UIL Still Waiting on Morath’s Decisions on New Rules

As of this posting, Education Commissioner Mike Morath has yet to issue his seal of approval on new UIL rules adopted on Oct. 27, 2025 (article).

“We have not received notification from TEA about the UIL rule changes approved in October,” UIL Communications Manager Julia Zachary told TexEdNews in an email sent late Tuesday afternoon (Jan. 6, 2026).

The pending rules awaiting the commissioner’s approval include a much-talked-about ban on foreign exchange students participating in varsity athletics starting in SY 2026-27.

State law requires the education commissioner to approve prospective UIL rules as the final step before they can take effect.