A, Mesquite will move down to 5A Division I.
Moving up or down to 5A Division IICelina
The 2024 4A Division I state champions make their debut in Class 5A after a tumultuous 2025 that ultimately resulted in the retirement of longtime head coach Bill Elliott. Celina went 14-1 and advanced to the state semifinals this past season. Former district-mates Frisco Panther Creek and Nevada Community will also move up to 5A Division II.
Frisco
Frisco will drop back down to Class 5A Division II after competing in Division I the past four seasons and going 6-4 in 2025. The program had competed in 5A Division II previously before that four-year period.
Frisco Emerson
Frisco Emerson will move down to 5A Division II for the first time after playing in Division I since it started playing varsity football in 2022. Emerson narrowly missed the playoffs in District 4-5A with a 5-5 record this past season.
Frisco Panther Creek
Panther Creek will join most of the other Frisco ISD programs in Class 5A after starting varsity football in Class 4A Division I. The program went 3-8 this past fall and shared a district with fellow move-ups Celina and Nevada Community.
Molina
A program that was in Class 6A just six years ago, Molina will drop down to Division II for the first time this cycle. The program went winless this past season in District 5-5A Division I.
Nevada Community
Community moves up for a second consecutive realignment cycle after competing in Class 4A Division I the last two seasons. They’ll join fellow district-mates Celina and Frisco Panther Creek, who also transition up. The program finished 1-9 in 2025 in District 7-4A Division I.
Prosper Richland
Prosper Richland will make its varsity football debut in Class 5A Division II after playing an outlaw schedule in 2025.
Saginaw Eagle Mountain
Eagle Mountain will jump from 4A Division II all the way to 5A Division II after debuting as a varsity program during the last realignment cycle. The program went 8-4 in 2025.
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Find more high school sports coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.