San Angelo ISD board opts to bar non‑enrolled students from UIL activities for 2025–26

The San Angelo ISD Board of Trustees voted on Aug. 4 to opt out of allowing non‑enrolled students to participate in University Interscholastic League (UIL) activities under Senate Bill 401 for the 2025–26 school year. The vote followed public comment from several members of the Matlock family urging the board to allow homeschooled students to try out for sports and other UIL activities. Board members and staff framed the question as a trade‑off between offering extracurricular access to students who live in the district but are not enrolled, and protecting roster spots, instructional time and competitive opportunities for currently enrolled students. Superintendent Brandon Moran reviewed district practice and staff input and said administration recommended declining to grant non‑enrolled participation, the district’s historical position. Supporters, including several students and parents from the Matlock family, asked the board to adopt SB 401 so homeschoolers could “try out” for teams and activities, noting possible enrollment and participation benefits. Opponents—coaches, sponsors and some board members who spoke during deliberations—said allowing non‑enrolled participants would risk displacing currently enrolled students on teams and complicate oversight of academic eligibility and attendance. The board discussed safeguards that appear in law, such as limits on students who withdraw to homeschool and UIL eligibility requirements, but also said those safeguards may not fully address coaches’ operational concerns. A motion to opt out of SB 401 participation was made and seconded during the meeting; the board approved the motion (motion text, mover and seconder recorded in the public transcript). The board chair and administrators clarified that under current Texas law, taking no action would have left the district “opted in” by default, and that a board motion was required to opt out for the coming school year. The decision is for the 2025–26 school year; board members noted the policy can be revisited in future meetings if circumstances change. Members of the public who spoke on the item were encouraged to discuss details with staff and the board after the meeting.