Due to continued growth, high school divisions will be implemented in STN’s most popular contest categories. As we continue to experience significant growth, we will continue to evolve and improve our programs so they are equitable and valuable to our members.  Below is an explanation of how STN determines its contest divisions.

High school programs will be placed in one of two divisions:

• HS Division I (HSD1) - Legacy schools, Level 5 or higher

• HS Division II (HSD2) - Newcomers, Level 4 or lower

Division placement is determined by a formula that calculates each school’s level based on three factors:

• Years of the school's STN membership

• Years the teacher has been part of STN

• How long the teacher has been with the school’s program

Schools placed in HS Division II can elect to move up to HS Division I, however, Division I schools can not move down. Once divisions are determined, they will be posted to your Dashboard. If there is a question about placement, STN will work with the teacher to ensure their level is appropriate.  Once determined, placement is set for the remainder of the school year. Middle schools will continue to be one division.

PLEASE NOTE: DIVISIONS MAY BE ADDED OR MERGED FROM A CATEGORY BASED ON THE NUMBER OF ENTRIES. IF THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH ENTRIES, DIVISIONS WILL BE MERGED.

WHY DO WE DETERMINE DIVISIONS THIS WAY?

Every school is different. Every program is different. Different sizes, resources, and schedules. Unfortunately, there is no perfect “one size fits all” method that would be fair and equitable to all. However, we know based on the surveys and communications with teachers, many of our new schools are inexperienced to what STN is all about, the format of our contests and the level of competition we offer. We believe basing the divisions on experience versus school/program size, while allowing schools to “play up” if they so desire, is the most fair solution for an exciting and meaningful contest experience for our community.