In 2021, Governor Abbott signed into law a measure to force University Interscholastic League (UIL) to change the rules to allow homeschooled students to participate in extracurricular activities in the public school district in which they reside.
This decision is now a local school board decision.
As I discussed last year, UIL leadership was not in favor of this change and tried to circumvent the law by adopting a rule that was clearly intended to intimidate local school boards from allowing local homeschooled students to participate in UIL.
Had it not been for the veto of that rule by the Commissioner of Education, even fewer districts than the few dozen current schools would have made this change to give students more choices.
Some have asked how to get schools to opt for allowing homeschooled students into UIL. The best way is for homeschooling families and students to discuss this with local school board members who are elected by the voters.
These elected officials are likely to be more open than other school officials to this.
In fact, one homeschool parent told us that the superintendent of her school explained that no other school district in their UIL district was allowing this and, therefore, they would not do so.
In a controversial issue, Tom Bean ISD was sanctioned for “recruiting,” penalized for three years, and some of the students for two years. This was an unusually harsh result, according to one committee member.
That sanction likely means the homeschooled students will never be able to participate in UIL activities.
According to KXXI.com, the superintendent “strongly denies all recruiting allegations and adds, ‘the district believes these allegations are the result of local resentment following the district’s decision to allow home school students to attend TB ISD through the district’s open enrollment policy.’”
Some legislators have argued that UIL has become “a law unto itself” and is not accountable to any state agency.
Indeed UIL exists under the University of Texas, not the Texas Education Agency (TEA).
Perhaps because of this type of rogue behavior, SB 795 would change that and make UIL a part of the TEA.
Maybe UIL will finally be held accountable for its actions of seeking to undermine the will of the Texas Legislature.
Tim Lambert, THSC President
Tim Lambert, has been the president of the Texas Home School Coalition since 1990 and involved in homeschool leadership since 1984. He and his wife Lyndsay taught their four now-grown children at home for 16 years, graduating the last two in 2000. As the head of the organization for the leading home school state in the country, he is recognized as an authority on home education issues.
Tim has testified before numerous Texas legislative committees on issues related to homeschooling and often deals with state government agencies, including the Texas Education Agency and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. He has also addressed such conferences as the Texas Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers on the topic. He holds a B.A. in political science from Texas Tech University and is active in the political arena, serving eight years as Republican National Committeeman for Texas. Tim is committed to serving the homeschooling community and to protecting parents’ right to choose the method of education of their children.
In 2021, Governor Abbott signed into law a measure to force University Interscholastic League (UIL) to change the rules to allow homeschooled students to participate in extracurricular activities in the public school district in which they reside.
This decision is now a local school board decision.
As I discussed last year, UIL leadership was not in favor of this change and tried to circumvent the law by adopting a rule that was clearly intended to intimidate local school boards from allowing local homeschooled students to participate in UIL.
Had it not been for the veto of that rule by the Commissioner of Education, even fewer districts than the few dozen current schools would have made this change to give students more choices.
Some have asked how to get schools to opt for allowing homeschooled students into UIL. The best way is for homeschooling families and students to discuss this with local school board members who are elected by the voters.
These elected officials are likely to be more open than other school officials to this.
In fact, one homeschool parent told us that the superintendent of her school explained that no other school district in their UIL district was allowing this and, therefore, they would not do so.
In a controversial issue, Tom Bean ISD was sanctioned for “recruiting,” penalized for three years, and some of the students for two years. This was an unusually harsh result, according to one committee member.
That sanction likely means the homeschooled students will never be able to participate in UIL activities.
According to KXXI.com, the superintendent “strongly denies all recruiting allegations and adds, ‘the district believes these allegations are the result of local resentment following the district’s decision to allow home school students to attend TB ISD through the district’s open enrollment policy.’”
Some legislators have argued that UIL has become “a law unto itself” and is not accountable to any state agency.
Indeed UIL exists under the University of Texas, not the Texas Education Agency (TEA).
Perhaps because of this type of rogue behavior, SB 795 would change that and make UIL a part of the TEA.
Maybe UIL will finally be held accountable for its actions of seeking to undermine the will of the Texas Legislature.
Tim Lambert, THSC President
Tim Lambert, has been the president of the Texas Home School Coalition since 1990 and involved in homeschool leadership since 1984. He and his wife Lyndsay taught their four now-grown children at home for 16 years, graduating the last two in 2000. As the head of the organization for the leading home school state in the country, he is recognized as an authority on home education issues.
Tim has testified before numerous Texas legislative committees on issues related to homeschooling and often deals with state government agencies, including the Texas Education Agency and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. He has also addressed such conferences as the Texas Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers on the topic. He holds a B.A. in political science from Texas Tech University and is active in the political arena, serving eight years as Republican National Committeeman for Texas. Tim is committed to serving the homeschooling community and to protecting parents’ right to choose the method of education of their children.
