A growing activity in Missouri’s high schools will soon split in two.

The Missouri State High School Activities Association Board of Directors is expected to certify the passage of several changes to the association’s by-laws, including those separating theatre from speech and debate. Communications Director Jason West says the split should allow participation to increase among the state’s smaller schools.

West says the split would allow theatre to have a separate state championship event, reducing conflicts with other state events. He says steps had been taken in previous years to decrease the overlap.

West notes that with the split, theatre will have its own advisory committee. The committee would have the ability to recommend if theatre should have multiple classes of competition or its state tournament at a different time of year.

MSHSAA’s Board of Directors meet later this week in Columbia to review election results.