Brazosport ISD board votes to opt out of allowing homeschool students in UIL activities

The Brazosport ISD Board of Trustees voted to adopt a policy to opt out of allowing homeschooled and other non‑enrolled students to participate in University Interscholastic League (UIL) activities under newly passed state law. The board approved the recommendation by voice vote after public comment and discussion.

The change implements the district administration's recommendation under board policies FB Local and FM Local following the 2025 legislative session’s passage of Senate Bill 401, which alters prior rules about homeschool eligibility. Under the law described by district staff, school districts must adopt a policy to opt out if they do not want homeschool students to participate; if a district does not opt out, homeschool students would be eligible to join UIL activities at the district or the nearest district that permits such participation.

Why it matters: The decision affects whether homeschooled students in the community can join campus sports, band and other UIL programs. The administration cited fairness and enforceability concerns as the primary reasons to recommend the opt out: homeschool students are not enrolled in Brazosport ISD, the district has no authority over homeschool curriculum and grading, and the district cannot directly enforce the BISD student code of conduct or academic‑eligibility rules on non‑enrolled learners.

At public comment, Gabriel Moreno, identified himself as a former student of Brazosport ISD and a Lake Jackson parent, urged the board to reject the opt out so his son and other homeschool students could participate. "We are part of this community too. Our children deserve the same opportunity as our peers," Moreno said. He described his son’s competitive swimming achievements and argued that homeschool students can meet UIL rules, eligibility checks and paperwork.

District staff told the board that homeschool students, if allowed, would not be enrolled and therefore would not be subject to the district’s grading or code‑of‑conduct enforcement in the same manner as enrolled students. The administration’s written recommendation said that allowing non‑enrolled students raises fairness issues for eligibility tied to course grades and assessments.

Board discussion acknowledged the competing values. One trustee said the speaker’s son “sounds like the exception” and expressed sympathy; others raised practical concerns about coaches, grievance processes and how non‑enrolled students would be integrated into campus systems. A motion to adopt the administration’s recommendation was moved by Board member Dunn and seconded by Board member Cuellar; the board approved the motion by voice vote.

The action recorded in the meeting book is a policy adoption to opt out of allowing homeschooled and other non‑enrolled students to participate in UIL activities. The decision was adopted on a board motion (mover: Dunn; second: Cuellar) and passed by voice vote; no roll‑call vote or individual vote tally was recorded in the public minutes presented at the meeting.

What the board did not do tonight: The decision to opt out is a formal board policy action; there was no subsequent item instructing staff to negotiate exceptions, nor did the board adopt any new enforcement procedures or eligibility‑verification processes at this meeting. Board members directed staff questions and discussed possible future options but made no additional formal assignments.

Local context: The administration noted that some other Texas districts have managed homeschool participation differently and that the UIL rules and state law set baseline eligibility checks. The transcript shows the district will continue to follow UIL and state guidance on eligibility and enforcement.

Next steps: The board’s adopted policy will be reflected in updated local policy language (FD and FM Local) and the administration will proceed with implementation and any necessary communications to families and campus athletic programs. The board’s motion and outcome were recorded in the meeting minutes as indicated above.