Resources
Welcome to the Bells ISD Family & Student Resources hub, your central destination for the tools and information necessary to navigate the school year successfully. This page serves as a "one-stop shop" for both new and returning families, providing direct access to the Ascender Parent Portal for managing student records and ClassLink for streamlined digital learning. From here, you can stay informed by reviewing our Student Handbooks and Attendance policies, ensuring your student remains on track for academic success.Whether you are seeking the latest Assessment schedules, checking meal balances via the EZ Pay Portal, or preparing for the upcoming term, we have centralized these resources to ensure you stay connected with our campus community.
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ATTENDANCE MATTERS
Every Day Counts!
Attendance is a vital part of your child's success in school. Regular school attendance is essential for a student to make the most of his or her education— to benefit from teacher-led and school activities, to build each day’s learning on the previous day’s, and to grow as an individual. Absences from class may result in serious disruption of a student’s mastery of the instructional materials; therefore, the student and parent should make every effort to avoid unnecessary absences. Families should try to schedule appointments, vacations, and other events around the school day and calendar.
In the event of an absence, notify the campus secretary that your child will be absent. When your child returns to school please send a note regarding your child’s absence. Be sure to include your name, the child's name, the dates of absence and the reason for the absence.
Proper documentation and accurate reporting of attendance is crucial to the well-being of school districts.
For an absence to be excused, a note must be turned into the campus office. A parent or guardian may write a handwritten note instead of using the form below; however, the note must include the details outlined in the Bells ISD Absence Note.
Questions about Excused vs. Unexcused Absence, check out the FAQ for more information!
Excused vs. Unexcused Absences FAQ
General Rules for Attendance
Compulsory Attendance
State law requires that a student between the ages of 6 and 19 attend school, as well as any applicable accelerated instruction program, extended year program, or tutorial session, unless the student is otherwise excused from attendance or legally exempt.
A student who voluntarily attends or enrolls after his or her 19th birthday is required to attend each school day until the end of the school year. If a student age 19 or older has more than five unexcused absences in a semester, the district may revoke the student’s enrollment. The student’s presence on school property thereafter would be unauthorized and may be considered trespassing. [See policy FEA.]
Exemptions to Compulsory Attendance All Grade Levels
State law allows exemptions to the compulsory attendance requirements for several types of absences if the student makes up all work. These include the following activities and events:
- Religious holy days;
- Required court appearances;
- Activities related to obtaining U.S. citizenship;
- Documented health-care appointments for the student or a child of the student, including absences for recognized services for students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, if the student comes to school or returns to school on the same day as the appointment. A note from the health-care provider must be submitted upon the student’s arrival or return to campus; and
- For students in the conservatorship (custody) of the state,
- An activity required under a court-ordered service plan; or
- Any other court-ordered activity, provided it is not practicable to schedule the student’s participation in the activity outside of school hours. As listed in Section I at Children of Military Families, absences of up to five days will be excused for a student to visit with a parent, stepparent, or legal guardian who has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or immediately returned from certain deployments.
Other Exemptions
- An absence will also be considered an exemption if a student 17 years of age or older is pursuing enlistment in a branch of the U.S. armed services or Texas National Guard, provided the absence does not exceed four days and the student provides verification to the district of these activities. Absences of up to two days in a school year will also be considered an exemption for:
- An early voting clerk, provided the district’s board has authorized this in policy FEA(LOCAL), the student notifies his or her teachers, and the student receives approval from the principal prior to the absences; and
- An election clerk, if the student makes up any work missed.
- An absence of a student in grades 6–12 for the purpose of sounding “Taps” at a military honors funeral for a deceased veteran will also be excused by the district. 26
Failure to Comply with Compulsory Attendance
All Grade Levels
School employees must investigate and report violations of the state compulsory attendance law. A student absent without permission from school; from any class; from required special programs, such as additional special instruction, termed “accelerated instruction” by the state; or from required tutorials will be considered in violation of the compulsory attendance law and subject to disciplinary action.
Students with Disabilities
If a student with a disability is experiencing attendance issues, the student’s ARD committee or Section 504 committee will be notified, and the committee will determine whether the attendance issues warrant an evaluation, a reevaluation, and/or modifications to the student's individualized education program or Section 504 plan, as appropriate.
When a student between ages 6 and 19 incurs unexcused absences for three or more days or parts of days within a four-week period, the school will send a notice to the student’s parent, as required by law, to remind the parent that it is the parent’s duty to monitor the student’s attendance and to require the student to come to school. The notice will also inform the parent that the district will initiate truancy prevention measures and request a conference between school administrators and the parent. These measures will include a behavior improvement plan, school-based community service, or referrals to either in-school or out-of-school counseling or other social services. Any other measures considered appropriate by the district will also be initiated.
Policy for Unexcused Absences
Truancy Prevention Measures: If the student fails to attend school without excuse on three or more days or parts of days within a four week period, the district shall initiate truancy prevention measures on the student. A campus administrator shall request a conference with the parents to:
- inform the parents it is their duty to monitor the student’s attendance
- explain the possibility and consequences of truancy charges if the pattern continues
- make the parents aware of the 90% attendance requirement in order to maintain credit
- implement strategies that will prevent future unexcused absences
District Complaint or Referral: If a student fails to attend school without excuse on ten or more days or parts of days within a 6 month period in the same school year, a district shall within ten school days of the student’s tenth absence refer the student to a truancy court. *Student Liability: A child (12 years old or older) engages in truant conduct if the child fails to attend school on ten or more days or parts of days within a six-month period in the same school year.
Note: The 90% attendance requirement in order to maintain credit does not distinguish between excused and unexcused absences. A student may be in danger of losing credit even if truancy charges are not filed.
Documentation after an Absence
When a student is absent from school, the student—upon arrival or return to school—must bring a note signed by the parent that describes the reason for the absence. A note signed by the student, even with the parent’s permission, will not be accepted unless the student is age 18 or older or is an emancipated minor under state law. A phone call from the parent may be accepted, but the district reserves the right to require a written note. The campus will document in its attendance records for the student whether the absence is considered by the district to be excused or unexcused. Note: Unless the absence is for a statutorily allowed reason under compulsory attendance laws, the district is not required to excuse any absence, even if the parent provides a note explaining the absence.
Doctor’s Note after an Absence for Illness
Within three (3) days of returning to school, a student absent for more than five (5) consecutive days because of a personal illness must bring a statement from a doctor or health clinic verifying the illness or condition that caused the student’s extended absence from school. Otherwise, the student’s absence may be considered unexcused and, if so, would be considered to be in violation of compulsory attendance laws. Should the student develop a questionable pattern of absences, the principal or attendance committee may require a statement from a doctor or health clinic verifying the illness or condition that caused the student’s absence from school to determine whether the absence or absences will be excused or unexcused. [See policy FEC(LOCAL).]
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To learn more about Texas Assessments, visit the website linked below.
Additionally, you can find specific Bells ISD testing windows and more on the Academics Assessments page.
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Bells ISD Classlink is used to access all instructiona learning material and more. It is a single-sign-on platform for teachers and students.