Officials Begin Mediation for Former NEIC Schools

DECORAH —The status of several current Northeast Iowa Conference (NEIC) schools will decided by state officials, in mediations that began Wednesday, July 17. A series of meetings with the Iowa Board of Education, the Iowa High School Athletic Association and the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union will determine their fates. Three school systems, Charles City, Decorah and Waverly-Shell Rock (WSR) are headed for mediation in an effort to join new conferences before the 2025-26 school year begins. This process comes after fellow NEIC members, including Waukon, made the decision to join the Upper Iowa conference, prompting the NEIC's dissolution after the 2024-25 school year. Charles City is currently seeking to join the North Central Conference (NCC), In March, Charles City's bid to join the NCC was denied despite an 8-2 vote. In April, Decorah was voted down 8-2 to gain entry into the UIC, but hopes mediation will change that. The reason for their denial was due to the district's size, compared to other members of the conference. Waverly-Shell Rock, in comparison, was voted out of the NEIC two years ago because it had grown bigger than other conference schools and exited the league June 30th. The Go-Hawks will be independent this school year, but are lobbying to join the WAMAC Conference for the 2026-2027 school year. Stay informed, stay inspired! Newsletter sign up is free. Join hundreds of free subscribers who rely on DecorahNews.com for trusted information and fresh perspectives.