The WIAA Executive Board approved the 2024-2028 WOA/WIAA Co-Op Agreement. The Agreement was developed by the WOA with support from the WIAA and WASBO with the following goals:
- Improve officiating
- Increase the number of officials
- Streamline the payment process for officials
- Save schools money
- Achieve statewide financial consistency
- Eliminate some duties of school business officers
The Agreement is in effect from August 1, 2024 through July 31, 2028. As part of the agreement, the WOA uses the ArbiterPay platform to expedite the payment of officials. Officials are required to enter final scores as part of their end-of-game report in order to trigger payment. WIAA member schools are charged a WOA membership fee that covers schools’ ability to request and have officials assigned for interscholastic contests. Among the services included under the WOA membership fee, WIAA schools have access to the ArbiterGame platform at no additional cost.
Services included with the Washington Officials Association Membership:
- Officiating services for WIAA contests
- 1099 forms processed and sent to officials (saving 10+ minutes per official per event for school office staff)
- Assigning and admin services for all contests including rescheduling as necessary (previously an additional charge to contest fees)
- Payment processing within 24 hours for services rendered by officials (saving 5+ minutes per official per event for school office staff)
- Contest scores reported by officials to feed league standings and WIAA RPI rankings (saving 5+ minutes per contest for athletic administrators)
- ArbiterGame scheduling platform at no cost (savings of $650 per school annually)
- Support services from WOA for ejections, rules interpretations, appeals etc.
- Management of L&I related services for all officials working at school sites
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The WOA Membership Fee is a new fee that is part of the WIAA/WOA Co-Op Agreement. The objectives are to provide schools comprehensive support for official services and to have the funds in place to pay officials upon completion of first contests.
The WOA Membership Program will save schools money, eliminate some duties of business managers and streamline the payment process for officials.
Membership fees are based on the allowable home contests for a school. For example, in determining the 3A-4A Basketball Membership Fee, 10 home games for Varsity, Junior Varsity, and Freshmanteams would be used in calculating the fee.
- Officials’ services for contests at no additional cost
- 1099 forms processed and sent to officials saving business managers time
- Assigning services for all contests including rescheduling as necessary
- Payment processing for services rendered by officials within 24 hours
- Contest scores reported to required sites saving ADs time
- A contest scheduling program eliminating a cost that schools regularly incur
These services and products are being provided at a cost schools would typically pay for just officials’ services. Efficiencies in operation will reduce costs as well as reconcile accounts at the completion of each WIAA season to assure compliance.
The WIAA and WOA have worked with WASBO to assure the Membership Program is in compliance with the State Auditor’s Office.
Invoices will be sent 60 days prior to the start of the season.
At the end of the season, the membership fee will be a credit toward the actual contest fees incurred by your school. You will receive an invoice with any amounts owed or a credit for any amounts not used. Your school will determine how the credit is handled (refund check or credit for the next season).
WOA will process payment to officials using ArbiterPay. In addition, 1099 forms will be distributed to officials via ArbiterPay and ArbiterSports.
