Team Support Organizations by State

[KeeganP]

Originally Posted by Qbot2640

I just did some research on the organizing structure of FRC teams here in North Carolina and was very surprised at the results:

• Only 44% of NC teams are controlled by a traditional public school entity (either a single high school or a single school system ie. "acme county schools")
• 32% of the NC teams have independent organizations created specifically to support the robotics program. Most are organized as 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporations.

We (an NC team) fall into the category of "both" from above. We're technically our own 501(c)3, but we are associated with Athens Drive High School. We currently have at least two other FRC teams within our nonprofit umbrella, and welcome other teams to join it if needed.

We draw many students from the school and consider it our "base" school, but we also do not meet at the school to save ourselves from teacher workdays, snow days, etc. That said, we have started two rookie teams* in the last two years and had an even split -- 1 school based, 1 community based (and now in our nonprofit).

I'm curious as to whether people think one "method" of setting up a team is better than the other.

*We're quite proud that they both won Rookie All Star and have great plans for the future.

[Billfred]

Of the 41 teams in South Carolina this year:

-8 (19.5%) list multiple schools or a school district (281, 283, 343, 1102, 1293, 1553, 3489, 4083)
-2 (4.9%) list 4-H (4452, 4901)
-1 (2.4%) lists "Neighborhood Group" (4965)
-30 (73.2%) list precisely one school in their team name (everyone else)

For the early years of my involvement, the multi-school team was definitely more in vogue. Three of the four teams I've been on have been multi-school teams (1293 and, at the time, 2815 were school district teams, 4901 is 4-H; only the defunct 1618 was one school), and all of them have shown challenges in getting kids from the further-flung schools in the district. 1293 definitely skews towards one geographic end but still gives it the college try, while 2815 converted to single-school after the school behind 3976 spun off.

Why's it that way? I think a few factors are in play. First, teachers seem to prefer it this way more (district infighting can be a thing, travel between schools is a thing, scheduling is a thing, branding is a thing...). Second, I do think FRC has gotten more accessible with the rise of COTS parts; you don't need to find a big machining sponsor or as many engineering mentors to have a prayer (at least on the regional level). I know of at least two Palmetto Regional winners with no engineering degrees on the roster, so there's hope yet!