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Wichita Falls ISD trustees vote to opt out of Senate Bill 401 homeschool participation
Summary
The Wichita Falls Independent School District Board of Trustees voted to opt out of Senate Bill 401's requirement that homeschool students be allowed to participate in UIL and district extracurricular activities, approving the motion 5-1 after extended debate.
The Wichita Falls Independent School District Board of Trustees voted to opt out of Senate Bill 401's requirement that homeschool students be allowed to participate in UIL and district extracurricular activities, approving the motion 5-1 after an extended discussion of equity, funding and operational concerns.
Assistant Superintendent of Operations Scott Happley briefed trustees on the law and the practical differences between homeschool students and enrolled students, including attendance rules and academic credit requirements. Happley said previous district practice was to opt in; SB 401 changes that framework and, as presented to trustees, leaves several implementation details unresolved, including what TEA will pay this coming year for homeschool participation.
The discussion of SB 401 centered on three recurring issues: equitable academic expectations for participating students, the district's financial exposure and the logistics of integrating non‑enrolled participants into team rosters and schedules. Happley and trustees noted that TEA previously allowed districts to receive up to $1,500 per participating homeschooler per activity and that TEA later capped that amount at $3,000; however, Happley told the board the district was still awaiting TEA guidance for the upcoming year and could not say what funding would be available.
Trustees who opposed participation said they were concerned about enrollment incentives and the effect of transient or partial participation on team composition and instructional schedules. Trustees who supported allowing participation described limited experience from other Texas districts that opted in and reported minor participation in many cases.
Outcome and next steps: The board's vote officially registered Wichita Falls ISD as an opting‑out district for SB 401. The motion passed 5-1. Administration said it would track TEA guidance and return with any needed implementation steps or policy adjustments.
