How To Participate in UIL Extracurricular Activities at Your Local School

In 2021, after a twenty-plus-year fight, the Texas legislature finally granted school districts the ability to approve access for homeschool students into University Interscholastic League (UIL) extracurricular activities. UIL is keeping a list of school districts that have opted-into allowing homeschool students to participate in extracurricular activities. In 2023, the law was expanded to provide funding for school districts who allow homeschool participation in UIL.

The UIL is the organization that governs most of the athletic and academic extracurricular activities and competitions in Texas public schools.

Homeschoolers have not had access to UIL activities since before 1915. For decades, THSC and thousands of Texas homeschoolers have been working to regain the freedom to Equal Access participation paid for by parents’ tax dollars.

During the 87th Texas Legislature, this finally happened. State Representative and homeschool dad James Frank, along with State Senator and homeschool mom Angela Paxton, fought tirelessly to pass House Bill (HB) 547, the UIL Equal Access Bill for homeschoolers.

During the 88th Texas Legislature in 2023, homeschool mom and State Senator Angela Paxton, homeschool dad and State Representative James Frank, and State Representative Brad Buckley all worked on improving UIL Equal Access by passing two new bills. HB 3708 ensured that school districts that allow homeschoolers to participate in UIL are entitled to $1,500 per student per activity in which they participate. HB 699 ensures that UIL cannot artificially inflate a school district’s conference which would cause additional issues for districts just for opting to allow homeschool students to participate in UIL.

UIL Equal Access Guide

What to Expect for UIL Homeschool Participation

Starting in the fall of 2021, Texas school districts will be allowed to grant UIL access to homeschool students. The local school board will make this decision, but the superintendent, school coaches, local state Representatives and Senators, and other local officials may influence the decision.

UIL has released its finalized rules for how to integrate homeschool students into UIL activities. Schools are now free to opt-in to UIL Equal Access and allow homeschool students to participate in both athletic and academic extracurricular activities. August 1, 2023 is the deadline for school districts to opt to allow homeschool participation in any varsity athletics. UIL has released a comprehensive FAQ about how homeschool access will work. That information can be found here.

There are sure to be challenges with an estimated 750,000 Texas homeschool families in more than 1200 school districts. This will be the first time in over 100 years that UIL has allowed homeschool participation in its activities. It’s a big change. Everyone involved must now determine how to coordinate to implement the UIL Equal Access law.

THSC is already advocating for interested homeschoolers with UIL and local schools. We are also supporting individual families working with their school districts through the process.

Some schools will choose to opt-in immediately; others will not. Some will be interested but reluctant to jump in right away. Instead, they will wait to see how it works for other schools. It has sometimes taken a few years before it feels smooth and normal for all participants in other states that have allowed similar opportunities.

We believe that once the process is established, more and more school districts will make UIL participation available to homeschooled students. We will pursue that freedom.

We believe that parents should be free to decide what’s best for their children. And that students with involved parents are the bright future of our local communities, state, and country.

For students who do not have adequate extracurricular options, UIL opportunities can be life-changing. THSC will be there every step to encourage school districts to grant UIL access, help families navigate the rules, and advocate for families with UIL and local school districts.

How can we participate?

Find your school and contact them to ask if they have opted into UIL access for homeschoolers.

Ask Your School to Opt-In to UIL Access for Homeschoolers

Step 1:
Make sure your school knows that, in order for homeschool students to participate in varsity athletics in a school district, that district must have opted in to UIL Equal Access and informed UIL of their decision by August 1st of the school year. This rule applies only to participation in varsity athletics. A school that opts in later than August 1 of the school year may still grant homeschoolers access to all other UIL activities for that school year.

Step 2:

Contact each of your school board of trustees members and ask them to opt-in to UIL access for homeschool students. You can find a list of your school board members on your school district’s website. Locate your school district’s website here.

Not sure which school district you live in? Find your school district here. We recommend emailing or calling each school board member and telling them why you want the district to opt-in. You can download a resource packet by filling out the form below. The packet includes information and instructions on approaching your school board members.

Step 3:
Contact the coach or instructor in charge of the UIL activity that your student wants to participate in. Find out if they are in favor of that. If so, ask them to speak with the school board in support of homeschool access to UIL. Send them the same packet of information that you send to your school board members. Because they work for the school, coaches and instructors will likely have a lot of sway with the school board members.

Step 4:
Let us know at which school you are seeking to participate. We will contact the school board members and any other local government officials who support homeschooling and ask them to opt-in to UIL for homeschooling.
Fill out this form and we will help you work with your school board to get access to UIL activities in your school.

Step 1: Select and Take an Assessment
Your student will need to obtain a score that is average or above on a nationally normed standardized assessment. Any nationally normed assessment is allowed. You can find an extensive list of test options here. Make sure that the assessment you choose will be able to provide you with the results of the assessment before the beginning of the school year so that your eligibility will not be delayed.

Step 2: Contact Local School to Enroll in Course
Present an average or above test score to the school district as proof of UIL eligibility for the first 6 weeks of the school year. Contact your school and ask them where to register for the course. You will be required to fill out course enrollment paperwork and provide the assessment results.

Step 3: Comply With District Policies
Your student will be required to comply with all of the same relevant requirements as public school students who compete in UIL. The school will explain any relevant policies during the registration process. These may include requirements related to:
  1. Residency in the district
  2. Registration for league activities;
  3. Age eligibility
  4. Fees (you may be asked to pay for uniforms or similar items if public school students do the same)
  5. Insurance
  6. Transportation
  7. Try-Outs
  8. Physical condition
  9. Qualifications
  10. Responsibilities
  11. Event schedules
  12. Standards of behavior
  13. Performance
  14. Immunizations (religious, medical, and conscientious exemptions are allowed).
 

Eligibility After the First Six Weeks of the School Year

Step 1: Provide Written Verification That Your Student Is Passing Their Grades
This information will be required periodically and provided according to the schedule on the public school’s grading calendar. The school may require a form to be completed, or a letter submitted to the school from the parent stating that the student is currently receiving passing grades in all subjects should be sufficient. There is no requirement that you provide the school with any specifics about how you homeschool or your curriculum choices. Only written verification that your student is passing their current classes is required. You can download a sample letter here.

Step 2: Comply With District Policies

  1. Your student will be required to comply with all of the same relevant requirements as public school students who compete in UIL. The school will explain any relevant policies during the registration process. These may include requirements related to:
  2. Residency in the district
  3. Registration for league activities;
  4. Age eligibility
  5. Fees (you may be asked to pay for uniforms or similar items if public school students do the same)
  6. Insurance
  7. Transportation
  8. Physical condition
  9. Qualifications
  10. Responsibilities
  11. Event schedules
  12. Standards of behavior
  13. Performance

  1. To be eligible to participate as a homeschool student, your student must have been withdrawn from the public school before the beginning of the school year in which they will be participating as a homeschool student. (e.g., before the first day of school in the fall semester for which they wish to participate in UIL).
  2. To participate in UIL activities during the first 6-weeks of a school year, a homeschool student must demonstrate academic proficiency by obtaining an average or above score on any nationally normed standardized assessment.
  3. Suppose you plan to withdraw your student from public school and participate as a homeschool student the following school year. In that case, THSC recommends that your student take a nationally normed assessment prior to withdrawing from the public school. This will help ensure that, before you withdraw, you know whether your student will be able to obtain UIL eligibility for the coming school year.
  4. Once your student is withdrawn, you should follow our process for them to participate in UIL (Click “My School has opted in to allow UIL access for homeschoolers, but my student is not currently enrolled in public school” above to see the process for a student who has withdrawn from public school).

UIL Equal Access FAQs

Yes. During the first six weeks of competition, a homeschool student is required to provide a score that is average or above on any nationally normed standardized test of the parent’s choice. Many nationally normed tests allow for different types of accommodations based on the student’s needs, so a parent is free to select a test that works best for them.

You can find an extensive list of test options here that is periodically updated.

If there are not adequate testing accommodations for a child, they may still qualify to participate in UIL extracurricular activities. The testing requirement only applies to the first six weeks. If the student meets other eligibility standards (e.g., passing grades), they may be eligible. Check out the eligibility standards your student will need to meet.

Any nationally normed standardized test. Check out this list of test options here.

Yes. Suppose your student does not meet the eligibility standards to participate during the first six weeks of competition, but they do meet eligibility standards to participate after the first six weeks. In that case, they are allowed to do so.

Check out the eligibility standards your student will need to meet by clicking above on “How can we participate?”.

Yes. Your student will only be allowed to participate in the school district that they are zoned to attend based on their residential address.

UIL rules prohibit a student from moving to a new district to participate in varsity athletics events. If you have moved to the district to participate in UIL events, your student will be ineligible for varsity athletics for one year.

UIL Assistance Form