The IHSA football playoffs are in the books — and once again, the private schools, particularly those from the Chicago Catholic League, dominated the state stage. Five of the eight state champions came from the CCL programs. Thatsuccess has reignited one of the oldest and most divisive debates in Illinois high school athletics: Should public and private schools compete in the same postseason?

We unpack what’s driving this renewed controversy, explore proposals that have been floated to “level the playing field” — from complete separation, to expanded multipliers, to open enrollment and more and talk about what it all means for athletes, schools, and the future of competition in our state.