Homeschool benefits and savings in the Keller Independent School District
Keller ISD (Independent School District) lets homeschooled students who live inside its boundaries join UIL (University Interscholastic League) athletics, UIL band, choir, and theatre, and Air Force Junior ROTC. Registration for 2026-27 closed July 15, 2026, and the district will post 2027-28 information in spring 2027.
Who qualifies
Lives inside Keller ISD boundaries
You submit proof of residency, and the district verifies it before your child can move to the next enrollment step.
Passes a norm-referenced test
Middle and high school students show grade-level proficiency on a test such as the Iowa Test of Basic Skills or Stanford Achievement Test, given and reported by a third party within the previous school year.
Keeps passing grades
You send the district written verification, on Keller ISD's grading calendar, that your child is passing each course or subject.
Is homeschooled only
Students enrolled in another online charter, public, or private school cannot join. A child enrolled in a Keller ISD school during the current or previous school year must wait a full year.
What your child can join
The activities come from Keller ISD's homeschool athletics, fine arts, and Air Force Junior ROTC pages.
- UIL athletics
- 14 sports, including football, wrestling, swimming, water polo, and high school soccer
- High school marching band
- Audition by July, summer band in July, class every day August to November
- Band and choir concert and sight reading
- Spring only, audition by October, daily class from January
- High school theatre
- One Act Play, auditions late November or early December
- Air Force Junior ROTC
- Grades 9-12 at Central High School
Making a team or ensemble is not automatic: some sports hold tryouts, and fine arts students still audition after the district approves their application.
How to join
- Spring 2027
Watch for 2027-28 details
Keller ISD posts the next year's homeschool registration information during the spring semester.
- By July 15
Apply
Submit the homeschool participation form for your activity with proof of residency. Fine arts applications open the day after Memorial Day, and the JROTC window runs June 1 to July 15.
- Before the first six weeks
Send test scores
Turn in current third-party norm-referenced test results before the first six-week grading period of the year your child participates.
- Before the season
Finish enrollment
Athletes complete New Student Online Enrollment five weeks before the first contest, a physical a week before the first practice or tryout, and Rank One paperwork.
- Each grading period
Verify grades
Send written proof that your child is passing every subject, and declare your child's intent to play again each year.
What it includes
Included
- UIL athletics
- UIL band, choir, and One Act Play
- Air Force Junior ROTC at Central High School
- District transportation to and from games and events
Not included
- Non-UIL fine arts activities
- More than one athletic period a day
Good to know
Residency, testing, and passing grades decide eligibility
Your child must live in Keller ISD, be homeschooled only, show grade-level proficiency on a third-party norm-referenced test, and keep passing grades you verify in writing.
Who to contact about participation
Chief Academic Officer Jennifer Price answers general questions about homeschool participation in Keller ISD activities.
Jennifer.Price@kellerisd.net 817-744-1000 Homeschool extracurriculars
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Texas
You do not have to file a homeschool notice to the state.
Texas sets these rules:
- Subjects: Instruction in Texas must include reading, spelling, grammar, math, and good citizenship.
- Testing: No routine annual homeschool standardized test is required. UIL participation and public-school transfer can have separate testing requirements.
- Records: Texas does not require homeschool records, but keeping them is recommended.
- Teachers: Texas does not require homeschool parents to hold a teaching certificate.
Texas also has an education savings account that home-educated students can use.
- The Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA) awards $2,000 a year to selected home-education students for approved expenses. Applications for 2026-27 closed March 31, 2026; families who missed that cycle can join the 2027-28 interest list.
Read the Texas homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Texas
Questions parents ask
- Who do I call about Keller ISD band, choir, or theatre?
- Call Keller ISD Fine Arts at 817-744-1251 to get the homeschool fine arts application.
- Who handles JROTC questions?
- Sabrina Crambes in the Career and Technical Education Department answers JROTC eligibility and application questions at sabrina.crambes@kellerisd.net or 817-743-8019.
- Does my child have to ride the team bus?
- Yes. Homeschooled athletes must ride district-provided transportation to and from all games and events.
- Can my child take a private sports class during the school day too?
- No. A homeschooled student cannot take part in more than one athletic period a day, and that count includes private athletics outside Keller ISD.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
Local classes cover the subjects they offer. We teach the remaining subjects, so a local class can stay part of the year without becoming the whole curriculum.
$149/month per child after the trial.
Find benefits for your ZIP code