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Alice ISD board votes to opt out of new law allowing homeschooled students into UIL activities
Summary
The Alice Independent School District Board of Trustees adopted a resolution to opt out of Senate Bill 401, preventing homeschooled students who reside in the district from participating in AISD-sponsored UIL activities for the 2025–26 school year. District staff cited funding, eligibility and resource concerns.
The Alice Independent School District Board of Trustees on July 21 voted to adopt a resolution opting out of Senate Bill 401, the new Texas law that would otherwise allow homeschooled students residing in a district to participate in University Interscholastic League activities.
District Director of Student Services Diana Vasquez told the board that the district does not receive average-daily-attendance (ADA) funding for homeschooled students and presented a district calculation showing 64 homeschooled students in the last year. "At $6,160 per student times the 64 homeschool students, we lost $394,240 just this school year," Vasquez said, citing the district's ADA rate. She listed other concerns: homeschooled students would not be subject to the district's academic, attendance and conduct requirements yet would use district-funded facilities, coaching, equipment and travel resources.
Trustee Debbie Guerra moved to approve the resolution and Trustee Cody James Reaves seconded the motion. The board president called for a vote and the motion carried with the board voting in favor.
The resolution, read aloud at the meeting, directs the superintendent or designee to notify the Texas Education Agency and to update district handbooks, policies and UIL representatives by Sept. 1, 2025. The resolution text posted and read at the meeting states the board's rationale: preserving limited resources, ensuring eligibility and maintaining the co-curricular program as a privilege for full-time enrolled students.
Board members discussed equity and program capacity concerns during the presentation. Vasquez answered questions about how adding homeschool students could affect practice time, equipment rotation and travel budgets. The board did not adopt phased or partial participation; it approved a district-wide opt-out effective for the 2025–26 school year.
The district indicated it will publish the opt‑out and update parent and community communications as required by the statute.
Action item details: the board approved a resolution opting out of Senate Bill 401 and directed staff to provide statutory notice and handbook updates.
