Student

Handbook

2023-2024
 Tomball ISD Student Handbook

Contents
Tomball ISD Student Handbook .................................................................................................. 0
TOMBALL INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT ....................................................................... 1
District Vision ........................................................................................................................... 1
District Mission Statement ....................................................................................................... 1
District Goals ........................................................................................................................... 1
Board of Trustees .................................................................................................................... 2
Chief Administration ................................................................................................................ 2
Tomball ISD Calendar ............................................................................................................. 3
Grading Periods ....................................................................................................................... 3
Preface Parents and Students: ................................................................................................ 4
Accessibility.......................................................................................................................... 5
Section One: Parental Rights................................................................................................... 6
Consent, Opt-Out, and Refusal Rights ................................................................................. 6
Consent to Conduct a Psychological Evaluation................................................................ 6
Consent to Human Sexuality Instruction ............................................................................ 6
Consent Before Instruction on Prevention of Child Abuse, Family Violence, Dating Violence, and
Sex Trafficking .................................................................................................................. 7
Consent to Provide a Mental-Health Care Service ............................................................ 8
Consent to Display a Student’s Original Works and Personal Information ......................... 8
Consent to Receive Parenting and Paternity Awareness Instruction if a Student is under Age 14
.......................................................................................................................................... 8
Consent to Video or Audio Record a Student when Not Already Permitted by Law ........... 9
Opting Out of Advanced Mathematics in Grades 6-8 ......................................................... 9
Limiting Electronic Communications between Students and District Employees ............... 9
Objecting to the Release of Directory Information ........................................................... 10
Objecting to the Release of Student Information to Military Recruiters and Institutions of Higher
Education (Secondary Grade Levels Only)...................................................................... 11
Participation in Third-Party Surveys ................................................................................ 11
Removing a Student from Instruction or Excusing a Student from a Required Component of
Instruction........................................................................................................................... 12
Reciting a Portion of the Declaration of Independence in Grades 3–12 ........................... 12
Reciting the Pledges to the U.S. and Texas Flags........................................................... 13
Religious or Moral Beliefs................................................................................................ 13
Tutoring or Test Preparation ........................................................................................... 13
Right of Access to Student Records, Curriculum Materials, and District Records/Policies .. 13
Parent Review of Instructional Materials ......................................................................... 13
District Review of Instructional Materials ......................................................................... 14
 Tomball ISD Student Handbook

Notices of Certain Student Misconduct to Noncustodial Parent ....................................... 14

Participation in Federally Required, State-Mandated, and District Assessments ............. 14
Student Records ............................................................................................................. 14
Teacher and Staff Professional Qualifications ................................................................. 18
A Student with Exceptionalities or Special Circumstances.................................................. 18
Children of Military Families ............................................................................................ 18
Parental Role in Certain Classroom and School Assignments......................................... 19
Student Use of a Service/Assistance Animal ................................................................... 19
A Student in the Conservatorship of the State (Foster Care) ........................................... 19
A Student Who Is Homeless ........................................................................................... 21
A Student Who Has Learning Difficulties or Who Needs Special Education or Section 504
Services .......................................................................................................................... 21
A Student Who Receives Special Education Services with Other School-Aged Children in the
Home .............................................................................................................................. 24
A Student Who Speaks a Primary Language Other than English .................................... 24
A Student with Physical or Mental Impairments Protected under Section 504 ................. 24
Section Two: Other Important Information for Parents and Students ..................................... 25
Absences/Attendance ........................................................................................................ 25
Compulsory Attendance .................................................................................................. 25
Compulsory Attendance—Exemptions ............................................................................ 26
Compulsory Attendance—Failure to Comply ................................................................... 27
Attendance for Credit or Final Grade (All Grade Levels).................................................. 28
Official Attendance-Taking Time (All Grade Levels) ........................................................ 29
Documentation after an Absence (All Grade Levels) ....................................................... 29
Doctor’s Note after an Absence for Illness (All Grade Levels) ......................................... 29
Driver License Attendance Verification (Secondary Grade Levels Only) ......................... 30
Excused/Unexcused Absences ....................................................................................... 30
Accountability under State and Federal Law (All Grade Levels) ......................................... 30
Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Test (Grades 10–12) ..................................... 30
Awards and Honors (All Grade Levels)............................................................................... 31
Academic Awards Program ............................................................................................. 31
Academic Letter of Excellence ........................................................................................ 31
Academic Recognition Program ...................................................................................... 31
Mr. and Miss Tomball High School and Tomball Memorial High School .......................... 31
National Honor Society.................................................................................................... 32
National Junior Honor Society ......................................................................................... 32
Bullying (All Grade Levels) ................................................................................................. 32
 Tomball ISD Student Handbook

Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Other Work-Based Programs (Secondary Grade Levels
Only) .................................................................................................................................. 35
Celebrations (All Grade Levels) .......................................................................................... 37
Child Sexual Abuse, Trafficking, and Other Maltreatment of Children (All Grade Levels) ... 37
Warning Signs of Sexual Abuse ...................................................................................... 37
Warning Signs of Trafficking............................................................................................ 38
Reporting and Responding to Sexual Abuse, Trafficking, and Other Maltreatment of Children
........................................................................................................................................ 39
Further Resources on Sexual Abuse, Trafficking, and Other Maltreatment of Children ... 39
Class Rank/Highest-Ranking Student (Secondary Grade Levels Only) .............................. 39
Class Schedules (Secondary Grade Levels Only) .............................................................. 40
College and University Admissions and Financial Aid (All Grade Levels) ........................... 40
College Credit Courses (Secondary Grade Levels Only) .................................................... 41
Communications (All Grade Levels) ................................................................................... 42
Parent Contact Information ............................................................................................. 42
Automated Emergency Communications ........................................................................ 42
Automated Nonemergency Communications .................................................................. 42
Complaints and Concerns (All Grade Levels) ..................................................................... 42
Conduct (All Grade Levels) ................................................................................................ 43
Applicability of School Rules ........................................................................................... 43
Deliveries ........................................................................................................................ 43
Disruption of School Operations ...................................................................................... 43
Social Events .................................................................................................................. 44
Contact Information ............................................................................................................ 44
Contagious Diseases/Conditions ........................................................................................ 44
Counseling ......................................................................................................................... 44
Academic Counseling ..................................................................................................... 45
Personal Counseling (All Grade Levels) .......................................................................... 46
Course Credit (Secondary Grade Levels Only) ................................................................... 46
Credit by Examination—If a Student Has Taken the Course/Subject (Grades 6–12) .......... 46
Credit by Examination for Advancement/Acceleration—If a Student Has Not Taken the
Course/Subject ................................................................................................................... 46
Kindergarten Acceleration ............................................................................................... 47
Students in Grades 1–5................................................................................................... 47
Students in Grades 6–12................................................................................................. 47
Custody Disputes ............................................................................................................... 47
Dating Violence, Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation (All Grade Levels) .............. 48
 Tomball ISD Student Handbook

Dating Violence ............................................................................................................... 48

Discrimination ................................................................................................................. 49
Harassment..................................................................................................................... 49
Sexual Harassment and Gender-Based Harassment ...................................................... 49
Retaliation ....................................................................................................................... 50
Reporting Procedures ..................................................................................................... 50
Investigation of Report .................................................................................................... 51
Discrimination ..................................................................................................................... 51
Distance Learning (All Grade Levels) ................................................................................. 51
Texas Virtual School Network (TXVSN) (Secondary Grade Levels) ................................ 52
Distribution of Literature, Published Materials, or Other Documents (All Grade Levels) ...... 52
School Materials.............................................................................................................. 52
Nonschool Materials ........................................................................................................ 52
Dress and Grooming (All Grade Levels) ............................................................................. 53
Dress Code for Extracurricular Activities ......................................................................... 55
Electronic Devices and Technology Resources (All Grade Levels) ..................................... 55
Possession and Use of Personal Telecommunications Devices, Including Cell Phones, and Other
Electronic Devices........................................................................................................... 55
Instructional Use of Personal Telecommunications and Other Electronic Devices........... 57
Acceptable Use of District Technology Resources .......................................................... 57
Unacceptable and Inappropriate Use of Technology Resources ..................................... 57
End-of-Course (EOC) Assessments ................................................................................... 58
Emergent Bilingual Students (All Grade Levels) ................................................................. 58
Extracurricular Activities, Clubs, and Organizations (All Grade Levels) .............................. 58
Individual Activity/Extracurricular Regulations and Handbooks........................................ 59
Academic Eligibility ......................................................................................................... 59
Standards of Behavior ..................................................................................................... 60
Student Clubs/Organizations ........................................................................................... 61
Student Activities and Travel .............................................................................................. 61
Fees (All Grade Levels) ...................................................................................................... 62
Fundraising (All Grade Levels) ........................................................................................... 62
Gang-Free Zones (All Grade Levels) .................................................................................. 63
Gender-Based Harassment ................................................................................................ 63
Grade-Level Classification (Grades 9–12 Only) .................................................................. 63
Grading Guidelines (All Grade Levels) ............................................................................... 63
Late Enrollment/Transfers ............................................................................................... 63
TAP, Dual Credit Courses ............................................................................................... 64
 Tomball ISD Student Handbook

Semester Exams ............................................................................................................. 64

Exam Exemptions ........................................................................................................... 64
Graduation (Secondary Grade Levels Only) ....................................................................... 65
Requirements for a Diploma ............................................................................................ 65
Testing Requirements for Graduation.............................................................................. 66
Available Course Options for All Graduation Programs ................................................... 69
Certificates of Coursework Completion ........................................................................... 69
Students with Disabilities................................................................................................. 69
Graduation Activities ....................................................................................................... 69
Honor Graduates............................................................................................................. 70
Service Cords ................................................................................................................. 70
Graduation Speakers ...................................................................................................... 70
Graduation Expenses ...................................................................................................... 70
Scholarships and Grants ................................................................................................. 71
Harassment ........................................................................................................................ 71
Hazing (All Grade Levels)................................................................................................... 71
Health—Physical and Mental.............................................................................................. 71
Illness (All Grade Levels) ................................................................................................ 71
Immunization (All Grade Levels) ..................................................................................... 72
Lice (All Grade Levels) .................................................................................................... 73
Medicine at School (All Grade Levels)............................................................................. 74
Asthma and Severe Allergic Reactions ........................................................................... 75
Unassigned Opioid Antagonists (Secondary Campuses Only) ........................................ 75
Steroids (Secondary Grade Levels Only) ........................................................................ 75
Mental Health Support (All Grade Levels) ....................................................................... 75
Physical Activity Requirements ....................................................................................... 77
Physical Fitness Assessment (Grades 3–12) .................................................................. 77
Physical Health Screenings/Examinations....................................................................... 78
Special Health Concerns (All Grade Levels).................................................................... 79
Tobacco and E-Cigarettes Prohibited (All Grade Levels and All Others on School Property)
........................................................................................................................................ 80
Health-Related Resources, Policies, and Procedures......................................................... 80
Physical and Mental Health Resources (All Grade Levels) .............................................. 80
Policies and Procedures that Promote Student Physical and Mental Health (All Grade Levels)
........................................................................................................................................ 80
School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) (All Grade Levels) ............................................ 81
Student Wellness Policy/Wellness Plan (All Grade Levels) ............................................. 81
 Tomball ISD Student Handbook

Homework (All Grade Levels) ............................................................................................. 81

Late Work (Secondary Grade Levels Only) ..................................................................... 82
Law Enforcement Agencies (All Grade Levels) ................................................................... 82
Questioning of Students .................................................................................................. 82
Students Taken into Custody .......................................................................................... 82
Notification of Law Violations........................................................................................... 83
Leaving Campus (All Grade Levels) ................................................................................... 83
During Lunch................................................................................................................... 84
At Any Other Time during the School Day ....................................................................... 84
Lost and Found (All Grade Levels) ..................................................................................... 84
Makeup Work ..................................................................................................................... 84
Makeup Work Because of Absence (All Grade Levels) ................................................... 84
DAEP Makeup Work ....................................................................................................... 85
In-School Suspension (ISS) and Out-of-School Suspension (OSS) Makeup Work (All Grade
Levels) ............................................................................................................................ 85
Messages or Deliveries for Students .................................................................................. 85
Nondiscrimination Statement (All Grade Levels)................................................................. 85
Nontraditional Academic Programs (All Grade Levels) ....................................................... 86
Grad Lab ......................................................................................................................... 86
Tomball Success Academy ............................................................................................. 87
Parent and Family Engagement (All Grade Levels) ............................................................ 87
Working Together............................................................................................................ 87
Parking and Parking Permits (Secondary Grade Levels Only) ............................................ 88
Parties ................................................................................................................................ 89
Pledges of Allegiance and a Minute of Silence (All Grade Levels) ...................................... 89
Prayer (All Grade Levels) ................................................................................................... 89
Promotion and Retention .................................................................................................... 90
Elementary and Middle/Junior High Grade Levels ........................................................... 90
Repeating Prekindergarten or Kindergarten – Grade 8 at Parent Request ...................... 90
High School Grade Levels ............................................................................................... 90
Repeating a High-School Credit Course .......................................................................... 90
Release of Students from School ....................................................................................... 91
Remote Instruction ............................................................................................................. 91
Report Cards/Progress Reports and Conferences (All Grade Levels) ................................ 91
Retaliation .......................................................................................................................... 91
Required State Assessments ............................................................................................. 91
STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) for Grades 3-8 .............. 91
 Tomball ISD Student Handbook

Standardized Testing for a Student Enrolled Above Grade Level .................................... 92

High School Courses End-of-Course (EOC) Assessments .............................................. 92
Requesting Administration of STAAR/EOC in Paper Format (All Grade Levels) .............. 92
Standardized Testing for a Student in Special Programs................................................. 92
Failure to Perform Satisfactorily on a STAAR or EOC Assessment ................................. 93
Personal Graduation Plan – Junior High School Students ............................................... 93
Safety (All Grade Levels).................................................................................................... 93
Accident Insurance.......................................................................................................... 94
Insurance for Career and Technical Education (CTE) Programs ..................................... 94
Crime Stoppers Safe School Program............................................................................. 94
Preparedness Drills: Evacuation, Severe Weather, and Other Emergencies ................... 94
Preparedness Training: CPR and Stop the Bleed............................................................ 94
Emergency Medical Treatment and Information .............................................................. 95
Emergency Procedures ................................................................................................... 95
Emergency School Closing Information........................................................................... 95
SAT, ACT, and Other Standardized Tests .......................................................................... 96
Schedule Changes (Middle/Junior High and High School Grade Levels) ............................ 96
School Facilities ................................................................................................................. 96
Asbestos Management Plan (All Grade Levels) .............................................................. 96
Food and Nutrition Services (All Grade Levels) ............................................................... 96
Pest Management Plan (All Grade Levels) ...................................................................... 98
Conduct Before and After School (All Grade Levels) ....................................................... 98
Food and Drink ............................................................................................................... 99
Library (All Grade Levels)................................................................................................ 99
Use of Hallways during Class Time (All Grade Levels) .................................................... 99
Use by Students Before and After School (All Grade Levels) .......................................... 99
Meetings of Noncurriculum-Related Groups (Secondary Grade Levels Only) ................. 99
School-Sponsored Field Trips (All Grade Levels) ............................................................... 99
Searches .......................................................................................................................... 100
Searches in General (All Grade Levels) ........................................................................ 100
District Property (All Grade Levels) ............................................................................... 100
Metal Detectors (All Grade Levels) ................................................................................ 100
Telecommunications and Other Electronic Devices (All Grade Levels) ......................... 100
Trained Dogs (All Grade Levels) ................................................................................... 101
Drug Testing (Secondary Grade Levels Only) ............................................................... 101
Vehicles on Campus (Secondary Grade Levels Only) ................................................... 101
 Tomball ISD Student Handbook

Sexual Harassment .......................................................................................................... 101

Special Programs (All Grade Levels) ................................................................................ 101
Standardized Testing ....................................................................................................... 102
SAT/ACT (Scholastic Aptitude Test and American College Test) .................................. 102
TSI (Texas Success Initiative) Assessment ................................................................... 102
Student Speakers (All Grade Levels)................................................................................ 102
Summer School (All Grade Levels)................................................................................... 102
Tardies (All Grade Levels) ................................................................................................ 102
Textbooks, Electronic Textbooks, Technological Equipment, and Other Instructional Materials (All
Grade Levels)................................................................................................................... 103
Transfers (All Grade Levels) ............................................................................................. 103
Transcripts ....................................................................................................................... 104
Transportation (All Grade Levels) ..................................................................................... 104
School-Sponsored Trips ................................................................................................ 104
Buses and Other School Vehicles ................................................................................. 104
SMART tag ................................................................................................................... 105
Vandalism (All Grade Levels) ........................................................................................... 106
Video Cameras (All Grade Levels) ................................................................................... 106
Visitors to the School (All Grade Levels) .......................................................................... 106
General Visitors............................................................................................................. 106
Unauthorized Persons ................................................................................................... 107
Visitors Participating in Special Programs for Students ................................................. 107
Volunteers (All Grade Levels) ........................................................................................... 107
Voter Registration (Secondary Grade Levels Only) .......................................................... 108
Withdrawing from School (All Grade Levels) .................................................................... 108
Glossary .............................................................................................................................. 109
Appendix: Freedom from Bullying Policy............................................................................. 112
 Tomball ISD Student Handbook

TOMBALL INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT

District Vision
Tomball ISD students will lead in creating the future.

District Mission Statement

Tomball ISD educates students to become responsible, productive citizens by providing

innovative, individually rigorous, and personally valuable educational experiences.

District Goals

1. Tomball ISD will develop, continuously enhance and utilize rigorous college, career, and life-
ready curriculum that is responsive to the needs of individual learners.
2. Tomball ISD will provide multiple sources of high quality academic content that infuses
technology in learning experiences and instruction.
3. Tomball ISD will attract, develop and retain high quality staff through a well –defined,
personally valuable professional development plan and support structure.
4. Tomball ISD will foster a culture of caring and compassionate educators to provide a
supportive learning environment.
5. Tomball ISD will promote academic success by engaging students through real-world
experiences while cultivating independent thinking and creative problem solving.
6. Tomball ISD will prepare our graduates to succeed in the college/career path of their choice.
7. Tomball ISD will promote an emotionally and physically safe and secure learning
environment.
8. Tomball ISD will be fiscally responsible while meeting the educational and facility needs of
the students.
9. Tomball ISD will inspire students to develop and exhibit character traits that are reflective of
community standards.
10. Tomball ISD will actively engage and involve parents and the community.

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 Tomball ISD Student Handbook

Board of Trustees
Lee McLeod ........................................................................................................................... President
John McStravick ............................................................................................................. Vice-President
Justin Unser ............................................................................................................................ Secretary
Mark Lewandowski ............................................................................................... Assistant Secretary
Dr. Michael Pratt …..……………………..………………………………………………………………………………….Trustee
Ms. Tina Salem .......................................................................................................................... Trustee
Matt Schiel ................................................................................................................................ Trustee

Chief Administration
Dr. Martha Salazar-Zamora .......................................................................................... Superintendent
Dr. Amy Schindewolf ........................................................................................................ Chief of Staff
Dr. Steven Gutierrez ......................................................................................... Chief Operating Officer
Zachary Boles ..................................................................................................... Chief Financial Officer
Dr. Michael Webb ............................................................................................ Chief Academic Officer
Holly Sherman .............................................................................................................General Counsel

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 Tomball ISD Student Handbook

Tomball ISD Calendar

August 7-August 11 ............................................................................................. Staff Development
August 14 ............................................................................................................ Staff Development
August 15 ............................................................................................................ First Day of School
September 4......................................................................................................... Labor Day Holiday
October 6 and 9…………………………………………………………………Staff Development/Student Holiday
November 6 and 7 ...................................................................Staff Development/Student Holiday
November 20-25 ............................................................................................. Thanksgiving Holiday
December 21- January 3 .............................................................................................. Winter Break
January 4-5 ...............................................................................Staff Development/Student Holiday
January 15 ........................................................................................................................... MLK Day
February 16 ..............................................................................Staff Development/Student Holiday
February 19 ............................................................................................................... Presidents Day
March 8………………………………………………………………………….....Staff Development/Student Holiday
March 11-15 .................................................................................................................. Spring Break
March 18 ..................................................................................Staff Development/Student Holiday
March 29 ........................................................................................................................ Good Friday
May 23 ................................................................................................................. Last Day of School
May 24 .................................................................................................................. Teacher Workday
May 27 .......................................................................................................... Memorial Day Holiday
May 28…………………………………………………………………………………………………….…….Staff Development

Grading Periods
August 15 – October 13 ......................................................................................... First Nine Weeks
October 16 – December 20 ............................................................................... Second Nine Weeks
January 8 – March 8 .............................................................................................. Third Nine Weeks
March 19 – May 23 ............................................................................................ Fourth Nine Weeks

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 Tomball ISD Student Handbook

Preface Parents and Students:

Welcome to the new school year!
Education is a team effort. Students, parents, teachers, and other staff members working
together will make this a successful year.
The Tomball Independent School District Student Handbook is a general reference guide that is
divided into two sections:
Section One: Parental Rights describes certain parental rights as specified in state or federal
law.
Section Two: Other Important Information for Parents and Students is organized
alphabetically by topic. Where applicable, the topics are further organized by grade level.
Note: Unless otherwise noted, the term “parent” refers to the parent, legal guardian, any person
granted some other type of lawful control of a student, or any other person who has agreed to
assume school-related responsibility for a student.
The Student Handbook is designed to align with law, board-adopted policy, and the Student
Code of Conduct, a board-adopted document intended to promote school safety and an
atmosphere for learning. The Student Handbook is not meant to be a complete statement of all
policies, procedures, or rules in any given circumstance.
In case of conflicts between board policy (including the Student Code of Conduct) and any
Student Handbook provision, the district will follow board policy and the Student Code of
Conduct.
Therefore, parents and students should become familiar with the Tomball Independent School
District Student Code of Conduct. To review the Code of Conduct, visit the district’s website at
www.tomballisd.net. State law requires that the Code of Conduct be prominently displayed or
made available for review at each campus.
The Student Handbook is updated annually; however, policy adoption and revisions may occur
throughout the year. The district encourages parents to stay informed of proposed policy
changes by attending board meetings and reviewing communications explaining changes in
policy or other rules that affect Student Handbook provisions. The district reserves the right to
modify the Student Handbook at any time. Notice of revisions will be provided as is reasonably
practical.
Although the Student Handbook may refer to rights established through law or district policy, it
does not create additional rights for parents and students. It does not, nor is it intended to,
represent a contract between any parent or student and the district.
A hard copy of either the Student Code of Conduct or Student Handbook can be requested at
each student’s campus.
Note: References to board policy codes are included for ease of reference. The hard copy of
the district’s official policy manual is available for review in the district administration office, and
an unofficial electronic copy is available at www.tomballisd.net.

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 Tomball ISD Student Handbook

The policy manual includes:

• Legally referenced (LEGAL) policies that contain provisions from federal and state laws and
regulations, case law, and other legal authorities that provide the legal framework for school
districts.
• Board-adopted (LOCAL) policies that articulate the board’s choices and values regarding
district practices.
For questions about the material in this handbook, please contact the campus principal:
Parents are required to submit and annually update important information on students, such as
emergency contacts, medical information, etc. A reminder notice along with instructions for
completing this process will be sent by mail or email during the summer. Other pertinent forms
may be sent with your child or by mail or email. Please review these carefully and return them
promptly.
[See Objecting to the Release of Directory Information on page 10 and Consent Required
Before Student Participation in a Federally Funded Survey on page 11 for more
information.]
Accessibility
If you have difficulty accessing this handbook because of a disability, please contact the Director
of Communications at 281-357-3100.

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 Tomball ISD Student Handbook

Section One: Parental Rights

This section describes certain parental rights as specified in state or federal law.
Consent, Opt-Out, and Refusal Rights
Consent to Conduct a Psychological Evaluation
Unless required under state or federal law, a district employee will not conduct a psychological
examination, test, or treatment without obtaining prior written parental consent.
Note: An evaluation may be legally required under special education rules or by the Texas
Education Agency for child abuse investigations and reports.
Consent to Human Sexuality Instruction
Annual Notification
As a part of the district’s curriculum, students receive instruction related to human sexuality. The
School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) makes recommendations for curriculum materials, and
the school board adopts the materials and determines the specific content of the instruction.
Per state law, here is a summary of the district’s curriculum regarding human sexuality
instruction:
As a part of the 4th grade Health curriculum for girls and the 5th grade Health curriculum for all
students, students receive instruction related to human development and reproduction.
Additionally, as part of the high school coordinated health framework, students may receive
instruction related to human sexuality through a parent opt-in process. The course syllabus for
each of these courses will contain information regarding human sexuality instruction. For further
information, see the following link on the SHAC webpage on the district website:
https://www.tomballisd.net/community/distirct-committees/school-health-advisory-
counsel/growth-and-development
In accordance with state law, a parent may:
• Review, receive a copy of, or purchase a copy of curriculum materials depending on the
copyright of the materials.
• Remove his or her child from any part of the human sexuality instruction without academic,
disciplinary, or other penalties.
• Become involved in the development of this curriculum by being appointed as a member of
the district’s SHAC or attending SHAC meetings. (See the campus principal for details.)
• Use the district’s grievance procedure concerning a complaint. See Complaints and
Concerns (All Grade Levels) on page 35 and FNG(LOCAL).
State law also requires that instruction related to human sexuality, sexually transmitted
diseases, or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immune deficiency syndrome
(AIDS):
• Present abstinence from sexual activity as the preferred choice in relationship to all sexual
activity for unmarried persons of school age;
• Devote more attention to abstinence from sexual activity than to any other behavior;

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 Tomball ISD Student Handbook

• Emphasize that abstinence, if used consistently and correctly, is the only method that is 100
percent effective in preventing pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, and the emotional
trauma associated with adolescent sexual activity;
• Direct adolescents to abstain from sexual activity before marriage as the most effective way
to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases; and
• If included in the content of the curriculum, teach contraception and condom use in terms of
human use reality rates instead of theoretical laboratory rates.
[See Consent Before Instruction of Prevention of Child Abuse, Family Violence, Dating
Violence, and Sex Trafficking on page 7]
Consent Before Human Sexuality Instruction
Before a student receives human sexuality instruction, the district must obtain written consent
from the student’s parent. Parents will be sent a request for written consent at least 14 days
before the instruction will begin.
Consent Before Instruction on Prevention of Child Abuse, Family Violence, Dating
Violence, and Sex Trafficking
Before a student receives instruction on the prevention of child abuse, family violence, dating
violence and sex trafficking, the district must obtain written consent from the student’s parent.
Parents will be sent a request for written consent at least 14 days before the instruction will
begin.
Annual Notification
As part of the high school coordinated health framework, students may receive instruction
related to the prevention of child abuse, family violence, and dating violence through a parent
opt-in process. The School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) makes recommendations for
curriculum materials, and the school board adopts the materials and determines the specific
content of the instruction. The course syllabus for each of these courses will contain information
regarding the content of instruction. For further information, see the following link on the SHAC
webpage of the district’s website: https://www.tomballisd.net/community/distirct-
committees/school-health-advisory-counsel/growth-and-development
In accordance with state law, a parent may:
1. Review, receive a copy of, or purchase a copy of curriculum materials depending on the
copyright of the materials. As required by law, any curriculum materials in the public
domain used in this instruction will be posted on the district’s website at the location
indicated above.
2. Remove his or her child from any part of this instruction without academic, disciplinary, or
other penalties.
3. Become involved in the development of this curriculum by being appointed as a member of
the district’s SHAC or attending SHAC meetings. (See the campus principal for details.)
4. Use the district’s grievance procedure concerning a complaint. See Complaints and
Concerns (All Grade Levels) on page 42 and FNG for information on the grievance and
appeals process.
[See Consent to Human Sexuality Instruction on page 6; Dating Violence on page 48; and
Child Sexual Abuse, Trafficking, and Other Maltreatment of Children on page 37]

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Consent to Provide a Mental-Health Care Service

The district will not provide a mental health care service to a student or conduct a medical
screening of a student as part of the district’s intervention procedures except as permitted by
law.
The district has established procedures for recommending to a parent an intervention for a
student with early warning signs of mental health concerns, substance abuse, or suicide risk.
The district will notify the student’s parent within a reasonable amount of time after the liaison
learns that a student has displayed early warning signs and provide information about available
counseling options.
Tomball ISD implements a continuum of behavioral health supports, which include programs for
social and emotional learning development, substance abuse disorder, tele-counseling, and
mental health supports. All district behavioral health supports for individual student intervention
require parental notification and consent. Any referrals to behavioral health agencies outside of
Tomball ISD must also require parental consent.
The district has also established procedures for staff to notify the campus counselor regarding a
student who may need intervention.
The campus counselor can provide further information regarding these procedures as well as
curriculum materials on identifying risk factors, accessing resources for treatment or support on
and off campus, and accessing available student accommodations provided on campus.
For further information, see Mental Health Support on page 75.
Consent to Display a Student’s Original Works and Personal Information
Teachers may display a student’s work in classrooms or elsewhere on campus as recognition of
student achievement without seeking prior parental consent. These displays may include
personally identifiable student information. Student work includes:
• Artwork,
• Special projects,
• Photographs,
• Original videos or voice recordings, and
• Other original works.
However, the district will seek parental consent before displaying a student’s work on the
district’s website, a website affiliated or sponsored by the district (such as a campus or
classroom website), or in district publications, which may include printed materials, videos, or
other methods of mass communication.
Consent to Receive Parenting and Paternity Awareness Instruction if a Student is under
Age 14
A student under age 14 must have parental permission to participate in the district’s Parenting
and Paternity Awareness Program (https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/child-
support/programs-and-initiatives/parenting-and-paternity-awareness-papa/papa-
educators/papa-curriculum).. This program was developed by the Office of the Texas Attorney

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General and the State Board of Education (SBOE) to be incorporated into health education
classes.
Consent to Video or Audio Record a Student when Not Already Permitted by Law
State law permits the school to make a video or voice recording without parental permission
when it:
• Is to be used for school safety,
• Relates to classroom instruction or a cocurricular or extracurricular activity,
• Relates to media coverage of the school, or
• Relates to the promotion of student safety as provided by law for a student receiving special
education services in certain settings.
In other circumstances, the district will seek written parental consent before making a video or
voice recording of a student.
Please note that parents, students, and visitors to a classroom, both virtual and in person, may
not record video or audio or take photographs or other still images without permission from the
teacher or other school official.
Opting Out of Advanced Mathematics in Grades 6-8
The district will automatically enroll a student in grade 6 in an advanced mathematics course if
the student performed in the top 40 percent on the grade 5 mathematics STAAR or a local
measure that demonstrates proficiency in the student’s grade 5 mathematics course work.
Enrollment in an advanced mathematics course in grade 6 will enable students to enroll in
Algebra I in grade 8 and advanced mathematics in grades 9-12.
The student’s parent may opt the student out of automatic enrollment in an advanced
mathematics course.
Limiting Electronic Communications between Students and District Employees
The district permits teachers and other approved employees to use electronic communications
with students within the scope of professional responsibilities, as described by district
guidelines.
For example, a teacher may create a social networking page for his or her class to relay
information regarding class work, homework, and tests. A parent is welcome to access such a
page.
However, text messages sent to an individual student are only allowed if a district employee with
responsibility for an extracurricular activity must communicate with a student participating in that
activity.
The employee is required to include his or her immediate supervisor and the student’s parent as
recipients on all text messages.
A parent who does not want his or her child to receive one-to-one electronic communications
from a district employee should contact the campus principal.

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Objecting to the Release of Directory Information

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA, permits the district to disclose
appropriately designated “directory information” from a student’s education records without
written consent.
“Directory information” is information that, if released, is generally not considered harmful or an
invasion of privacy. Examples include:
• A student’s photograph (for publication in the school yearbook);
• A student’s name and grade level (for communicating class and teacher assignments);
• The name, weight, and height of an athlete (for publication in a school athletic program);
• A list of student birthdays (for generating schoolwide or classroom recognition);
• A student’s name and photograph (posted on a district-approved and-managed social media
platform); and
• The names and grade levels of students submitted by the district to a local newspaper or
other community publication (to recognize the A/B honor roll for a specific grading period.)
Directory information will be released to anyone who follows procedures for requesting it.
However, a parent or eligible student may object to the release of this information. This
objection must be made in writing documented through the online enrollment process.
The district requests that families living in a shelter for survivors of family violence or trafficking
notify district personnel that the student currently resides in such a shelter. Families may want to
opt out of the release of directory information so that the district does not release any
information that might reveal the location of such a shelter.
As allowed by state law, the district has identified two directory information lists—one for school-
sponsored purposes and a second for all other requests. For district publications and
announcements, the district has designated the following as directory information: student’s
name; address; photograph; date of birth; major field of study; honors and awards; dates of
attendance, grade level, most recent school previously attended, enrollment status, participation
in officially recognized activities and sports; weight and height, if a member of an athletic team;
and student identification numbers and identifiers that cannot be used alone to gain access to
electronic education records. If a parent does not object to the use of his or her child’s
information for these school-sponsored purposes, the school will not ask permission each time
the district wants to use the information for these purposes.
For all other purposes, the district has identified the following as directory information: student’s
name; major field of study; honors and awards; grade level; enrollment status; participation in
officially recognized activities and sports; and weight and height of members of athletic teams. If
a parent does not object to the use of the student’s information for these purposes, the school
must release this information when requested by an outside entity or individual.
Note: Also see Authorized Inspection and Use of Student Records on page 15.

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Objecting to the Release of Student Information to Military Recruiters and Institutions of

Higher Education (Secondary Grade Levels Only)
Unless a parent has advised the district not to release his or her student’s information, the Every
Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires the district to comply with requests from military
recruiters or institutions of higher education to provide the following information about students:
• Name,
• Address, and
• Telephone listing (the district will release the number associated with the primary contact
designated in enrollment records)
Military recruiters may also have access to a student’s district-provided email address, unless a
parent has advised the district not to release this information.
A form is available in your online annual enrollment packet if you do not want the district to
provide this information to military recruiters or institutions of higher education.
[See Parent’s Objection to the Release of Student Information to Military Recruiters and
Institutions of Higher Education, included in the forms packet.]
Participation in Third-Party Surveys
Consent Required Before Student Participation in a Federally Funded Survey
The Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) provides parents certain rights regarding
participation in surveys, the collection and use of information for marketing purposes, and
certain physical exams.
A parent has the right to consent before a student is required to submit to a survey funded by
the U.S. Department of Education that concerns any of the following protected areas:
• Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or the student’s parent;
• Mental or psychological problems of the student or the student’s family;
• Sex behavior or attitudes;
• Illegal, antisocial, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior;
• Critical appraisals of individuals with whom the student has a close family relationship;
• Legally recognized privileged relationships, such as with lawyers, doctors, and ministers;
• Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or parent; or
• Income, except when the information is required by law and will be used to determine the
student’s eligibility for a program.
A parent may inspect the survey or other instrument and any corresponding instructional
materials used in connection with such a survey. [See policy EF(LEGAL) for more information.]
“Opting Out” of Participation in Other Types of Surveys or Screenings and the
Disclosure of Personal Information
The PPRA gives parents the right to receive notice and an opportunity to opt a student out of:

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• Activities involving the collection, disclosure, or use of personal information gathered from
the child for the purpose of marketing, selling, or otherwise disclosing that information to
others.
• Any nonemergency, invasive physical examination or screening required as a condition of
attendance, administered by the school or its agent, and not necessary to protect the
immediate health and safety of the student.
Exceptions are hearing, vision, or spinal screenings, or any physical examination or screening
permitted or required under state law. [See policies EF and FFAA for more information.]
A parent may inspect:
• Protected information surveys of students and surveys created by a third party;
• Instruments used to collect personal information from students for any of the above
marketing, sales, or other distribution purposes; and
• Instructional material used as part of the educational curriculum.
The ED provides extensive information about the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment
(https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/resources/protection-pupil-rights-amendment-ppra-general-
guidance), including a PPRA Complaint Form (https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/file-a-complaint).
Removing a Student from Instruction or Excusing a Student from a Required
Component of Instruction
See Consent to Human Sexuality Instruction on page 6 and Consent Before Instruction on
Prevention of Child Abuse, Family Violence, Dating Violence, and Sex Trafficking on page 7 for
information on a parent’s right to remove a student from such instruction.
Reciting a Portion of the Declaration of Independence in Grades 3–12
State law designates the week of September 17 as Celebrate Freedom Week and requires all
social studies classes provide the following:
• Instruction concerning the intent, meaning, and importance of the Declaration of
Independence and the U.S. Constitution, and
• A specific recitation from the Declaration of Independence for students in grades 3–12.
Per state law, a student may be excused from recitation of a portion of the Declaration of
Independence if any of the following apply:
• A parent provides a written statement requesting that his or her child be excused,
• The district determines that the student has a conscientious objection to the recitation, or
• A parent is a representative of a foreign government to whom the U.S. government extends
diplomatic immunity.
[See policy EHBK(LEGAL) for more information.]

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Reciting the Pledges to the U.S. and Texas Flags

A parent may request that his or her child be excused from participation in the daily recitation of
the Pledge of Allegiance to the U.S. flag and the Pledge of Allegiance to the Texas flag. The
request must be made in writing.
State law, however, requires that all students participate in one minute of silence following
recitation of the pledges.
[See Pledges of Allegiance and a Minute of Silence on page 89 and policy EC(LEGAL) for
more information.]
Religious or Moral Beliefs
A parent may remove his or her child temporarily from the classroom if a scheduled instructional
activity conflicts with the parent’s religious or moral beliefs.
The removal may not be used to avoid a test and may not extend for an entire semester. The
student must also satisfy grade-level and graduation requirements as determined by the school
and by state law.
Tutoring or Test Preparation
A teacher may determine that a student needs additional targeted assistance for the student to
achieve mastery in state-developed essential knowledge and skills based on:
• Informal observations,
• Evaluative data such as grades earned on assignments or tests, or
• Results from diagnostic assessments.
The school will always attempt to provide tutoring and strategies for test-taking in ways that
prevent removal from other instruction as much as possible.
In accordance with state law and policy EC, districts must obtain parental permission before
removing a student from a regularly scheduled class for remedial tutoring or test preparation for
more than ten percent of the days the class is offered.
If a district offers tutorial services to students, state law requires a student with a grade below 70
for a reporting period to attend.
[For questions about school-provided tutoring programs, contact the student’s teacher and see
policies EC and EHBC. See Standardized Testing on page 102 for information regarding
required accelerated instruction after a student fails to perform satisfactorily on certain state-
mandated tests.]
Right of Access to Student Records, Curriculum Materials, and District
Records/Policies
Parent Review of Instructional Materials
A parent has the right to review teaching materials, textbooks, and other teaching aids and
instructional materials used in the curriculum, and to examine tests that have been
administered, whether instruction is delivered in person, virtually, or remotely.

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The district will make instructional materials available for parent review no later than 30 days
before the school year begins and for at least 30 days after the school year ends. However,
tests that have not yet been administered will not be made available for parent examination.
The district will provide login credentials to each student’s parent for any learning management
system or online learning portal used in instruction to facilitate parent access and review.
A parent is also entitled to request that the school allow the student to take home instructional
materials the student uses. The school may ask the student to return the materials at the
beginning of the next school day.
A school must provide printed versions of electronic instructional materials to a student if the
student does not have reliable access to technology at home.
District Review of Instructional Materials
A parent may request that the district conduct an instructional material review in a math, English
Language Arts, science, or social studies class in which the parent’s student is enrolled to
determine alignment with state standards and the level of rigor for the grade level.
The district is not required to conduct an instructional material review for a specific subject area
or grade level at a specific campus more than once per school year.
For more information about requesting an instructional material review, contact the campus
principal.
Notices of Certain Student Misconduct to Noncustodial Parent
A noncustodial parent may request in writing that he or she be provided, for the remainder of the
school year, a copy of any written notice usually provided to a parent related to his or her child’s
misconduct that may involve placement in a disciplinary alternative education program (DAEP)
or expulsion. [See the Student Code of Conduct and policy FO(LEGAL) for more information.]
Participation in Federally Required, State-Mandated, and District Assessments
In accordance with the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), a parent may request information
regarding any federal, state, or district policy related to his or her child’s participation in required
assessments.
Student Records
Accessing Student Records
A parent may review his or her child’s records. These records include:
• Attendance records,
• Test scores,
• Grades,
• Disciplinary records,
• Counseling records,
• Psychological records,
• Applications for admission,

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• Health and immunization information,

• Other medical records,
• Teacher and school counselor evaluations,
• Reports of behavioral patterns,
• Records relating to assistance provided for learning difficulties, including information
collected regarding any intervention strategies used with the child, as the term “intervention
strategy” is defined by law,
• State assessment instruments that have been administered to the child, and
• Teaching materials and tests used in the child’s classroom.
Authorized Inspection and Use of Student Records
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords parents and eligible students
certain rights regarding student education records.
For purposes of student records, an “eligible” student is anyone age 18 or older or who attends
a postsecondary educational institution. These rights, as discussed here and at Objecting to
the Release of Directory Information on page 10, are the right to:
• Inspect and review student records within 45 days after the day the school receives a
request for access;
• Request an amendment to a student record the parent or eligible student believes is
inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of FERPA;
• Provide written consent before the school discloses personally identifiable information from
the student’s records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without
consent; and
• File a complaint (https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/file-a-complaint) with the U.S. Department of
Education concerning failures by the school to comply with FERPA requirements.
.
Both FERPA and state laws safeguard student records from unauthorized inspection or use and
provide parents and eligible students certain rights of privacy.
Before disclosing personally identifiable information from a student’s records, the district must
verify the identity of the person, including a parent or the student, requesting the information.
Virtually all information pertaining to student performance—including grades, test results, and
disciplinary records—is considered confidential educational records.
Inspection and release of student records is restricted to an eligible student or a student’s
parent unless the school receives a copy of a court order terminating parental rights or the right
to access a student’s education records. A parent’s rights regarding access to student records
are not affected by the parent’s marital status.
Federal law requires that control of the records goes to the student as soon as the student:
• Reaches the age of 18,

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• Is emancipated by a court, or
• Enrolls in a postsecondary educational institution.
However, the parent may continue to have access to the records if the student is a dependent
for tax purposes and, under limited circumstances, when there is a threat to the health and
safety of the student or other individuals.
FERPA permits the disclosure of personally identifiable information from a student’s education
records without written consent of the parent or eligible student when school officials have what
federal law refers to as a “legitimate educational interest” in a student’s records.
• Legitimate educational interest may include:
• Working with the student;
• Considering disciplinary or academic actions, the student’s case, or an individualized
education program for a student with disabilities;
• Compiling statistical data;
• Reviewing an educational record to fulfill the official’s professional responsibility; or
• Investigating or evaluating programs.
• School officials may include:
• Board members and employees, such as the superintendent, administrators, and
principals;
• Teachers, school counselors, diagnosticians, and support staff (including district
health or medical staff);
• A person or company with whom the district has contracted or allowed to provide a
specific institutional service or function (such as an attorney, consultant, third-party
vendor that offers online programs or software, auditor, medical consultant, therapist,
school resource officer, or volunteer);
• A person appointed to serve on a team to support the district’s safe and supportive
school program;
• A parent or student serving on a school committee; or
• A parent or student assisting a school official in the performance of his or her duties.
FERPA also permits the disclosure of personally identifiable information without written consent:
• To authorized representatives of various governmental agencies, including juvenile service
providers, the U.S. Comptroller General’s office, the U.S. Attorney General’s office, the U.S.
Secretary of Education, the Texas Education Agency, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture’s
office, and Child Protective Services (CPS) caseworkers or, in certain cases, other child
welfare representatives.
• To individuals or entities granted access in response to a subpoena or court order.
• To another school, district/system, or postsecondary educational institution to which a
student seeks or intends to enroll or in which the student already is enrolled.

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• In connection with financial aid for which a student has applied or has received.
• To accrediting organizations to carry out accrediting functions.
• To organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of, the school to develop, validate, or
administer predictive tests; administer student aid programs; or improve instruction.
• To appropriate officials in connection with a health or safety emergency.
• When the district discloses directory information-designated details. [To prohibit this
disclosure, see Objecting to the Release of Directory Information on page 10.]
Release of personally identifiable information to any other person or agency—such as a
prospective employer or for a scholarship application—will occur only with parental or student
permission as appropriate.
The principal is custodian of all records for currently enrolled students at the assigned school.
The records management officer is the custodian of all records for students who have withdrawn
or graduated.
A parent or eligible student who wants to inspect the student’s records should submit a written
request to the custodian of records identifying the records he or she wants to inspect.
Records may be reviewed in person during regular school hours. The records custodian or
designee will be available to explain the record and to answer questions.
A parent or eligible student who submits a written request and pays copying costs of ten cents
per page may obtain copies. If circumstances prevent inspection during regular school hours
and the student qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, the district will either provide a copy of
the records requested or make other arrangements for the parent or student to review the
records.
You may contact the custodian of records for currently enrolled students by accessing the
physical and email address of the campus principal on each campus website available through
the district website at www.tomballisd.net.
You may contact the custodian of records for students who have withdrawn or graduated at:
The Superintendent’s Office
310 S. Cherry Street, Tomball, TX 77375
281-357-3100
A parent or eligible student may inspect the student’s records and request a correction or
amendment if the records are considered inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the
student’s privacy rights.
A request to correct a student’s record should be submitted to the appropriate custodian of
records. The request must clearly identify the part of the record that should be corrected and
include an explanation of how the information is inaccurate. If the district denies the request to
amend the records, the parent or eligible student has the right to request a hearing. If after the
hearing the records are not amended, the parent or eligible student has 30 school days to place
a statement in the student’s record.
Although improperly recorded grades may be challenged, contesting a student’s grade in a
course or on an examination is handled through the complaint process found in policy

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FNG(LOCAL). A grade issued by a teacher can be changed only if, the board of trustees
determines the grade is arbitrary, erroneous, or inconsistent with the district’s grading
guidelines.
[See Report Cards/Progress Reports and Conferences on page 91, Complaints and
Concerns on page 42, and Finality of Grades at policy FNG(LEGAL).]
The district’s student records policy is found at policy FL(LEGAL) and (LOCAL) and is available
at the principal’s or superintendent’s office or on the district’s website at
https://pol.tasb.org/Policy/Code/600?filter=FL.
Note: The parent’s or eligible student’s right of access to and copies of student records does not
extend to all records. Materials that are not considered educational records—such as a
teacher’s personal notes about a student shared only with a substitute teacher—do not have to
be made available.
Teacher and Staff Professional Qualifications
A parent may request information regarding the professional qualifications of his or her child’s
teachers, including whether the teacher:
• Has met state qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in
which the teacher provides instruction,
• Has an emergency permit or other provisional status for which state requirements have
been waived, and
• Is currently teaching in the field of discipline of his or her certification.
The parent also has the right to request information about the qualifications of any
paraprofessional who may provide services to the child.
A Student with Exceptionalities or Special Circumstances
Children of Military Families
The Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunities for Military Children
(https://www.dodea.edu/partnership/interstatecompact.cfm) entitles children of military families
to flexibility regarding certain district and state requirements, including:
• Immunization requirements;
• Grade level, course, or educational program placement;
• Eligibility requirements for participation in extracurricular activities;
• Enrollment in the Texas Virtual School Network (TXVSN); and
• Graduation requirements.
The district will excuse absences related to a student visiting a parent, including a stepparent or
legal guardian, who is:
• Called to active duty,
• On leave, or
• Returning from a deployment of at least four months.

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The district will permit no more than five excused absences per year for this purpose. For the
absence to be excused, the absence must occur no earlier than the 60th day before deployment
or no later than the 30th day after the parent’s return from deployment.
Additional information may be found at Military Family Resources at the Texas Education
Agency.
Parental Role in Certain Classroom and School Assignments
Multiple-Birth Siblings
State law permits a parent of multiple-birth siblings (e.g., twins, triplets) assigned to the same
grade and campus to request in writing that the children be placed in either the same classroom
or separate classrooms.
Written requests must be submitted by the 14th day after the students’ enrollment. [See policy
FDB(LEGAL) for more information.]
Safety Transfers/Assignments
The board or its designee will honor a parent’s request to transfer his or her child to another
classroom or campus if the district has determined that the child has been a victim of bullying,
including cyberbullying, as defined by Education Code 37.0832.
The board may transfer a student who has engaged in bullying to another classroom. The board
will consult with the parent of a child who has engaged in bullying before deciding to transfer the
child to another campus.
Transportation is not provided for a transfer to another campus. See the principal for more
information.
[See Bullying on page 32, and policies FDB and FFI for more information.]
The district will honor a parent’s request for the transfer of his or her child to a safe public school
in the district if the child attends a school identified by the Texas Education Agency as
persistently dangerous or if the child has been a victim of a violent criminal offense while at
school or on school grounds.
[See policy FDE for more information.]
The board will honor a parent’s request for the transfer of his or her child to another district
campus if the child has been the victim of sexual assault by another student assigned to the
same campus, whether the assault occurred on or off campus, and that student has been
convicted of or placed on deferred adjudication for the assault. In accordance with policy FDE, if
the victim does not wish to transfer, the board will transfer the assailant.
Student Use of a Service/Assistance Animal
A parent of a student who uses a service/assistance animal because of the student’s disability
must submit a written request to the principal before bringing the service/assistance animal on
campus. The district will try to accommodate a request as soon as possible but will do so within
ten district business days.
A Student in the Conservatorship of the State (Foster Care)
In an effort to provide educational stability, the district will provide enrollment and registration
assistance, as well as other educational services throughout the student’s enrollment, to any

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student who is currently placed or newly placed in foster care (temporary or permanent custody
of the state, sometimes referred to as substitute care).
A student in the conservatorship (custody) of the state who enrolls in the district after the
beginning of the school year will be allowed credit-by-examination opportunities at any point
during the year.
The district will assess the student’s available records to determine transfer of credit for subjects
and courses taken before the student’s enrollment in the district.
The district will award partial course credit when the student only passes one half of a two-half
course. [For provisions on partial course credit for students who are not in the conservatorship
of the state, see EI(LOCAL).]
A student in the conservatorship of the state who is moved outside the district’s or school’s
attendance boundaries—or who is initially placed in the conservatorship of the state and moved
outside the district’s or school’s boundaries—is entitled to remain at the school the student was
attending prior to the placement or move until the student reaches the highest grade level at that
particular school.
If a student in grade 11 or 12 transfers to another district but does not meet the graduation
requirements of the receiving district, the student can request a diploma from the previous
district if the student meets its graduation criteria.
For a student in the conservatorship of the state who is eligible for a tuition and fee exemption
under state law and likely to be in care on the day preceding the student’s 18th birthday, the
district will:
• Assist the student with the completion of applications for admission or financial aid;
• Arrange and accompany the student on campus visits;
• Assist in researching and applying for private or institution-sponsored scholarships;
• Identify whether the student is a candidate for appointment to a military academy;
• Assist the student in registering and preparing for college entrance examinations, including
(subject to the availability of funds) arranging for the payment of examination fees by the
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS); and
• Coordinate contact between the student and a liaison officer for students formerly in the
conservatorship of the state.
If you have questions, please contact the district’s foster care liaison:
Robyn Bradshaw
310 S. Cherry Street
281-357-3100
[See Credit by Examination for Advancement/Acceleration on page 46 and Course Credit
on page 46.

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A Student Who Is Homeless

A parent is encouraged to inform the district if his or her child is experiencing homelessness.
District staff can share resources that may be able to assist families.
A student who is homeless will be provided flexibility regarding certain district provisions,
including:
• Proof of residency requirements;
• Immunization requirements;
• Educational program placement (if the student is unable to provide previous academic
records or misses an application deadline during a period of homelessness);
• Credit-by-examination opportunities at any point during the year (if the student enrolled in
the district after the beginning of the school year), per State Board of Education (SBOE)
rules;
• Assessment of the student’s available records to determine transfer of credit for subjects
and courses taken before the student’s enrollment in the district;
• Awarding partial credit when a student passes only one half of a two-half course;
• Eligibility requirements for participation in extracurricular activities; and
• Graduation requirements.
Federal law allows a student who is homeless to remain enrolled in the “school of origin” or to
enroll in a new school in the attendance area where the student is currently residing.
If a student who is homeless in grade 11 or 12 transfers to another district but does not meet the
graduation requirements of the receiving district, state law allows the student to request a
diploma from the previous district if the student meets the criteria to graduate from the previous
district.
A student or parent who is dissatisfied by the district’s eligibility, school selection, or enrollment
decision may appeal through policy FNG(LOCAL). The district will expedite local timelines,
when possible, for prompt dispute resolution.
For more information on services for students who are homeless, contact the district’s homeless
education liaison:
Robyn Bradshaw
310 S. Cherry Street
281-357-3100
[See Credit by Examination for Advancement/Acceleration on page 46, Course Credit on
page 46, and Students who are Homeless on page Error! Bookmark not defined..]
A Student Who Has Learning Difficulties or Who Needs Special Education or Section 504
Services
For those students who are having difficulty in the regular classroom, all school districts must
consider tutorial, compensatory, and other academic or behavior support services that are
available to all students, including a process based on Response to Intervention (RtI). The

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implementation of RtI has the potential to have a positive impact on the ability of districts to
meet the needs of all struggling students.
If a student is experiencing learning difficulties, his or her parent may contact the individuals
listed below to learn about the school’s overall general education referral or screening system
for support services.
This system links students to a variety of support options, including making a referral for a
special education evaluation or for a Section 504 evaluation to determine whether the student
needs specific aids, accommodations, or services. A parent may request an evaluation for
special education or Section 504 services at any time.
Special Education Referrals
If a parent makes a written request for an initial evaluation for special education services to the
director of special education services or to a district administrative employee of the school
district, the district must respond no later than 15 school days after receiving the request. At
that time, the district must give the parent prior written notice of whether it agrees or refuses to
evaluate the student, along with a copy of the Notice of Procedural Safeguards. If the district
agrees to evaluate the student, it must also give the parent the opportunity to give written
consent for the evaluation.
Note: A request for a special education evaluation may be made verbally; it does not need to be
made in writing. Districts must still comply with all federal prior-written notices and procedural
safeguard requirements as well as the requirements for identifying, locating, and evaluating
children who are suspected of having a disability and in need of special education. However, a
verbal request does not require the district to respond within the 15 school-day timeline.
If the district decides to evaluate the student, it must complete the student’s initial evaluation
and evaluation report no later than 45 school days from the day it receives a parent’s written
consent. However, if the student is absent from school during the evaluation period for three or
more school days, the evaluation period will be extended by the number of school days equal to
the number of school days that the student is absent.
There is an exception to the 45-school-day timeline. If the district receives a parent’s consent
for the initial evaluation at least 35 but less than 45 school days before the last instructional day
of the school year, it must complete the written report and provide a copy of the report to the
parent by June 30 of that year. However, if the student is absent from school for three or more
days during the evaluation period, the June 30 due date no longer applies. Instead, the general
timeline of 45 school days plus extensions for absences of three or more days will apply.
Upon completing the evaluation, the district must give the parent a copy of the evaluation report
at no cost.
Additional information regarding special education is available from the school district in a
companion document titled Parent’s Guide to the Admission, Review, and Dismissal Process.
Contact Person for Special Education Referrals
The designated contact person regarding options for a student experiencing learning difficulties
or regarding a referral for evaluation for special education services is:
Keri Williams
Director of Special Services

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281-357-3140
For questions regarding post-secondary transitions, including the transition from education to
employment, for students receiving special education services, contact the district’s transition
and employment designee:
Nancy Newton
281-357-3140
Section 504 Referrals
Each school district must have standards and procedures in place for the evaluation and
placement of students in the district’s Section 504 program. Districts must also implement a
system of procedural safeguards that includes:
• Notice,
• An opportunity for a parent or guardian to examine relevant records,
• An impartial hearing with an opportunity for participation by the parent or guardian and
representation by counsel, and
• A review procedure.
Contact Person for Section 504 Referrals
The designated person to contact regarding options for a student experiencing learning
difficulties or regarding a referral for evaluation for Section 504 services is:
Steven Shiels
Director of Guidance and Counseling
281-357-3140
[See A Student with Physical or Mental Impairments Protected under Section 504 on page
24.]
Visit these websites for information regarding students with disabilities and the family:
• Legal Framework for the Child-Centered Special Education Process
• Partners Resource Network
• Special Education Information Center
• Texas Project First
Notification to Parents of Intervention Strategies for Learning Difficulties Provided to
Students in General Education
In accordance with state law, the district will annually notify parents if their child receives
assistance for learning difficulties. Details of such assistance can include intervention strategies.
This notice is not intended for those students already enrolled in a special education program.

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A Student Who Receives Special Education Services with Other School-Aged Children in
the Home
If a student is receiving special education services at a campus outside his or her attendance
zone, state law permits the parent or guardian to request that other students residing in the
household be transferred to the same campus—if the grade level for the transferring student is
offered on that campus.
The student receiving special education services would be entitled to transportation; however,
the district is not required and does not provide transportation to other children in the household.
A Student Who Speaks a Primary Language Other than English
A student may be eligible to receive specialized support if his or her primary language is not
English, and the student has difficulty performing ordinary class work in English.
If the student qualifies for these services, the Language Proficiency Assessment Committee
(LPAC) will determine the types of services the student needs, including accommodations or
modifications related to classroom instruction, local assessments, and state-mandated
assessments.
[See Emergent Bilingual Students on page 58 and Special Programs on page 101.]
A Student with Physical or Mental Impairments Protected under Section 504
A student with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity, as
defined by law—and who does not otherwise qualify for special education services—may qualify
for protections under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
Section 504 is a federal law designed to prohibit discrimination against individuals with
disabilities.
When an evaluation is requested, a committee will be formed to determine whether the student
needs services and supports under Section 504 in order to receive a free appropriate public
education (FAPE), as defined in federal law.
[See A Student Who Has Learning Difficulties or Who Needs Special Education or Section
504 Services on page 21 and policy FB for more information.]

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Section Two: Other Important Information for Parents and Students

This section contains important information on academics, school activities, and school
operations and requirements.
It is organized alphabetically to serve as a quick-reference guide. Where applicable, the topics
are further organized by grade level.
Parents and children should take a moment together to become familiar with the issues
addressed in this section. For guidance on a particular topic, please contact your student’s
principal.
Absences/Attendance
Regular school attendance is essential. Absences from class may result in serious disruption of
a student’s education. The student and parent should avoid unnecessary absences.
Two important state laws are discussed below—one dealing with compulsory attendance and
the other with how attendance affects the award of a student’s final grade or course credit—are
discussed below.
Compulsory Attendance
Prekindergarten and Kindergarten
Students enrolled in prekindergarten or kindergarten are required to attend school and are
subject to the compulsory attendance requirements as long as they remain enrolled.
Ages 6–18
State law requires that a student who is at least six years of age, or who is younger than six
years of age and has previously been enrolled in first grade, and who has not yet reached their
19th birthday, shall 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.
State law requires a student in kindergarten–grade 2 to attend any assigned accelerated
reading instruction program. Parents will be notified in writing if their child is assigned to an
accelerated reading instruction program based on a diagnostic reading instrument.
A student will be required to attend any assigned accelerated instruction program before or after
school or during the summer if the student does not meet the passing standards on an
applicable subject area state assessment.
Age 19 and Older
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 the student incurs 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 for more information.]

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Compulsory Attendance—Exemptions
All Grade Levels
State law allows exemptions to the compulsory attendance requirements for the following
activities and events, as long as the student makes up all work:
• Religious holy days
• Required court appearances;
• Appearing at a governmental office to obtain U.S. citizenship;
• Taking part in a U.S. naturalization oath ceremony
• Serving as an election clerk
• Documented health-care appointments for the student or a child of the student, including
absences related to autism services, if the student returns to school on the same day of the
appointment. A note from the health-care provider must be submitted within 3 days of the
student’s arrival or return to campus;
• Absences resulting from a serious or life-threatening illness or related treatment that makes
a student’s attendance infeasible, with certification by a physician;
• For students in the conservatorship 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.
For children of military families, absences of up to five days will be excused for a student to visit
a parent, stepparent, or legal guardian going to, on leave from, or returning from certain
deployments. [See Children of Military Families on page 18 for more information.]
Note that documented health-care appointments may include telehealth appointments. Students
who are physically on campus will not be allowed to participate in telehealth or other online
appointments without specific authorization from an appropriate administrator. Students should
not use district-issued technology, including wifi or internet, for telehealth appointments because
use of district-owned equipment and its network systems is not private and may be monitored
by the district. For more information, see Telecommunication and Other Electronic Devices
on page 100

Secondary Grade Levels

The district will allow a student who is 15 years of age or older to be absent for one day to
obtain a learner license and one day to obtain a driver’s license, provided that the board has
authorized such excused absences under policy FEA(LOCAL). The student will be required to
provide documentation of his or her visit to the driver’s license office for each absence and must
make up any work missed.
[See Driver License Attendance Verification on page 30.]

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The district will allow junior and senior students to be absent for up to two days per year to visit
a college or university if the following conditions are met:
• The board has authorized such excused absences under policy FEA(LOCAL);
• The principal has approved the student’s absence; and
• The student follows campus procedures to verify the visit and makes up any work missed
The district will allow a student 17 years old or older to be absent for up to four days during the
period the student is enrolled in high school to pursue enlistment in the U.S. armed services or
Texas National Guard, provided the student verifies these activities to the district.
The district will allow a student to be absent for up to two days per school year to serve as:
• 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; or
• An election clerk, if the student makes up any work missed.
The district will allow a student in grades 6–12 to be absent for the purpose of sounding “Taps”
at a military honors funeral for a deceased veteran.
Compulsory Attendance—Failure to Comply
All Grade Levels
School employees must investigate and report violations of the compulsory attendance law.
A student who is absent without permission from school, any class, any required special
program, or any required tutorial 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 or Section 504
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.
Ages 6–18
When a student ages 6–18 incurs three or more unexcused absences within a four-week period,
the law requires the school to send notice to the parent.
The notice will:
• Remind the parent of his or her duty to monitor the student’s attendance and require the
student to attend school;
• Request a conference between school administrators and the parent; and
• Inform the parent that the district will initiate truancy prevention measures, including a
behavior improvement plan, school-based community service, referrals to counseling or
other social services, or other appropriate measures.
The truancy prevention facilitator for the district is:

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Robyn Bradshaw
310 S. Cherry St., Tomball, TX 77375
281-357-3100
For any questions about student absences, parents should contact the facilitator or any other
campus administrator.
A court of law may impose penalties against the parent if a school-aged student is deliberately
not attending school. The district may file a complaint against the parent if the student incurs ten
or more unexcused absences within a six-month period in the same school year.
If a student age 12–18 incurs ten or more unexcused absences within a six-month period in the
same school year, the district, in most circumstances, will refer the student to truancy court.
[See policies FEA(LEGAL) and FED(LEGAL) for more information.]
Age 19 and Older
After a student age 19 or older incurs a third unexcused absence, the district is required by law
to send the student a letter explaining that the district may revoke the student’s enrollment for
the remainder of the school year if the student has more than five unexcused absences in a
semester. As an alternative to revoking a student’s enrollment, the district may implement a
behavior improvement plan.
Attendance for Credit or Final Grade (All Grade Levels)
To receive credit or a final grade in a class, a student must attend the class at least 90 percent
of the days it is offered. A student who attends at least 75 percent but fewer than 90 percent of
the days may receive credit or a final grade if he or she completes a plan, approved by the
principal, that allows the student to fulfill the class’s instructional requirements. If a student is
involved in a criminal or juvenile court proceeding, the judge presiding over the case must also
approve the plan before the student receives credit or a final grade.
If a student attends fewer than 75 percent of the class days or does not complete the principal-
approved plan, then the attendance review committee will determine whether there are
extenuating circumstances for the absences and how the student can regain credit or a final
grade. [See policy FEC for more information.]
With the exception of absences due to serious or life-threatening illness or related treatment, all
absences, excused or unexcused, may be held against a student’s attendance requirement. To
determine whether there were extenuating circumstances for any absences, the attendance
committee will consider:
• Whether the student has mastered the essential knowledge and skills and maintained
passing grades in the course or subject
• Whether the student has completed makeup work satisfactorily. If the student completes
makeup work, absences listed under Compulsory Attendance—Exemptions on page 26
will be considered extenuating circumstances.
• Any information presented to the committee about the absences.
The student or parent may appeal the committee’s decision to the board by following policy
FNG(LOCAL).

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Official Attendance-Taking Time (All Grade Levels)

The superintendent designates official attendance taking time at each campus as stated on the
district website
A student absent for any portion of the day, should follow the procedures below to provide
documentation of the absence.
Documentation after an Absence (All Grade Levels)
When a student is absent from school, the student—upon arrival or return to school—must bring
or send by email (from the email address the campus has on file for the parent) a note signed
by the parent that describes the reason for the absence. The note must be turned in within 3
days of the student’s return to school.
A note signed by the student 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.
Additionally, if absences become excessive, the student may be required to submit a doctor’s
note verifying illness for the absences to be excused.
The campus will document in its attendance records whether the absence is excused or
unexcused.
Note: The district is not required to excuse any absence, even if the parent provides a note
explaining the absence, unless the absence is an exemption under compulsory attendance
laws.
Doctor’s Note after an Absence for Illness (All Grade Levels)
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,
licensed in the United States, verifying the illness or condition that caused the absence.
Otherwise, the absence may be considered unexcused and in violation of compulsory
attendance laws. Please note: a student who is absent due to testing positive for COVID must
submit documentation of the positive test result within one week of the student returning to
school in order for the absences to be considered excused and/or to be waived for purposes of
exam exemptions in the spring.
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 absence to determine whether an absence will be excused or
unexcused.
[See policy FEC(LOCAL) for more information.]
Certification of Absence Due to Severe Illness or Treatment
If a student is absent because of a serious or life-threatening illness or related treatment that
makes a student’s attendance infeasible, a parent must provide certification from a physician
licensed to practice in Texas specifying the student’s illness and the anticipated period of
absence related to the illness or treatment.

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Driver License Attendance Verification (Secondary Grade Levels Only)

A currently enrolled student seeking a driver’s license shall submit the Texas Department of
Public Safety Verification of Enrollment and Attendance Form (VOE), signed by the parent, to
the campus central office at least 10 days before it is needed. The district will issue a VOE only
if the student meets class credit or attendance requirements. The VOE form is available at:
https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/driver/forms/VOE.pdf.
Further information may be found on the Texas Department of Public Safety website:
https://www.dps.texas.gov/section/driver-license.
See Compulsory Attendance—Exemptions for Secondary Grade Levels on page 26 or
information on excused absences for obtaining a learner license or driver’s license.
Excused/Unexcused Absences
Absences will be classified as “excused or unexcused.” Absences that are documented and
verified for the following reasons will be classified as excused:
• Personal Illness (with a doctor’s or parent note)
• Serious illness or death in the immediate family (with relevant documentation)
• Medical or dental appointments (with a doctor’s note)
• Weather or road conditions making travel dangerous
• Extenuating circumstances approved by the principal (5 day maximum per school year)
Absences for reasons other than those listed above will be considered unexcused.
Accountability under State and Federal Law (All Grade Levels)
Tomball Independent School District and each of its campuses are held to certain standards of
accountability under state and federal law. A key component of accountability is the
dissemination and publication of certain reports and information, including:
• The Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR) for the district, compiled by the Texas
Education Agency (TEA), based on academic factors and ratings;
• A School Report Card (SRC) for each campus in the district, compiled by TEA;
• The district’s financial management report, which includes the financial accountability rating
assigned to the district by TEA; and
• Information compiled by TEA for the submission of a federal report card that is required by
federal law.
Accountability information can be found on the district’s website at www.tomballisd.net . Hard
copies of any reports are available upon request to the district’s administration office.
TEA maintains additional accountability and accreditation information at TEA Performance
Reporting Division.
Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Test (Grades 10–12)
A student in grades 10–12 will be offered an opportunity to take the Armed Services Vocational
Aptitude Battery test and consult with a military recruiter.

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The date, time, and location of the test will be posted on each high school campus website prior
to the test.
Contact the principal for information about this opportunity.
Awards and Honors (All Grade Levels)
Academic Awards Program
Outstanding performance by students is recognized in a variety of ways at the campus level.
In addition to recognition at the campus level, the Tomball ISD Board of Trustees sponsors an
annual Academic Awards Program. It is the intention of the TISD Board of Trustees to
recognize as many outstanding students as possible. In so doing, students are not eligible to
receive this award in consecutive years. The only exception to this occurs during a student’s
senior year in high school; if any of the top four seniors have received this award as a junior,
they are eligible to receive the award again as a senior.
Selection of junior high school students will be based upon their weighted grade point average
(semester grade + 5% for Pre-AP and Accelerated Courses; semester grade + 10% for high
school credit courses for the current year as of the end of the first semester). Grades eligible for
calculating each student’s weighted grade average are those earned throughout the regular
school year, including approved transfer grades. Credit earned for the Office Aide position and
for Off-Campus Physical Education does not count toward academic recognition. Selection of
high school students will be based upon their cumulative high school grade point average as of
the end of the first semester. Students must be enrolled for a minimum of two full nine-week
grading periods in order to be eligible.
On each campus, for grades 2-6, students will be selected based on academic achievement as
measured by their composite report card numerical average through the third nine-weeks
grading cycle in the core subject areas (i.e. language arts, math, science, and social studies).
In grades 2-5 the student with the highest average will be selected. At grade six, quality points
will be used to weight grades of 70 and above for Pre-AP, Pre-AP/GT, and accelerated classes.
Additional information will be considered in case of ties. Transfer students may be considered
for A+ Student of the Year if they have been enrolled in Tomball ISD for a minimum of one
semester or two consecutive nine weeks periods.
Academic Letter of Excellence
The high schools award an Academic Letter of Excellence to qualifying students. Please see
the counselor for criteria.
Academic Recognition Program
The Renaissance Academic Booster Club and the Academic Recognition Club, organizations of
volunteer parents, work with local businesses to secure incentives to be used to recognize
students who are achieving academic excellence and/or overall improvement.
Mr. and Miss Tomball High School and Tomball Memorial High School
Each year the faculty will nominate outstanding seniors for the titles of Mr. and Miss Tomball
High School and Mr. and Miss Tomball Memorial High School. Candidates must have
maintained a 70 average or better in each course for the preceding semester and have not been
guilty of a major disciplinary infraction within the year of his or her candidacy. From the list of

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nominees, the senior class will elect Mr. and Miss Tomball High School and Mr. and Miss
Tomball Memorial High School.
National Honor Society
The National Honor Society works to bring the accomplishment of outstanding high school
students to the attention of their classmates, their parents, and the college they plan to attend.
Each year members of an advisory council select the new members of a Tomball ISD Chapter
of the NHS. Candidates eligible for membership in a chapter must have a minimum grade point
average of 96.000 and have attended a Tomball ISD high school for at least one semester.
Only students in grades 11 and 12 are eligible for membership, which is based on scholarship,
service and character. A copy of the NHS handbook and constitution are on file in the
principal’s office and available for review upon request.
National Junior Honor Society
Membership in the National Junior Honor Society shall be based upon scholarship, school
citizenship, service, leadership, and character. To be considered for election to the National
Junior Honor Society, a student must have a minimum cumulative semester average of 96.000.
Eligible candidates will be considered for selection by a faculty council who will review the
qualifications of all candidates, including grades, conduct, and the application packet. A copy of
the NJHS handbook and constitution are on file in the principal's office and available for review
upon request.
Bullying (All Grade Levels)
The district strives to prevent bullying, in accordance with the district’s policies, by promoting a
positive school culture; building healthy relationships between students and staff; encouraging
reporting of bullying incidents, including anonymous reporting; and investigating and addressing
reported bullying incidents.
Bullying is defined in state law as a single significant act or a pattern of acts by one or more
students directed at another student that exploits an imbalance of power and involves engaging
in written or verbal expression, expression through electronic means, or physical conduct that:
• Has the effect or will have the effect of physically harming a student, damaging a student’s
property, or placing a student in reasonable fear of harm to the student’s person or of
damage to the student’s property;
• Is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive enough that the action or threat creates an
intimidating, threatening, or abusive educational environment for a student;
• Materially and substantially disrupts the educational process or the orderly operation of a
classroom or school; or
• Infringes on the rights of the victim at school.
Bullying includes cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is defined in state law as bullying that is done
using any electronic communication device, including:
• A cellular or other type of telephone
• A computer
• A camera

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• Electronic mail
• Instant messaging
• Text messaging
• A social media application
• An internet website
• Any other internet-based communication tool.
Bullying is prohibited by the district and could include:
• Hazing
• Threats
• Taunting
• Teasing
• Confinement
• Assault
• Demands for money
• Destruction of property
• Theft of valued possessions
• Name-calling
• Rumor-spreading
• Ostracism.
The district will integrate into instruction research-based content designed to reduce bullying
that is appropriate for students’ age groups.
Students in elementary grades will participate in:
• Instruction designed so that students can recognize bullying behaviors and how to report
them
• Age-appropriate discussions that encourage peers to intervene when they observe bullying
occur
• Instruction that characterizes bullying as a behavior that results from the student’s need to
acquire more mature social or coping skills, not an unchangeable trait

Students in secondary grades will participate in:

• Instruction on the brain’s ability to change and grow so the student recognizes bullying
behavior can come from a developmental need to acquire more social skills, can change
when the brain matures and learns better ways of coping, and is not an unchangeable trait

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• Discussions that portray bullying as undesirable behavior and a means for attaining or
maintaining social status at school, and that discourage students from using bullying as a
tool for social status
• Instruction designed so that students recognize the role that reporting bullying behaviors
plays in promoting a safe school community
The district will use an age-appropriate survey regarding school culture that includes relevant
questions on bullying to identify and address student concerns.
Each campus has a committee that addresses bullying by focusing on prevention efforts and
health and wellness initiatives. The committee will include parents and secondary students. For
more information on this committee, including interest in serving on the committee, contact the
campus principal.
If a student believes that he or she has experienced bullying or witnesses the bullying of another
student, the student or parent should notify a teacher, school counselor, principal, or another
district employee as soon as possible. Any district employee aware of a report of a bullying
incident will relay the report to an appropriate administrator. Procedures for reporting allegations
of bullying may be found on the district’s website.
A student may anonymously report an alleged incident of bullying by accessing the Anonymous
Alert Smartphone application or website link found on the district website and using the district
code.
The administration will investigate any allegations of bullying and related misconduct. The
district will also provide notice to the parent of the alleged victim and the parent of the student
alleged to have engaged in bullying.
If an investigation determines that bullying occurred, the administration will take appropriate
disciplinary action and may, in certain circumstances, notify law enforcement. Disciplinary or
other action may be taken even if the conduct did not rise to the level of bullying.
The district will provide research-based interventions, which may include counseling options, for
students who engage in bullying behaviors, students who are targeted by bullying behaviors,
and any student who witnessed bullying behaviors.
Any action taken in response to bullying will comply with state and federal law regarding
students with disabilities. Any retaliation against a student who reports an incident of bullying is
prohibited.
Upon recommendation of the administration, the board may transfer a student found to have
engaged in bullying to another classroom at the campus. In consultation with the student’s
parent, the board may transfer the student to another campus in the district.
The parent of a student who has been determined to be a victim of bullying may request that the
student be transferred to another classroom or campus within the district. [See Safety
Transfers/Assignments on page 19.]
A copy of the district’s bullying policy is available in the principal’s office, superintendent’s office,
and on the district’s website, and is included at the end of this handbook as an appendix.
A student or parent who is dissatisfied with the outcome of an investigation may appeal through
policy FNG(LOCAL).

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[See Safety Transfers/Assignments on page 19, Dating Violence, Discrimination,

Harassment, and Retaliation on page 48, Hazing on page 71, policy FFI, the district’s Student
Code of Conduct, and the district improvement plan, a copy of which can be viewed in the
campus office.]
Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Other Work-Based Programs
(Secondary Grade Levels Only)
The district offers career and technical education programs in the following areas:
• Accounting & Financial Services
• Animal Science
• Applied Agricultural Engineering
• Architectural Design
• Audio/Video Production
• Aviation
• Business Management
• Computer Science
• Construction Technology
• Culinary Arts
• Cybersecurity
• Dentistry
• Electrical Technology
• Emergency Medicine
• Engineering
• Game and App Development
• Graphic Design
• Junior ROTC
• Law Enforcement
• Legal Services
• Marketing
• Nursing
• Pharmacy
• Plant & Floral Science
• Robotics
• Teaching & Training
• Veterinary

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• Welding
Admission to these programs is based on interest, aptitude, age appropriateness, and class
space availability.
The district offers other work-based programs in the following areas:
• Accounting & Financial Services
• Animal Science
• Applied Agricultural Engineering
• Architectural Design
• Audio/Video Production
• Business Management
• Computer Science
• Construction Technology
• Culinary Arts
• Dentistry
• Emergency Medicine
• Graphic Design
• Marketing
• Nursing
• Pharmacy
• Plant & Floral Science
• Robotics
• Teaching & Training
• Veterinary
• Welding
Admission and enrollment to work-based programs is based on interest, aptitude, age
appropriateness, and class space availability.
District policy prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, or
handicap in its vocational programs, services, or activities, and provides equal access to the
Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of
1964, as amended; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; and Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.
District policy also prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex,
handicap, or age in its employment practices as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of

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1964, as amended; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; the Age Discrimination Act of
1975, as amended; and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.
The district will take steps to assure that lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to
admission or participation in all educational and vocational programs.
For information about your rights or grievance procedures, contact the Title IX coordinator and
the ADA/Section 504 coordinator.
[See Nondiscrimination Statement on page 85 for the name and contact information for the
Title IX coordinator and ADA/Section 504 coordinator.]
Celebrations (All Grade Levels)
Although a parent or grandparent may provide food to share for a school-designated function or
for a student’s birthday, please be aware that children in the school may have severe allergies to
certain food products. Discuss any classroom allergies with the teacher before bringing food to
share.
Occasionally, the school or a class may host functions or celebrations tied to the curriculum that
involve food. The school or teacher will notify students and parents of any known food allergies
when soliciting potential volunteers to provide food.
[See Food Allergies on page 79.]
Child Sexual Abuse, Trafficking, and Other Maltreatment of Children (All Grade
Levels)
The district has established a plan for addressing child sexual abuse, trafficking, and other
maltreatment of children, which may be accessed in the District Improvement Plans. Trafficking
includes both sex and labor trafficking.
Warning Signs of Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse in the Texas Family Code is defined as any sexual conduct harmful to a child’s
mental, emotional, or physical welfare as well as a failure to make a reasonable effort to prevent
sexual conduct with a child. A person who compels or encourages a child to engage in sexual
conduct commits abuse. It is illegal to make or possess child pornography or to display such
material to a child.
Anyone who suspects that a child has been or may be abused or neglected has a legal
responsibility, under state law, to report the suspected abuse or neglect to law enforcement or to
Child Protective Services (CPS).
A child who has been or is being sexually abused may exhibit physical, behavioral, or emotional
warning signs, including:
• Difficulty sitting or walking, pain in the genital areas, and claims of stomachaches and
headaches;
• Verbal references or pretend games of sexual activity between adults and children, fear of
being alone with adults of a particular gender, or sexually suggestive behavior; or
• Withdrawal, depression, sleeping and eating disorders, and problems in school.
Be aware that children and adolescents who have experienced dating violence may show
similar physical, behavioral, and emotional warning signs. [See Dating Violence,

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Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation on page 48 and Consent Before Instruction

on Prevention of Child Abuse, Family Violence, Dating Violence, and Sex Trafficking on
page 7]
Warning Signs of Trafficking
Child trafficking of any sort is prohibited by the Penal Code. Sex trafficking involves forcing a
person, including a child, into sexual abuse, assault, indecency, prostitution, or pornography.
Labor trafficking involves forcing a person, including a child, to engage in forced labor or
services.
Traffickers are often trusted members of a child’s community, such as friends, romantic partners,
family members, mentors, and coaches. Some traffickers contact victims online.
Possible warning signs of sexual trafficking in children include:
• Changes in school attendance, habits, friend groups, vocabulary, demeanor, and attitude;
• Sudden appearance of expensive items (for example, manicures, designer clothes, purses,
technology);
• Tattoos or branding;
• Refillable gift cards;
• Frequent runaway episodes;
• Multiple phones or social media accounts;
• Provocative pictures posted online or stored on the phone;
• Unexplained injuries;
• Isolation from family, friends, and community; and
• Older romantic partners.
Additional warning signs of labor trafficking in children include:
• Being unpaid, paid very little, or paid only through tips;
• Being employed but not having a school-authorized work permit;
• Being employed and having a work permit but clearly working outside the permitted hours
for students;
• Owing a large debt and being unable to pay it off;
• Not being allowed breaks at work or being subjected to excessively long work hours;
• Being overly concerned with pleasing an employer and/or deferring personal or educational
decisions to a boss;
• Not being in control of his or her own money;
• Living with an employer or having an employer listed as a student’s caregiver; and
• A desire to quit a job but not being allowed to do so.

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[See Consent Before Instruction on Prevention of Child Abuse, Family Violence, Dating
Violence, and Sex Trafficking on page 7]
Reporting and Responding to Sexual Abuse, Trafficking, and Other Maltreatment of
Children
Anyone who suspects that a child has been or may be abused, trafficked, or neglected has a
legal responsibility, under state law, to report the suspected abuse or neglect to law
enforcement or to Child Protective Services (CPS).
A child who has experienced sexual abuse or any other type of abuse or neglect should be
encouraged to seek out a trusted adult. Children may be more reluctant to disclose sexual
abuse than physical abuse and neglect and may only disclose sexual abuse indirectly. As a
parent or trusted adult, it is important to be calm and comforting if your child or another child
confides in you. Reassure the child that he or she did the right thing by telling you.
If your child is a victim of sexual abuse, trafficking, or other maltreatment, the school counselor
or principal will provide information on counseling options for you and your child available in
your area. The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) also manages early
intervention counseling programs.
To find out what services may be available in your county, see Texas Department of Family and
Protective Services, Programs Available in Your County.
Reports of abuse, trafficking, or neglect may be made to the CPS division of the DFPS at1-800-
252-5400 or on the web at Texas Abuse Hotline Website.
Further Resources on Sexual Abuse, Trafficking, and Other Maltreatment of Children
The following websites include resources to help increase awareness of child abuse and
neglect, sexual abuse, trafficking, and other maltreatment of children:
• Child Welfare Information Gateway Factsheet
• KidsHealth, For Parents, Child Abuse
• Office of the Texas Governor’s Child Sex Trafficking Team
• Human Trafficking of School-aged Children
• Child Sexual Abuse: A Parental Guide from the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault
• National Center of Safe Supportive Learning Environments: Child Labor Trafficking
Class Rank/Highest-Ranking Student (Secondary Grade Levels Only)
Class rank for each high school student will be calculated after the third, fourth, sixth, and
seventh semesters in high school. Grade Point Average (GPA) is calculated using semester
averages. Fifteen extra quality points are used to weight semester grades of students enrolled
in Advanced Placement (AP), Tomball Advanced Placement (TAP), and Dual Credit (DC)
courses. Students who wish to have courses taken outside of Tomball ISD considered in their
GPA must submit the course verification record within 30 days of course completion.
[See policy EIC for more information.]

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Class Schedules (Secondary Grade Levels Only)

All students, with the exception of Tomball Star Academy students (see below), are expected to
attend school for the entire school day and maintain a full class schedule. Exceptions may be
made occasionally by the campus principal for students in grades 9–12 who meet specific
criteria and receive parental consent to enroll in less than a full-day schedule.
Junior and senior students attending Tomball Star Academy primarily follow the Lone Star
College academic calendar for the fall and spring semester and do not attend class at Lone Star
College on Fridays. Tomball Star Academy offers an adjusted bell schedule and will dismiss
junior and senior students at 11:15 A.M. every Friday.
[See Schedule Changes on page 96 for information related to student requests to revise their
course schedule.]
College and University Admissions and Financial Aid (All Grade Levels)
For two school years following graduation, a district student who graduates as valedictorian or in
the top ten percent of his or her class is eligible for automatic admission into four-year public
universities and colleges in Texas if the student:
• Completes the distinguished level of achievement under the foundation graduation program
[see Foundation Graduation Program on page 66]; or
• Satisfies the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks or earns at least a 1500 out of 2400 on
the SAT.
The student is ultimately responsible for meeting the admission requirements of the university or
college, including timely submission of a completed application.
If a college or university adopts an admissions policy that automatically accepts the top 25
percent of a graduating class, the provisions above will also apply to a student ranked in the top
25 percent of his or her class.
The University of Texas at Austin may limit the number of automatically admitted students to 75
percent of the University’s enrollment capacity for incoming resident freshmen. From the
summer 2023 term through the spring 2025 term, the University will admit the top six percent of
a high school’s graduating class who meet the above requirements. Additional applicants will be
considered by the University through a holistic review process.
As required by law, the district will provide written notice concerning the following:
• Automatic college admission
• Curriculum requirements for financial aid
• Benefits of completing the requirements for automatic admission and financial aid
• The Texas First Early High School Completion Program, which requires a student to provide
an official copy of assessment results and transcripts, as applicable, to receive credit for the
assessments and credits required for early graduation under the program
• The Texas First Scholarship Program
• The Future Texas Teachers Scholarship Program

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Parents and students will be asked to sign an acknowledgment that they received this
information.
Students and parents should contact the school counselor for further information about
automatic admissions, the application process, and deadlines.
[See Class Rank/Highest-Ranking Student on page 39 for information specifically related to
how the district calculates a student’s rank in class, and requirements for Graduation on page
65 for information associated with the foundation graduation program.]
[See Students in the Conservatorship of the State (Foster Care) on page 19 for information
on assistance in transitioning to higher education for students in foster care.]
College Credit Courses (Secondary Grade Levels Only)
Students in grades 9–12 may earn college credit through the following opportunities:
• Successful completion of an Advanced Placement (AP) course along with attaining a score
on the corresponding AP exam which is satisfactory to a college for awarding credit;
• Successful completion of a dual credit course offered in partnership between Tomball ISD
and Lone Star College – Tomball;
• Successful completion of a college credit course taught at Lone Star College.
• Successful completion of a Career and Technical Education (CTE) course for which a Texas
state college may award articulated credit.
Under the Financial Aid for Swift Transfer (FAST) program, a student may be eligible to enroll at
no cost to the student in dual credit courses at a participating institution of higher education. The
FAST program allows students who are or have been educationally disadvantaged at any time
during the four years preceding the student’s enrollment in a dual credit course to enroll at no
cost to the student. The district will determine eligibility upon the student’s enrollment in the dual
credit course. See the high school counselor for more information.
A student may be eligible for subsidies based on financial need for AP exam fees. See Fees (All
Grade Levels) on page 62 for more information.
A student may also earn college credit for certain Career and Technical Education (CTE)
courses. See Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Other Work-Based Programs
(Secondary Grade Levels Only) on page 35 for information on CTE and other work-based
programs.
All of these methods have eligibility requirements and must be approved prior to enrollment in
the course. Please see the school counselor for more information. Depending on the student’s
grade level and the course, a state-mandated end-of-course assessment may be required for
graduation. Additionally, Tomball ISD students enrolled in dual credit courses are responsible
for the cost of textbooks and any supplemental materials required by the instructor.
Not all colleges and universities accept credit earned in all dual credit or AP courses taken in
high school for college credit. Students and parents should check with the prospective college
or university to determine if a particular course will count toward the student’s desired degree
plan.
Due to the special training required of teachers and the rigor and classroom interaction required
in TAP and AP, many advanced courses cannot be taught in an alternative setting. After
returning to their regular campus, students who have been removed from the TAP or AP

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classroom for 30 days or fewer may be rescheduled, when possible, into an available advanced
course. However, in cases where there is no advanced course available, the student will be
rescheduled into a regular level class and quality points will not be awarded. Students who are
removed from the TAP or AP classroom for more than 30 days will be removed from the
course(s) and rescheduled into a regular level class and no quality points will be awarded. If
students have been removed from the dual credit classroom for 15 days or more, they will be
withdrawn from the course and placed in a regular level class with no quality points awarded.
Additionally, when a student enrolled in a CTE course containing off-campus work-based
learning requirements is placed at the DAEP, a committee will convene to determine if the
student will be allowed to continue in the course.
Communications (All Grade Levels)
Parent Contact Information
A parent is legally required to provide in writing the parent’s contact information, including
address, phone number, and email address.
A parent must provide the contact information to the district upon enrollment and again within
two weeks after the beginning of each following school year while the student is enrolled in the
district.
If the parent’s contact information changes during the school year, the parent must update the
information in writing no more than two weeks after the date the information changes.
A parent may update contact information by emailing or calling the campus registrar or
attendance secretary.
Automated Emergency Communications
The district will rely on contact information on file with the district to communicate with parents in
an emergency situation, which may include real-time or automated messages. An emergency
situation may include early dismissal, delayed opening, or restricted access to the campus due
to severe weather, another emergency, or a security threat. It is crucial to notify your child’s
school when a phone number changes.
[See Safety on page 93 for information regarding contact with parents during an emergency
situation.]
Automated Nonemergency Communications
Your child’s school periodically sends information by automated or pre-recorded messages, text
messages, or real-time phone or email communications that are closely related to the school’s
mission and specific to your child, your child’s school, or the district.
Standard messaging rates of your wireless phone carrier may apply.
If you do not wish to receive such communications, please contact your child’s principal. [See
Safety on page 93 for information regarding contact with parents during an emergency.]
Complaints and Concerns (All Grade Levels)
Usually, student or parent complaints or concerns can be addressed informally by a phone call
or a conference with the teacher or principal. Concerns should be expressed as soon as
possible to allow early resolution at the lowest possible administrative level.

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For those complaints and concerns that cannot be resolved informally, the board has adopted a
Student and Parent Complaints/Grievances policy FNG(LOCAL). This policy can be viewed in
the district’s policy manual, available online at www.tomballisd.net. The complaint forms and
process can be accessed online at "Grievance Process" or at the principal’s or superintendent’s
office.
To file a formal complaint a parent or student should complete and submit the complaint form. In
general, the written complaint form should be completed and submitted to the campus principal
in a timely manner.
If the concern is not resolved, a parent or student may request a conference with the
superintendent or designee.
If the concern is still unresolved, the district provides a process for parents and students to
appeal to the board of trustees.
Conduct (All Grade Levels)
Applicability of School Rules
The board has adopted a Student Code of Conduct that defines standards of acceptable
behavior—on and off campus, during remote and in-person instruction, and on district
vehicles—and outlines consequences for violation of these standards. The district has
disciplinary authority over a student in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct. Students
and parents should be familiar with the standards set out in the Student Code of Conduct, as
well as campus and classroom rules.
During summer instruction, the Student Handbook and Student Code of Conduct in place for the
school year immediately preceding the summer period shall apply, unless the district amends
either or both documents for the purposes of summer instruction.
Deliveries
Except in emergencies, delivery of messages or packages to students will not be allowed during
instructional time.
Disruption of School Operations
Disruption of school operations is not tolerated and may constitute a misdemeanor offense. As
identified by state law, disruptions include the following:
• Interference with the movement of people at an exit, entrance, or hallway of a district
building without authorization from an administrator.
• Interference with an authorized activity by seizing control of all or part of a building.
• Use of force, violence, or threats in an attempt to prevent participation in an authorized
assembly.
• Use of force, violence, or threats to cause disruption during an assembly.
• Interference with the movement of people at an exit or an entrance to district property.
• Use of force, violence, or threats in an attempt to prevent people from entering or leaving
district property without authorization from an administrator.

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Disruption of classes or other school activities while on or within 500 feet of district property
includes:
• Making loud noises;
• Trying to entice a student away from, or to prevent a student from attending, a required
class or activity; and
• Entering a classroom without authorization and disrupting the activity with loud or profane
language or any misconduct.
Interference with the transportation of students in vehicles owned or operated by the district is
also considered a disruption.
Social Events
School rules apply to all school social events. Surprise parties and/or birthday parties are not
permitted in classrooms. At the junior high level, dances are only for currently enrolled
students. Students are to attend dances at their home campuses only. High School students
who bring a guest will be responsible for the behavior of that guest. Students who leave a
school dance before the start of the last hour of the dance must sign out and must indicate their
time of departure. No student who leaves a school dance will be readmitted at any time.
Please contact the campus principal if you are interested in serving as a chaperone for any
school social events.
Contact Information
Any change of contact information such as address, phone number, place of employment,
email, or alternate emergency contact persons, should be reported to the campus registrar.
Contagious Diseases/Conditions
Tomball ISD follows the criterion for exclusion from attendance set by the Texas Department of
State Health Services (DSHS). Their website is https://www.dshs.texas.gov, and their telephone
number is (512) 776-7676. Tomball ISD also works closely with Harris County Public Health
Epidemiology Department to prevent the spread of contagious diseases. Their website is
http://publichealth.harriscountytx.gov and the phone number is 713-639-6000.
Counseling
The district has a comprehensive school counseling program that includes:
• A guidance curriculum to help students develop their full educational potential, including the
student's interests and career objectives;
• A responsive services component to intervene on behalf of any student whose immediate
personal concerns or problems put the student's continued educational, career, personal, or
social development at risk;
• An individual planning system to guide a student as the student plans, monitors, and
manages the student's own educational, career, personal, and social development; and
• Systems to support the efforts of teachers, staff, parents, and other members of the
community in promoting the educational, career, personal, and social development of
students.

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The district will make a preview of the program, including all materials and curriculum, available
to parents to review during school hours.
Academic Counseling
Elementary and Middle/Junior High School Grade Levels
The school counselor will provide information to students and parents about college and
university admissions and the importance of planning for postsecondary education, including
appropriate coursework and financial aid availability and requirements.
In either grade 7 or 8, each student will receive instruction on how best to prepare for high
school, college, and a career.
High School Grade Levels
High school students and their parents are encouraged to talk with a school counselor, teacher,
or principal to learn more about course offerings, graduation requirements, and early graduation
procedures.
The Texas Education Agency, in collaboration with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board has developed a program called the Texas First Early High School Completion Program
along with the Texas First Scholarship Program. Students who graduate early and meet the
other program requirements will receive a Texas First Diploma and may be eligible to receive a
scholarship for one or two semesters at participating Texas universities. See your counselor for
more details.
Each year, high school students will be provided information on anticipated course offerings for
the next school year, how to make the most of academic and career and technical education
(CTE) opportunities, and the importance of postsecondary education.
The school counselor will also provide information each year a student is enrolled in high school
regarding:
• The importance of postsecondary education;
• The advantages of earning an endorsement and completing the foundation program with the
distinguished level of achievement;
• The disadvantages of pursuing a high school equivalency exam (GED) as opposed to
earning a high school diploma;
• Financial aid eligibility and how to apply for financial aid;
• Automatic admission to state-funded Texas colleges and universities;
• Eligibility requirements for the TEXAS Grant;
• Availability of district programs that allow students to earn college credit;
• Availability of tuition and fee assistance for postsecondary education for students in foster
care; and
• Availability of college credit awarded by institutions of higher education to veterans and
military service members for military experience, education, and training.

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Additionally, the school counselor can provide information about workforce opportunities after
graduation or technical and trade school opportunities, including opportunities to earn industry-
recognized certificates and licenses.
[See Scholarships and Grants on page 71 for more information.]
Personal Counseling (All Grade Levels)
The school counselor is available to assist students with a wide range of personal, social, and
family concerns, including emotional or mental health issues and substance abuse. A student
who wishes to meet with the school counselor should request an appointment through the
school counseling office. As a parent, if you are concerned about your child’s mental or
emotional health, please speak with the school counselor for a list of resources that may be of
assistance.
If your child has experienced trauma, contact the school counselor for more information.
[See Mental Health Support on page 75, and Child Sexual Abuse, Trafficking, and Other
Maltreatment of Children on page 37 and Dating Violence on page 48.]
Course Credit (Secondary Grade Levels Only)
A student at any grade level enrolled in a high school credit-bearing course will earn credit for
the course only if the final grade is 70 or above. Students receive credit for each semester of a
full year course for which they receive a passing grade. Semester credits count toward
graduation but do not satisfy credit for the full year course taken until (1) both semesters are
successfully passed, or (2) the second semester is passed and the average for both semesters
is passing, or (3) the failed semester is passed by make-up credit options.
Credit by Examination—If a Student Has Taken the Course/Subject (Grades 6–12)
A student who has previously taken a course or subject but did not receive credit or a final grade
for it may, in circumstances determined by the principal or attendance committee, be permitted
to earn credit or a final grade by passing an examination approved by the district’s board of
trustees on the essential knowledge and skills defined for that course or subject.
Examples of prior instruction include incomplete coursework due to a failed course or excessive
absences, homeschooling, or coursework by a student transferring from a nonaccredited
school. The opportunity to earn credit by examination after the student has had prior instruction
is sometimes referred to as “credit recovery.”
The attendance review committee may also offer a student with excessive absences an
opportunity to earn credit for a course by passing an examination.
If a student is granted approval to take an examination for credit, the student must score at least
70 on the examination to receive credit for the course or subject.
[See the school counselor and policy EHDB(LOCAL) for more information.]
Credit by Examination for Advancement/Acceleration—If a Student Has Not Taken
the Course/Subject
A student will be permitted to earn credit by examination for an academic course or subject area
for which the student had no prior instruction for advancement or to accelerate to the next grade
level.

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The examinations offered by the district are approved by the district’s board of trustees. Testing
windows for these examinations will be published in district publications and on the district’s
website. A student may take a specific examination only once per testing window.
The only exceptions to the published testing windows will be for examinations administered by
another entity or to accommodate a student experiencing homelessness or a student involved in
the foster care system.
When another entity administers an examination, the student and the district must comply with
the testing schedule of the other entity.
If a student plans to take an examination, the student or parent must register with the school
counselor no later than 30 days prior to the scheduled testing date. [See policy EHDC for more
information.]
Kindergarten Acceleration
Kindergarten students must score a minimum of 90 percent on the Texas Tech University exam
for acceleration to be eligible to accelerate to first grade.
Students in Grades 1–5
A student in elementary school is eligible to accelerate to the next grade level if:
• The student scores at least an 80 on each examination in the subject areas of language
arts, mathematics, science, and social studies;
• A district administrator recommends that the student be accelerated; and
• The student’s parent gives written approval of the grade advancement.
Students in Grades 6–12
A student in grade 6 or above is eligible to earn course credit with:
• A passing score of at least 80 on an examination approved by the board; or
• A scaled score of 50 or higher on an examination administered through the College Level
Examination Program (CLEP), or
• A score of 3 or higher on an AP examination, as applicable.
Any score for which credit is awarded (80 percent or better), will be recorded on the academic
achievement record, but no grade points will be awarded.
A student may take an examination to earn high school course credit no more than twice. If a
student fails to achieve the designated score on the applicable exam before the beginning of the
school year in which the student would need to enroll in the course according to the school’s
high school course sequence, the student must complete the course.
Custody Disputes
Unless otherwise ordered by a court, both parents are entitled to school records, access to a
child, access to school staff, and to attend school events. If one parent asks for another parent
not to have these rights, a valid court order must be given to the school. The school will not
become involved in solving custody disputes, changing custody, or being used as a vehicle to

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avoid custody orders. When a dispute occurs, the principal will ask both parents for the latest
copy of a signed custody order.
Dating Violence, Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation (All Grade Levels)
Students learn best, and their welfare is best served, in a school environment that is free from
dating violence, discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.
Students are expected to treat peers and district employees with courtesy and respect, avoid
offensive behaviors, and stop those behaviors as directed. District employees are likewise
expected to treat students with courtesy and respect.
The board has established policies and procedures to prohibit and promptly address
inappropriate and offensive behaviors that are based on a person’s race, color, religion, sex,
gender, national origin, age, disability, or any other basis prohibited by law. A copy of the
district’s policy is available in the principal’s office and in the superintendent’s office or on the
district website at www.tomballisd.net. [See policy FFH for more information.]
Dating Violence
Dating violence will not be tolerated at school. To report dating violence, see Reporting
Procedures on page 50
Dating violence occurs when a person in a current or past dating relationship uses physical,
sexual, verbal, or emotional abuse to harm, threaten, intimidate, or control the other person in
the relationship or any of the person’s past or subsequent partners. This type of conduct is
considered harassment if it is so severe, persistent, or pervasive that it affects a student’s ability
to participate in or benefit from an educational program or activity; creates an intimidating,
threatening, hostile, or offensive educational environment; or substantially interferes with the
student’s academic performance.
Examples of dating violence against a student may include, but are not limited to:
• Physical or sexual assaults;
• Name-calling;
• Put-downs;
• Threats to hurt the student, the student’s family members, or members of the student’s
household;
• Destroying property belonging to the student;
• Threats to commit suicide or homicide if the student ends the relationship;
• Threats to harm a student’s past or current dating partner;
• Attempts to isolate the student from friends and family;
• Stalking; or
• Encouraging others to engage in these behaviors.
In accordance with law, when the district receives a report of dating violence, a district official
will immediately notify the parent of the alleged victim and alleged perpetrator.

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The counselor’s office has information about the dangers of dating violence and resources for
seeking help.
For more information on dating violence see:
• Texas Attorney General’s office recognizing and responding to dating violence flier
(https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/sites/default/files/files/child-
support/papa/session%2010/recognizing-relationship-violence-en.pdf)
• The CDC’s Preventing Teen Dating Violence
(https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/intimatepartnerviolence/teendatingviolence/fastfac
t.html).

Discrimination
Discrimination is defined as any conduct directed at a student on the basis of race, color,
religion, sex, gender, national origin, age, disability, or any other basis prohibited by law that
negatively affects the student.
Harassment
Harassment, in general terms, is conduct so severe, persistent, or pervasive that it affects a
student’s ability to participate in or benefit from an educational program or activity; creates an
intimidating, threatening, hostile, or offensive educational environment; or substantially
interferes with the student’s academic performance.
Examples of harassment may include, but are not limited to:
• Offensive or derogatory language directed at a person’s religious beliefs or practices,
accent, skin color, or need for accommodation;
• Threatening, intimidating, or humiliating conduct;
• Offensive jokes, name-calling, slurs, or rumors;
• Physical aggression or assault;
• Graffiti or printed material promoting racial, ethnic, or other negative stereotypes; or
• Other kinds of aggressive conduct such as theft or damage to property.
Sexual Harassment and Gender-Based Harassment
Sexual harassment and gender-based harassment of a student by an employee, volunteer, or
another student are prohibited.
Examples of sexual harassment may include, but are not limited to:
• Touching private body parts or coercing physical contact that is sexual in nature;
• Sexual advances;
• Jokes or conversations of a sexual nature; and
• Other sexually motivated conduct, communications, or contact.

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Sexual harassment of a student by an employee or volunteer does not include necessary or

permissible physical contact that a reasonable person would not construe as sexual in nature,
such as comforting a child with a hug or taking the child’s hand. However, romantic, sexual, and
other inappropriate social relationships between students and district employees are prohibited,
even if consensual.
Gender-based harassment includes physical, verbal, or nonverbal conduct based on a student’s
gender, the student’s expression of characteristics perceived as stereotypical for the student’s
gender, or the student’s failure to conform to stereotypical notions of masculinity or femininity.
Gender-based harassment can occur regardless of the student’s or the harasser’s actual or
perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. Examples of gender-based harassment directed
against a student may include, but are not limited to:
• Offensive jokes, name-calling, slurs, or rumors;
• Physical aggression or assault;
• Threatening or intimidating conduct; or
• Other kinds of aggressive conduct such as theft or damage to property.
Retaliation
Retaliation against a person who makes a good-faith report or participates in an investigation of
discrimination, harassment, or dating violence is prohibited. A person who makes a false claim,
offers false statements, or refuses to cooperate with a district investigation, however, may be
subject to appropriate discipline.
Examples of retaliation may include threats, rumor spreading, ostracism, assault, destruction of
property, unjustified punishments, or unwarranted grade reductions. Unlawful retaliation does
not include petty slights or annoyances.
Reporting Procedures
Any student who believes that he or she has experienced dating violence, discrimination,
harassment, or retaliation should immediately report the problem to a teacher, school counselor,
principal, or other district employee. The report may be made by the student’s parent. [See
policy FFH(LOCAL) and (EXHIBIT) for other appropriate district officials to whom to make a
report.]
Upon receiving a report, the district will determine whether the allegations, if proven, constitute
prohibited conduct as defined by policy FFH. If not, the district will refer to policy FFI to
determine whether the allegations, if proven, constitute bullying, as defined by law and policy
FFI. If the alleged prohibited conduct also meets the statutory and policy definitions for bullying,
an investigation of bullying will also be conducted. [See Bullying on page 32]
The district will promptly notify the parent of any student alleged to have experienced prohibited
conduct involving an adult associated with the district. In the event alleged prohibited conduct
involves another student, the district will notify the parent of the student alleged to have
experienced the prohibited conduct when the allegations, if proven, would constitute a violation
as defined by policy FFH.

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Investigation of Report
Allegations of prohibited conduct, which includes dating violence, discrimination, harassment,
and retaliation, will be promptly investigated.
To the extent possible, the district will respect the privacy of the student. However, limited
disclosures may be necessary to conduct a thorough investigation and comply with law.
If a law enforcement or other regulatory agency notifies the district that it is investigating the
matter and requests that the district delay its investigation, the district will resume its
investigation at the conclusion of the agency’s investigation.
During an investigation and when appropriate, the district will take interim action to address the
alleged prohibited conduct.
If the district’s investigation indicates that prohibited conduct occurred, appropriate disciplinary
action and, in some cases, corrective action will be taken to address the conduct. The district
may take disciplinary and corrective action even if the conduct was not unlawful.
All involved parties will be notified of the outcome of the district investigation within the
parameters and limits allowed under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
A student or parent who is dissatisfied with the outcome of the investigation may appeal in
accordance with policy FNG(LOCAL).
Discrimination
[See Dating Violence, Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation on page 48.]
Distance Learning (All Grade Levels)
Distance learning and correspondence courses include courses that encompass the state-
required essential knowledge and skills but are taught through multiple technologies and
alternative methodologies such as mail, satellite, internet, video-conferencing, and instructional
television.
If a student wishes to enroll in a correspondence course or a distance learning course that is not
provided through the Texas Virtual School Network (TXVSN), as described below, to earn credit
in a course or subject, the student must submit a request no later than 30 days prior to the start
date of the course and must obtain prior approval from the counselor in order to receive credit
for the course. If the student does not receive prior approval, the district may not recognize and
apply the course or subject toward graduation requirements or subject mastery.
In addition to the TXVSN, the District will only approve distance learning courses provided by
the University of Texas or Texas Tech. Students must complete the course within six months of
enrollment and seniors (starting with Class of 2025) must submit grades from
correspondence/distance learning courses, other than TXVSN, by December 1 of the students’
senior year. Finally, students below grade 9 can only enroll in high school credit courses that
the district currently offers in Junior High district-wide.
Students should consult the school counselor prior to enrolling in any distance-learning course
for other limitations that apply.
[See Remote Instruction on page 91.]

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Texas Virtual School Network (TXVSN) (Secondary Grade Levels)

The Texas Virtual School Network (TXVSN) has been established by the state as one method of
distance learning. A student has the option, with certain limitations, to enroll in a course offered
through the TXVSN to earn course credit for graduation.
Depending on the TXVSN course in which a student enrolls, the course may be subject to the
“no pass, no play” rules. [See Extracurricular Activities, Clubs, and Organizations on page
58.] In addition, a student who enrolls in a TXVSN course for which an end-of-course (EOC)
assessment is required must still take the corresponding EOC assessment.
A parent may ask questions or request that their child be enrolled in a TXVSN course by
contacting the school counselor. Unless an exception is made by the principal, a student will not
be allowed to enroll in a TXVSN course if the school offers the same or a similar course.
A copy of policy EHDE addressing distance learning will be distributed to parents of middle and
high school students at least once each year. If you do not receive a copy or have questions
about this policy, please contact the school counselor.
Distribution of Literature, Published Materials, or Other Documents (All Grade
Levels)
School Materials
Publications prepared by and for the school may be posted or distributed, with the prior approval
of the principal, sponsor, or teacher. Such items may include school posters, newspapers,
yearbooks, brochures, flyers, etc.
The school yearbook is available to students.
All school publications are under the supervision of a teacher, sponsor, and the principal.
Nonschool Materials
From Students
Students must obtain prior approval from the principal before selling, posting, circulating, or
distributing more than ten copies of written or printed materials, handbills, photographs,
pictures, films, tapes, or other visual or auditory materials that were not developed under the
oversight of the school. To be considered, any nonschool material must include the name of the
sponsoring person or organization. Approval will be granted or denied within two school days.
The principal has designated the location for approved nonschool materials to be placed for
voluntary viewing or collection by students. [See policy FNAA for more information.]
A student may appeal a decision in accordance with policy FNG(LOCAL). Any student who
sells, posts, circulates, or distributes nonschool material without prior approval will be subject to
disciplinary action in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct. Materials displayed without
approval will be removed.
[See policy FNG(LOCAL) for student complaint procedures.]
From Others
No person or group will sell, circulate, distribute, or post on any district premises written or
printed materials, handbills, photographs, pictures, films, tapes, or other visual or auditory

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materials that are not sponsored by the district or by a district-affiliated school-support

organization, except as permitted by policy GKDA.
To be considered for distribution or online posting, any nonschool material must meet the
limitations on content established in the policy, include the name of the sponsoring person or
organization, and be submitted to the Director of Administrative Services or the Director of
Communications for prior review. The directors will approve or reject the materials within five
school days of the time the materials are received. The requestor may appeal a rejection in
accordance with the appropriate district complaint policy. [See policies DGBA or GF for more
information.]
The principal may designate a location for approved nonschool materials to be placed for
voluntary viewing or collection.
Prior review will not be required for:
• Distribution of materials by an attendee to other attendees of a school-sponsored meeting
intended for adults and held after school hours.
• Distribution of materials by an attendee to other attendees of a community group meeting
held after school hours in accordance with policy GKD(LOCAL) or a noncurriculum-related
student group meeting held in accordance with policy FNAB(LOCAL).
• Distribution for electioneering purposes during the time a school facility is being used as a
polling place, in accordance with state law.
All nonschool materials distributed under these circumstances must be removed from district
property immediately following the event at which the materials are distributed.
Dress and Grooming (All Grade Levels)
The district’s dress code is reflective of community standards and is established to promote
school appropriate attire, prevent disruption, and minimize safety hazards.
We expect students to come to school in clothes that are clean and neat, and students are
expected to exhibit basic cleanliness and grooming that will not be a health or safety threat to
themselves or to other students or staff.
The campus administration will be the authority in all decisions regarding the grooming and
dress code. Any provisions not covered in the code, any interpretation of the code, or any
exception to the code will be the administration’s responsibility.
Students and parents may determine a student’s personal dress and grooming standards,
provided they comply with the following:
Clothing will:
• Include appropriate undergarments, worn but not visible.
• Be free of pictures, emblems, or writing that is lewd, offensive, vulgar, or obscene or that
advertises or depicts tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, drugs, or any other substance
that students are prohibited from having or using at school.
• Be free of references to convey membership in gangs or gang related activity.
• Be free of suggestion of disrespect for the American flag and may not be paramilitary.
• Contain no inappropriate or excessive holes, rips, cuts, or tears.

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• Not be see-through, low-cut, spaghetti straps, strapless, backless or revealing.

• Cover the midriff in a normal standing, sitting, or moving position.
• Not be worn if primarily designed as sleepwear/pajamas.
• Not include baggy/oversized pants or pants that hang on the hipbone, or unhemmed shorts.
• Maintain mid-thigh length for shorts and skirts.
• Not be tank tops or muscle shirts unless an appropriate shirt/blouse is worn underneath.
• Not include trench coats, dusters, or excessively large jackets.

Shoes must:
• Be worn.
• Be designed to be primarily worn outside the home and must not be house shoes or
slippers.
• Be without wheels.

Accessories guidelines are as follows:

• Have no visible body piercings other than earrings. Prohibited body piercings include, but
are not limited to, nose rings or facial piercings of any type. Covering unacceptable body
piercings is not permitted.
• Have no visible tattoos. Visible tattoos must be covered.
• Chains may not be worn.
• Jewelry, which would interfere with instruction or disrupt the regular educational program,
will not be permitted.
• Bandanas and/or sweat bands are not permitted.
• Mouth grills are not permitted.
• Hats may not be worn in the building.
• Faces are not to be covered (including face paint), with the exception of face coverings to
mitigate the spread of COVID or other illnesses.

Hair will:
• Be kept clean, well groomed, and worn out of the eyes. All students will be free of facial hair.
• Be of a natural hair color. (Unnatural hair colors include but are not limited to pink, green,
blue, and purple; this includes hair tips)
• Be monitored and adjusted appropriately when students participate in a class where a safety
hazard or health code must be considered.
• Not be allowed if the hairstyle is deemed a distraction by administration (i.e. Mohawks,
designs shaved in hair).
• Not include curlers.

The dress code applies to all students enrolled in Tomball Independent School District during
school and while at school sponsored activities. Sponsors of school-related activities, with the
approval of the building principal, may enforce additional guidelines as they relate to their
activity or event.

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Administrators have the authority to determine and to regulate any distracting attire or grooming
issues. If an administrator determines that a student’s grooming or clothing violates the school’s
dress code, the student will be given an opportunity to correct the problem at school. If the
problem cannot be corrected at school, the student may be assigned to in-school suspension for
the remainder of the day, until the problem is corrected, or until a parent or designee brings an
acceptable change of clothing to school. Repeated offenses may result in more serious
disciplinary action in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct.
A student who wears a hat or unacceptable jewelry will be asked to correct the violation of the
dress code. A student who continues to violate this part of the dress code will surrender the item
to an administrator. These items may be kept by the administrator for a period of time to be
determined by the administrator, including until the end of the day or the end of the year or until
the parent comes to the school to retrieve the item.
A student who is found to be displaying a visible tattoo that violates this policy will be asked to
cover up the tattoo as long as the student is on school grounds or while the student is attending
a school sponsored or school related activity, on or off school property.
Exceptions to the dress code due to medical, cultural or religious reasons may be granted
subject to approval of the administration.
Note: Additional dress code guidelines will be in effect for students who are attending the
Tomball Alternative Education Center (TAEC) located at the Tomball Connections Academy.
Students are expected to be in compliance with the dress code when they enter TAEC. Please
see a campus administrator at TAEC for further details.
Dress Code for Extracurricular Activities
The principal, in collaboration with the sponsor, coach, or other person in charge of an
extracurricular activity, may regulate the dress and grooming of students who attend or
participate in the activity if the principal reasonably believes that the student’s dress or
grooming:
1. Creates a hazard to the student’s safety or to the safety of others; or
2. Will prevent, interfere with, or adversely affect the purpose, direction, or effort required for
the activity to achieve its goals.
If the student’s dress or grooming is objectionable under these provisions, the principal or
sponsor shall request the student to make appropriate corrections. If the student refuses, the
principal (or sponsor) shall notify the student’s parent or legal guardian and request that person
to make the necessary correction. Students who violate provisions of the dress code relating to
the extracurricular activities may be removed or excluded from the extracurricular activity for
such period as the principal may determine.
Electronic Devices and Technology Resources (All Grade Levels)
Possession and Use of Personal Telecommunications Devices, Including Cell Phones,
and Other Electronic Devices
The district permits students to possess personal technology devices for safety and educational
purposes; however, these devices must remain silenced during the instructional day, and shall
only be used in accordance with all guidelines established in the Tomball ISD Digital Resources
Acceptable Use and Internet Safety Policy which include but are not limited to, the following.

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• Personal technology devices will be used exclusively for educational activities during
instructional class periods with express permission from the teacher.
• Students may not use their personal technology devices to record, transmit or post photos
or videos of a person or persons on the campus.
• Photos or videos recorded at school are not to be transmitted or posted at any time without
express permission from the campus administrator.
• Students will not lend their device to someone else. The user is responsible for the content
contained on the device regardless of how it originated and is responsible for the security of
any equipment brought with them to school.
• TISD is not responsible for any financial expenses or loss of data should a personal
technology device be lost, stolen, or damaged while at school.
Additionally, the following campus guidelines are in place:
Elementary and Intermediate Campuses:
• Cell phones shall remain silenced and in a backpack, locker, or secure area unless the
classroom teacher authorizes use for instructional purposes.
• Cell phones shall not be used during non-instructional time periods.
Junior High Campuses:
• Cell phones shall remain silenced and in a backpack, locker, or secure area unless the
classroom teacher authorizes use for instructional purposes.
• Cell phones shall not be used between class periods.
• Cell phones may be used before and after school and during lunch, as long as students
follow TISD acceptable use guidelines
High School Campuses:
• Cell phones shall remain silenced at all times
• Cell phones may be used during class for instructional purposes and in accordance with
each teacher’s guidelines. Please note that teachers may choose to prohibit cell phone use
in their classrooms.
• Cell phones may be used before and after school, between class periods, and during lunch
as long as students follow TISD acceptable use guidelines.
[For graphing calculator applications on computing devices, see Textbooks, Electronic
Textbooks, Technological Equipment, and Other Instructional Materials on page 103.]
The use of mobile telephones or any device capable of capturing images is strictly prohibited in
locker rooms or restroom areas while at school or at a school-related or school-sponsored
event.
If a student uses a telecommunications device in a manner that violates the guidelines
established in the TISD Digital Resources Acceptable Use and Internet Safety Policy or violates
a classroom teacher’s guidelines, the device will be confiscated. The student or parent may pick
up the confiscated telecommunications device from the principal’s office for a fee of $15.

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Confiscated telecommunications devices that are not retrieved by the student or the student’s
parent will be disposed of after the notice required by law. [See policy FNCE for more
information.]
In limited circumstances and in accordance with law, a student’s personal telecommunications
device may be searched by authorized personnel. [See Searches on page 100 and policy FNF
for more information.]
Any disciplinary action will be in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct. The district is
not responsible for damaged, lost, or stolen telecommunications devices.
Instructional Use of Personal Telecommunications and Other Electronic Devices
Students must obtain prior approval to use personal telecommunications or other personal
electronic devices for instructional purposes while on campus.
All personal devices must be turned off or silenced during the instructional day when not in use
for approved instructional purposes. Violations of the user agreement may result in withdrawal
of privileges and other disciplinary action.
Acceptable Use of District Technology Resources
District-owned technology resources may be issued to individual students for instructional
purposes. Use of the district’s network systems and equipment is restricted to approved
purposes only. Students and parents will be asked to sign the Digital Resources Acceptable Use
and Internet Safety Policy (separate from this handbook) regarding use of these district
resources. The Digital Resources Acceptable Use and Internet Safety Policy can be found as an
addendum to this handbook and online at www.tomballisd.net. Violations of the user agreement
may result in withdrawal of privileges and other disciplinary action.
Unacceptable and Inappropriate Use of Technology Resources
Students are prohibited from possessing, sending, forwarding, posting, accessing, or displaying
electronic messages that are abusive, obscene, sexually oriented, threatening, harassing,
damaging to another’s reputation, or illegal. This prohibition also applies to conduct off school
property, whether on district-owned or personally owned equipment, if it results in a substantial
disruption to the educational environment.
Any person taking, disseminating, transferring, possessing, or sharing obscene, sexually
oriented, lewd, or otherwise illegal images or other content—commonly referred to as
“sexting”—will be disciplined in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct, may be required
to complete an educational program related to the dangers of this type of behavior, and, in
certain circumstances, may be reported to law enforcement.
This type of behavior may constitute bullying or harassment, as well as impede future
endeavors of a student. We encourage parents to review with their child the "Before You Text"
Sexting Prevention Course, a state-developed program that addresses the consequences of
sexting.
In accordance with state law, the district prohibits the installation or use of Tik Tok (or any
successor application or service) on a district device, along with any other social media
application or service determined by the governor.
Any student who engages in conduct that results in a breach of the district’s computer security
will be disciplined in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct. In some cases, the
consequence may be expulsion.

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End-of-Course (EOC) Assessments

[See Graduation on page 65 and Standardized Testing on page 102.]
Emergent Bilingual Students (All Grade Levels)
A student who is an emergent bilingual student is entitled to receive specialized services from
the district. A Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC), consisting of both district
personnel and at least one parent representative, will determine whether the student qualifies
for services. The student’s parent must consent to any services recommended by the LPAC.
However, pending the receipt of parental consent or denial of services, an eligible student will
receive the services to which the student is entitled and eligible.
To determine a student’s level of proficiency in English, the LPAC will use information from a
variety of assessments. If the student qualifies for services, and once a level of proficiency has
been established, the LPAC will designate instructional accommodations or additional special
programs that the student will require to eventually become proficient at grade level work in
English. Ongoing assessments will be conducted to determine a student’s continued eligibility
for the program.
The LPAC will also determine whether certain accommodations are necessary for any state-
mandated assessments. The STAAR Spanish, as mentioned at Standardized Testing on page
102, may be administered to an emergent bilingual student up to grade 5. In limited
circumstances, a student’s LPAC may exempt the student from an otherwise required state-
mandated assessment or may waive certain graduation requirements related to the English I
end-of-course (EOC) assessment. The Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment
System (TELPAS) will also be administered to emergent bilingual students who qualify for
services.
If a student is considered an emergent bilingual student and receives special education services
because of a qualifying disability, the student’s ARD committee will make instructional and
assessment decisions in conjunction with the LPAC.
Extracurricular Activities, Clubs, and Organizations (All Grade Levels)
Tomball ISD believes that extracurricular activities afford students opportunities to develop
leadership, interpersonal, and citizenship skills. A variety of extracurricular programs exists in
the form of clubs, teams, and performing groups. Participation in extracurricular activities is a
privilege, not a right. Because students represent their school and the District in highly visible
positions in elected offices and/or appointed positions in which they perform, participate, or
compete, these students are viewed as role models. The demands and responsibilities require
participants to commit time and effort while maintaining high standards of conduct.
Some extracurricular activities may include off-campus events. Students are required to use
transportation provided by the district to and from the events. Exceptions may only be made
with the approval of the activity’s coach or sponsor. [See Transportation on page 104.]
Eligibility for many of these activities is governed by state law and the rules of the University
Interscholastic League (UIL), a statewide association overseeing interdistrict competition. If a
student is involved in an academic, athletic, or music activity governed by UIL, the student and
parent are expected to know and follow all rules of the UIL organization. Students and parents
can access the UIL Parent Information Manual at UIL Parent Information Manual. A hard copy
can be provided by the coach or sponsor of the activity on request.

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Please note: All students who choose to participate in UIL sanctioned activities, such as TISD
athletics or TISD fine arts, are required to be enrolled in the corresponding athletic or fine art
period within their class schedule. This requirement will include both cheer and dance teams.
To report alleged noncompliance with required safety training or an alleged violation of safety
rules required by law and the UIL, please contact the curriculum division of TEA at (512) 463-
9581 or [email protected].
[See UIL Texas for additional information on all UIL-governed activities.]
Student safety in extracurricular activities is a priority of the district. Parents are entitled to
review the district’s records regarding the age of each football helmet used by the campus,
including when a helmet has been reconditioned.
Individual Activity/Extracurricular Regulations and Handbooks
In cooperation with the campus administration, activity coaches/directors are authorized to
develop individual activity codes of conduct and handbooks to address membership
requirements and minor infractions or offenses identified as “General Conduct Violations” in the
Tomball ISD Student Code of Conduct. A student’s participation in a particular extracurricular
activity is conditioned upon the student’s compliance with the requirements and standards of
behavior set forth in the individual extracurricular activity regulations and the Tomball ISD
Student Code of Conduct. Activity coaches/directors may take disciplinary action, up to and
including dismissal from the activity, against a student who violates any required standard of
conduct. If a conflict exists between the individual codes or handbooks and the Student Code of
Conduct, the Student Code of Conduct will prevail.
Academic Eligibility
The following provisions apply to all extracurricular activities:
A student currently enrolled in Tomball ISD is considered eligible to participate in extracurricular
activities on or off campus at the beginning of the school year only if:
Students beginning grades nine and below must have been promoted from the previous grade
prior to the beginning of the current school year.
Students beginning their second year of high school must have earned five credits which count
toward state high school graduation requirements.
Students beginning their third year of high school either must have earned a total of ten credits
which count toward state high school graduation credits or have earned a total of five credits
which count toward state high school graduation requirements during the 12 months preceding
the first day of the current school year.
Students beginning their fourth year of high school either must have earned a total of 15 credits
which count toward state high school graduation credits or have earned a total of five credits
which count toward state high school graduation requirements during the 12 months preceding
the first day of the current school year.
A student who receives at the end of the first six weeks or any subsequent grading period a
grade below 70 or an “N” or “U” in any academic class—other than an Advanced Placement
(AP) course; or an honors or dual credit course in English language arts, mathematics, science,
social studies, economics, or language other than English—may not participate in
extracurricular activities for at least three school weeks. At the secondary level, up to two

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exemptions per grading period are allowed for students who score no less than 60 in identified
AP, TAP, or dual credit courses. These courses are identified in the course catalog.
A student who receives special education services and who fails to meet the standards in the
individualized education program (IEP) may not participate for at least three school weeks.
Students enrolled in dual credit courses are required to report grades to the high school in
accordance with UIL regulations. High school faculty teaching dual credit courses at the high
school report grades in compliance with UIL.
An ineligible student may practice or rehearse but may not participate in any competitive
activity.
A student is allowed in a school year up to 15 extracurricular absences not related to post-
district competition; however, a student shall be allowed unlimited absences for post-district,
state, or national competition. An absence for participation in an activity that has not been
approved by the Board will receive an unexcused absence.
Unless extenuating circumstances exist, students should be in attendance at school prior to
practice after school that day or to participate in an extracurricular activity that day/night. A
student absent from school for any portion of a school day shall provide a note that describes
the reason for the absence. The note shall be signed by the student’s parent.
Grade Check Calendar:

Initial Semester Grade Check (UIL Purposes Only) Lose/Regain Eligibility

o September 22 o September 29

Nine Weeks Grade Checks Lose/Regain Eligibility

o October 13 o October 20
o December 20 o January 15
o March 8 o March 26
Three Week Grade Checks: Regain Eligibility
o November 3 o November 10
o December 1 o December 8
o January 26 o February 2
o February 15 o February 22
o April 8 o April 15
o April 29 o May 6

Standards of Behavior
Sponsors of student clubs and performing groups such as the band, choir, and drill and athletic
teams may establish standards of behavior—including consequences for misbehavior—that are

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stricter than those for students in general. If a violation is also a violation of school rules, the
consequences specified by the Student Code of Conduct or by board policy will apply in addition
to any consequences specified by the organization’s standards of behavior.
Student Clubs/Organizations
Written parent permission is required in order for a student to participate in any student club or
organization. Students desiring to form a club or organization to meet on school premises shall
file a written request with the campus principal or designee. Forms and complete regulations
are available in the front office. Requests shall be subject to approval by the principal based on
the availability of meeting space and compliance with the policy.
New clubs will be authorized on the basis of educational worthiness and school service.
Students experiencing poor academic achievement and/or poor conduct risk disciplinary action
and loss of school activity and travel privileges as outlined in the organization’s by-laws,
constitution, or in regulations provided by the sponsor or director.
Class Officers
The senior, junior, and sophomore classes will elect officers in the spring of each year. The
freshman class will elect officers in the fall of each year. The purpose of class officers is to
promote spirit, organize projects, and provide fund raising activities for their class. All class
officers are strongly encouraged to join student council. Qualifications and election information
may be obtained through the class sponsor.
Other Offices and Elections
Certain clubs, organizations, and performing groups will hold elections for student officers.
Election information may be obtained from the group’s coach or sponsor.
Student Council
The Student Council is a student organization which is representative of the entire student body.
Its purpose is to promote the general betterment of the school through effective student
government, placing the emphasis upon citizenship and leadership. Procedures for
participation are available from the sponsor.
Student Activities and Travel
School sponsored activities and trips are considered an extension of the school program for
currently enrolled students; therefore, all policies and regulations are in effect while students are
participating in these activities and trips. Students found in violation of school policies risk
disciplinary action and loss of school activity and travel privileges. For certain violations of
policy, parents will be contacted, and the student sent home at his/her own expense as quickly
as arrangements can be made to do so. Sponsors will not be expected to remain responsible
for uncooperative students.
Students who have the privilege of taking part in a school activity or trip during school time are
expected to meet UIL eligibility rules, and to make up work missed on a reasonable schedule to
be determined by the teacher. Students who have a letter on file with the Harris County District
Attorney for truancy are not eligible for field trips. Unless extenuating circumstances exist,
students should be in attendance at school prior to participation in any school-sponsored activity
that day. A student absent for any portion of the day shall present a note, signed by the parent,
describing the reason for the absence.

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Fees (All Grade Levels)

Basic educational program materials are provided at no charge to a student. However, a student
is expected to provide his or her own supplies, such as pencils, paper, erasers, and notebooks.
A student may also be required to pay certain other costs, fees, or deposits, including:
• Materials for a class project that the student will keep.
• Membership dues in voluntary clubs or student organizations.
• Admission fees to extracurricular activities.
• Security deposits.
• Personal physical education and athletic equipment and apparel.
• Voluntarily purchased pictures, publications, class rings, yearbooks, graduation
announcements, etc.
• Voluntarily purchased student health and accident insurance.
• Musical instrument rental and uniform maintenance when uniforms are provided by the
district.
• Personal apparel used in extracurricular activities that becomes the property of the student.
• Parking fees and student identification cards.
• Fees for overdue library books and/or lost, damaged, library materials, such as books and
technology-associated items.
• Fees for driver training courses, if offered.
• Fees for optional courses offered for credit that require use of facilities not available on
district premises.
• Summer school for courses that are offered tuition-free during the regular school year.
• A maximum fee of $50 for an educational program outside of regular school hours for a
student who has lost credit or has not been awarded a final grade because of absences and
whose parent chooses the program for the student to meet the 90 percent attendance
requirement. The fee will be charged only if the parent or guardian signs a district-provided
request form.
• In some cases, a fee for a course taken through the Texas Virtual School Network (TXVSN).
Any required fee or deposit may be waived if the student and parent are unable to pay.
Application for such a waiver may be made to the principal. [See policy FP for more
information.]
Fundraising (All Grade Levels)
Student groups or classes and/or parent groups may be permitted to conduct fundraising drives
for approved school purposes in accordance with administrative regulations. An application for
permission must be made to the principal at least 10 days before the event. [See policies FJ
and GE for more information.]

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Gang-Free Zones (All Grade Levels)

Certain criminal offenses, including gang-related crimes, will be enhanced to the next-highest
category of offense if they are committed in a gang-free zone. Gang-free zones include a school
bus and any location in, on, or within 1,000 feet of any district-owned or leased property or
campus playground.
Gender-Based Harassment
[See Dating Violence, Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation on page 48.]
Grade-Level Classification (Grades 9–12 Only)
After the ninth grade, students are classified according to the number of credits earned toward
graduation. All grade-level classifications shall be made at the beginning of the fall semester,
with the exception of 3rd year sophomores, 4th year juniors, and juniors who will be graduating at
the end of the spring semester, who will be reclassified at the beginning of the spring semester,
as well.
Credits Earned Classification
6 Grade 10 (Sophomore)
12 Grade 11 (Junior)
18 Grade 12 (Senior)

Grading Guidelines (All Grade Levels)

Approved grading guidelines for each grade level or course will be communicated to students
and their parents by the classroom teacher. These guidelines establish:
• The minimum number of assignments, projects, and examinations required for each grading
period;
• How the student’s mastery of concepts and achievement will be communicated (i.e., letter
grades, numerical averages, checklist of required skills, etc.);
• Circumstances under which a student will be allowed to redo an assignment or retake an
examination the student originally failed; and
• Procedures for a student to follow after an absence.
Additional information regarding grading guidelines can be found on the district website at
www.tomballisd.net.
[See Report Cards/Progress Reports and Conferences on page 91 for additional information
on grading guidelines.]
Late Enrollment/Transfers
When a student enrolls in Tomball ISD, transfer grades that are presented with the student’s
records will be averaged with any work completed in Tomball ISD prior to the end of the given
grading period. Please note: transferring students who wish to receive quality points for

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advanced courses taken prior to enrollment in Tomball ISD must present a transcript verifying
completion of such courses within 30 days of the student’s enrollment.
If the enrollment of a student from any school other than an accredited Texas public school
occurs during the last grading period of the school year, the student will be assessed in each
core area using Credit by Exam and/ or the state assessment test to determine promotion,
placement, or retention for the next school year. Once the assessment has been completed, the
grades must be delivered to the Registrar who will enter them into the student accounting
system.
If a student enrolls at the high school after a point that attendance in 90% of the days a class
meets is not possible, the student shall receive a NO CREDIT (NC) for that course(s) for the
semester grade unless the student completes an academic plan approved by the principal. The
date at which a student will receive an NC shall be determined based on the date of the first day
of school. Absences incurred are subject to the attendance policies.
TAP, Dual Credit Courses
TAP, AP and Dual Credit Courses receive quality points based on TISD grading guidelines (See
TISD Course Selection Guide for more information). Students in AP classes are highly
encouraged to take the AP exams for the courses in which they are registered; however, the
exams are not required.
Due to the special training required of teachers and the rigor and classroom interaction required
in these courses, the courses cannot be taught in an alternative setting. Students in TAP or AP
classes who are removed from the classroom to a disciplinary alternative setting for more than
30 days may be transferred into a regular level class and will not be awarded college credit or
quality points. Students removed from the Dual Credit classroom for 15 days or more will be
withdrawn from the course and placed in a regular level class, and no quality points will be
awarded.
Semester Exams
At the end of each semester, examinations are given in all classes for which high school credit
is earned. A student who misses an exam due to an excused absence must make up the exam
in accordance with the procedures and schedule established by the school administration. A
student who misses an exam and is not eligible to make up the exam will receive a zero for the
examination. Semester exams count for 20% of the student’s semester average for each
course. Students enrolled in dual credit courses are also required to take a semester exam for
the college. This is in addition to the high school exam.
Exam Exemptions
Exemptions are a privilege to be earned by high school students (junior high school students
are not eligible). All high school students will take all semester exams during the 1st semester.
Please note: all exam exemption requirements and parameters may be changed at any point in
the school year due to unforeseen circumstances which may occur during the course of the
school year. Any changes to the stipulations outlined in this handbook will be promptly and
clearly communicated to all students and parents affected by such changes.
A high school student who achieves “Masters” level on State Assessment Exams for all related
courses taken during the current year may be exempt from all spring semester exams, provided
the student is passing the course for the semester and meets all other requirements.

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Students enrolled in dual credit courses may not exempt the final exam for the college. They
may be exempt from the high school final exam in the spring semester if exemption
requirements are met.
A high school student may exempt second semester exams on a course-by-course basis by
meeting the specific requirement of the course:
• For courses with STAAR assessments:
o Achieve “Approaches” or “Met Standard” on the STAAR End of Course Test and
o Be passing the course for the semester
• For ALL other courses:
o Have a minimum of an 85 average for the semester
Additionally, all exam exemptions are contingent upon the student meeting the following criteria:
• The student must have no more than four (4) absences (excused or unexcused) the 1st
semester in a full year course, and no more than three (3) absences (excused or
unexcused) the 2nd semester prior to the day of the exam.
• The student must not have more than (10) unexcused tardies or late arrivals for the year.
• All students must be in attendance on the day of the semester exam review or they forfeit
their exemption.
• All textbooks must be clear.
• All outstanding fees must be paid.
• Students must not have incurred more than two (2) days of ISS assigned for the year.
Students who were assigned OSS or AEP during either semester may not be exempt.
• Attendance hardship cases may be appealed to the Exam Exemption Committee. The
hardship appeal forms for exam exemptions may be picked up in the principal’s office
beginning April 22, 2024, and returned no later than May 03, 2024.
Students who transfer into Tomball ISD in the spring semester and wish to exempt exams are
responsible for showing proof of attendance, textbook and state assessment records from their
previous school.
Parents have the right to waive their child’s exemption and may do so by providing written
notice to the teacher of each relevant course.
Note: If state assessment scores are not returned by the State of Texas in a timely manner that
allows the District to evaluate the success of the individual student, then the 85 average for the
semester will apply.
Graduation (Secondary Grade Levels Only)
Requirements for a Diploma
A student must meet the following requirements to receive a high school diploma from the
district:
• Achieve passing scores on certain end-of-course (EOC) assessments or approved
substitute assessments, unless specifically waived as permitted by state law;
• Complete the required number of credits established by the state and any additional credits
required by the district;
• Complete any locally required courses in addition to the courses mandated by the state;

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• Demonstrate proficiency, as determined by the district, in the specific communication skills

required by the State Board of Education (SBOE); and
• Complete and submit a free application for federal student aid (FAFSA) or a Texas
application for state financial aid (TASFA).
Testing Requirements for Graduation
Students are required, with limited exceptions and regardless of graduation program, to perform
satisfactorily on the following EOC assessments in:
• English I,
• English II,
• Algebra I,
• Biology, and
• U.S. History.
A student who does not achieve a sufficient score will have opportunities to retake an
assessment.
State law allows a student to meet EOC requirements by substituting satisfactory performance
on approved national standardized assessments or on the state-developed assessment used
for entrance into Texas public universities. [See the school counselor for more information on
the state testing requirements for graduation.]
If a student fails to perform satisfactorily on an EOC assessment, the district will provide
remediation in the applicable content area. This may require the student’s participation outside
normal school operating times.
In limited circumstances, a student who fails to demonstrate proficiency on two or fewer of the
required assessments may still be eligible to graduate if an individual graduation committee,
formed in accordance with state law, unanimously determines that the student is eligible to
graduate.
[See Standardized Testing on page 102.]
Foundation Graduation Program
Every Texas public school student will graduate under the foundation graduation program. The
foundation graduation program features endorsements, which are paths of interest that include:
• Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM);
• Business and Industry;
• Public Service;
• Arts and Humanities; and
• Multidisciplinary Studies.
Endorsements earned by a student will be noted on the student’s transcript.

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A student can complete the foundation graduation program with a “distinguished level of
achievement,” which reflects the completion of at least one endorsement and Algebra II as one
of the required advanced mathematics credits.
A Personal Graduation Plan will be completed for each high school student, as described on
page 68.
State law generally prohibits a student from graduating solely under the foundation graduation
program without an endorsement. However, after the student’s sophomore year, the student and
student’s parent may request that the student graduate without an endorsement. The district
will advise the student and the student’s parent of the specific benefits of graduating with an
endorsement. The student and the student’s parent must then submit written permission to the
school counselor for the student to graduate without an endorsement.
A student who wishes to attend a four-year university or college after graduation must carefully
consider whether graduation under the foundation program without an endorsement will satisfy
the admission requirements of the student’s desired college or university.
A student graduating under the foundation graduation program can also earn performance
acknowledgments on his or her transcript. Performance acknowledgments are available for
outstanding performance in bilingualism and biliteracy, in a dual credit course, on an AP or IB
examination, on certain national college preparatory and readiness or college entrance
examinations, or for earning a license or certificate recognized at the state, national, or
international level. The school counselor can provide more information about these
acknowledgments.
A student is not required to complete an Algebra II course to graduate under the foundation
graduation program, and the district will annually notify a student’s parent of this fact. However,
not taking Algebra II will make a student ineligible for automatic admission to four-year public
universities and colleges in Texas and for certain financial aid and grants while attending those
institutions.
A school district will permit a student to satisfy the curriculum requirements for graduation under
the foundation program with the distinguished level of achievement, including an endorsement,
by successfully completing courses in the core curriculum of a public Texas institution of higher
education. Please see your counselor for more information.
The credit and course requirements for graduating under the foundation graduation program
may be found in the High School Course Catalog on the Tomball ISD website and are available
in the counselor’s office.
Available Endorsements
A student must specify upon entering grade 9 which endorsement he or she wishes to pursue.
Financial Aid Application Requirement
Before graduating from high school, each student must complete and submit an application for
financial aid for post-secondary education. Students must complete and submit either a free
application for federal student aid (FAFSA) or a Texas application for state financial aid (TASFA).
A student is not required to complete and submit a FAFSA or TASFA if:
• The student’s parent submits a form provided by the district indicating that the parent
authorizes the student to opt out;

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• A student who is 18 years of age or older or a legally independent minor submits a form
provided by the district indicating that the student opts out; or
• A school counselor authorizes the student to opt out for good cause.
To confirm that a student has completed and submitted a TASFA, the student must complete the
following steps:
1. Login to TISD Student Link available through HAC (Home Access Center) or directly at this
link: https://link.tomballisd.net/Student/
2. Click the FAFSA/TASFA Application Status Button
3. Select Application Type and upload one of the following documents to certify FAFSA/TASFA
submission:
a) A screenshot that includes the processed date field of the FAFSA ApplyTexas
Counselor Suite;
b) Notification, such as a copy of an email, from the United States Department of
Education verifying completion of the FAFSA;
c) A copy or screenshot of the FAFSA acknowledgment page;
d) A screenshot of the TASFA submission acknowledgment page (from those institutions
that offer an electronic form);
e) An acknowledgment receipt from an institution of higher education (IHE); or
f) A copy of a financial aid award letter from an IHE.

Personal Graduation Plans

A personal graduation plan (PGP) will be developed for each high school student.
The district encourages all students to pursue a personal graduation plan that includes the
completion of at least one endorsement and to graduate with the distinguished level of
achievement. Attainment of the distinguished level of achievement is a requirement for a student
to be considered for automatic admission to a public four-year college or university in Texas,
depending on his or her rank in class.
The school will review personal graduation plan options with each student entering grade 9 and
his or her parent. Before the end of grade 9, a student and his or her parent will be required to
sign off on a personal graduation plan that promotes college and workforce readiness, promotes
career placement and advancement, and facilitates the transition from secondary to
postsecondary education.
The student’s personal graduation plan will outline an appropriate course sequence based on
the student’s choice of endorsement.
Please review TEA's Graduation Toolkit.
A student may, with parental permission, amend his or her personal graduation plan after the
initial confirmation.

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Available Course Options for All Graduation Programs

Each spring, the district will update students on the courses required or offered in each
curriculum area so students can enroll for the upcoming school year.
Note: The district may require the completion of certain courses for graduation even if these
courses are not required by the state for graduation.
Not all courses are offered at every secondary campus in the district. A student who wants to
take a course not offered at his or her regular campus should contact the school counselor
about a transfer or other alternatives.
Certificates of Coursework Completion
A certificate of coursework completion will be issued to a student who has successfully
completed state and local credit requirements for graduation but has not yet demonstrated
satisfactory performance on the state-mandated tests required for graduation.
Students with Disabilities
Admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committees will make instructional and assessment
decisions for students with disabilities who receive special education services in accordance
with state law.
Upon the recommendation of the ARD committee, a student with a disability who receives
special education services may be permitted to graduate under the provisions of his or her
individualized education program (IEP) and in accordance with state rules.
A student who receives special education services may earn an endorsement under the
foundation program. If the student’s curriculum requirements for the endorsement were
modified, the student’s ARD committee will determine whether the modified curriculum is
sufficiently rigorous to earn the endorsement. The ARD committee must also determine whether
the student must perform satisfactorily on any end-of-course assessment to earn an
endorsement.
A student who receives special education services and has completed four years of high school
but has not met the requirements of his or her IEP may participate in graduation ceremonies
and receive a certificate of attendance. The student may then remain enrolled to complete the
IEP and earn his or her high school diploma but will only be allowed to participate in one
graduation ceremony.
[See policy FMH(LEGAL) for more information.]
Graduation Activities
Commencement ceremonies are held at the end of the spring semester. Students wishing to
graduate early must declare their intent to do so to their counselor.
All students eligible to participate in the commencement ceremony will receive a Graduation
Packet (also available on the high school website) with procedures and expectations. Students
and parents should carefully review this packet. Students are permitted to participate in only
one (1) high school graduation exercise.
Students who have met coursework requirements for graduation but have not yet demonstrated
satisfactory performance on end-of-course assessments or been declared eligible to graduate
by an individual graduation committee, if applicable, will be allowed to participate in graduation

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activities. However, please keep in mind that participating in the activities and ceremonies is not
the same as graduating. Ultimately, the final awarding of a diploma will be contingent upon the
student’s completion of all applicable requirements for graduation.
Honor Graduates
To be recognized as an honor graduate at commencement, a student must be classified as a
senior and be enrolled in Tomball High School, Tomball Memorial High School, or Tomball Star
Academy at the time of ranking. The top ten percent of the graduating class, based on seven
semesters of work, will be designated as honor graduates:
Top 2% of the class Summa Cum Laude
Next 3% of the class Magna Cum Laude
Next 5% of the class Cum Laude
Service Cords
Tomball ISD believes that participation in community service is an integral component in the
profile of a successful graduate; therefore, the district would like to recognize students who have
embraced this ideal.
Students who participate in a significant level of service to the community during their high
school years may be awarded a service cord to be worn during the high school graduation
ceremony. An average of 40 service hours per school year is required, with a cumulative total
of 160 hours over a 4-year period; however, due to the complications, restrictions, and safety
considerations related to COVID-19, the requirements to earn a service cord for graduation
have been adjusted. A cumulative total of service hours will be required as follows:
Classes of 2023 – 2024: 120 hours
Class of 2025 and every class thereafter: 160 hours
Further information and required forms can be obtained from the high school counselors.
Graduation Speakers
Certain graduating students will be given an opportunity to have speaking roles at graduation
ceremonies.
A student must meet local eligibility criteria, which may include requirements related to student
conduct, to have a speaking role. Students eligible for speaking roles will be notified by the
principal and given an opportunity to volunteer.
[See the Student Code of Conduct and policy FNA(LOCAL) for more information.]
[For student speakers at other school events, see Student Speakers on page 102.]
Graduation Expenses
Because students and parents will incur expenses to participate in the traditions of graduation—
such as the purchase of invitations, senior ring, cap and gown, and senior picture—both the
student and parent should monitor progress toward completion of all requirements for
graduation. The expenses often are incurred in the junior year or first semester of the senior
year. [See Fees on page 62.]

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Scholarships and Grants

Students who have a financial need according to federal criteria and who complete the
foundation graduation program may be eligible under the TEXAS Grant Program, Teach for
Texas Grant Program, and Future Texas Teachers Scholarship Program for scholarships and
grants toward tuition and fees to Texas public universities, community colleges, and technical
schools, as well as to private institutions. Certain students who graduate early may also be
eligible for the Texas First Scholarship Program.
See College and University Admissions and Financial Aid (All Grade Levels) on page 40
for more information.
Contact the school counselor for information about other scholarships and grants available to
students.
Harassment
[See Dating Violence, Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation on page 48.]
Hazing (All Grade Levels)
Hazing is defined as an intentional, knowing, or reckless act, on or off campus, by one person
alone or acting with others, directed against a student for the purpose of pledging, initiation into,
affiliation with, holding office in, or maintaining membership in a student organization if the act
meets the elements in Education Code 37.151, including:
• Any type of physical brutality;
• An activity that subjects the student to an unreasonable risk of harm or that adversely affects
the student’s mental or physical health, such as sleep deprivation, exposure to the elements,
confinement to small spaces, calisthenics, or consumption of food, liquids, drugs, or other
substances;
• An activity that induces, causes, or requires the student to perform a duty or task that
violates the Penal Code; and
• Coercing a student to consume a drug or alcoholic beverage in an amount that would lead a
reasonable person to believe the student is intoxicated.
The district will not tolerate hazing. Disciplinary consequences for hazing will be in accordance
with the Student Code of Conduct. It is a criminal offense if a person engages in hazing; solicits,
encourages, directs, aids, or attempts to aid another in hazing; or has firsthand knowledge of an
incident of hazing being planned or having occurred and fails to report this to the principal,
superintendent, or law enforcement official.
[See Bullying on page 32 and policies FFI and FNCC for more information.]
Health—Physical and Mental
Illness (All Grade Levels)
When your child is ill, please contact the school to let us know he or she will not be attending
that day.
State rules require schools to exclude students with certain illnesses from school for certain
periods of time. For example, if a child has a fever over 100 degrees, he or she must stay out of

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school until fever-free for 24 hours without use of fever-reducing medications. Students with
diarrheal illnesses must stay home until they are diarrhea-free without use of diarrhea-
suppressing medications for 24 hours.
A full list of conditions for which the school must exclude children can be obtained from the
school nurse.
If a student becomes ill during the school day, he or she must receive permission from the
teacher before reporting to the school nurse. If the nurse determines that the child should go
home, the nurse will contact the parent. A child with a fever of 100°F or higher, students who
appear ill and have had more than one episode of vomiting witnessed by personnel, as well as
students with diarrhea, will be excluded from class and from riding the bus. Parents will be
called to pick up the student.
Any skin infections such as ringworm or open sores must be covered by a bandage while the
student is at school. Persistent skin eruptions or rashes may require an exam by a family
doctor, medical clinic, or health professional at a local health department clinic. No exclusion for
ringworm is necessary if the infected area can be completely covered by clothing/bandage;
otherwise, exclusion is required until treatment has begun.
Viral or bacterial conjunctivitis (pinkeye) will require the student to be sent home until symptom-
free or physician permission to return is submitted.
A loose tooth is not considered a health emergency in most cases; therefore, neither Tomball
ISD nurses nor other staff members will remove a student’s tooth unless it poses an imminent
choking hazard or other serious medical risk as determined by the campus nurse.
The district is required to report certain contagious (communicable) diseases or illnesses to the
Department of State Health Services (DSHS) or our local/regional health authority. The school
nurse can provide information from DSHS on these notifiable conditions.
The school nurse is available to answer any questions for parents who are concerned about
whether or not their child should stay home.
Immunization (All Grade Levels)
A student must be fully immunized against certain diseases or must present a certificate or
statement that, for medical reasons or reasons of conscience, including a religious belief, the
student will not be immunized.
For exemptions based on reasons of conscience, only official forms issued by the Texas
Department of State Health Services (DSHS), Immunization Branch, can be honored by the
district. You may access the DSHS exemption form
(https://dshs.texas.gov/immunize/school/exemptions.aspx) online or by writing to this address:
Texas Department of State Health Services
Immunization Section, Mail Code 1946
P.O. Box 149347
Austin, Texas 78714-9347
The form must be notarized and submitted to the principal or school nurse within 90 days of
notarization. If the parent is seeking an exemption for more than one student in the family, a
separate form must be provided for each student.
The immunizations required are:

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• Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis

• Polio
• Measles, mumps, and rubella
• Hepatitis B
• Varicella (chicken pox)
• Meningococcal
• Hepatitis A
The school nurse can provide information on immunization requirements. A complete listing of
the immunizations required by grade level may be obtained online from the Texas Department
of State Health Services or by calling the TDSHS at 1-800-252-9152, or online at Tomball ISD.
Proof of immunization may be established by personal records from a licensed physician or
public health clinic with a signature or rubber-stamp validation. Records must show the month,
day, and year when each immunization or disease occurred.
A student shall show acceptable evidence of vaccination prior to entry. Any student coming
from another state or country must produce acceptable documents of immunization that are
current before enrollment. A current immunization record is demonstrated proof that the student
has begun immunizations and is receiving them as rapidly as medically feasible. Once enrolled,
the student must continue to receive any required immunization as rapidly as medically feasible.
Students transferring from another Texas school will be admitted provisionally for no more than
30 days while awaiting the transfer of immunization records from the previous school. The
records must also demonstrate proof that the student has begun immunization and is receiving
them as rapidly as medically feasible. Students not complying with the immunization timeline
will be excluded from school attendance until they have received the needed immunization(s)
and provided the school nurse with appropriate documentation.
If a student should not be immunized for medical reasons, the student or parent must present a
certificate signed by a U.S. registered and licensed physician stating that, in the doctor’s
opinion, the immunization required is medically contraindicated or poses a significant risk to the
health and well-being of the student or a member of the student’s family or household. This
certificate must be renewed yearly unless the physician specifies a lifelong condition.
For information on immunization against bacterial meningitis and college enrollment and
attendance, see Bacterial Meningitis on page 79.,
[See the DSHS website: Texas School & Child Care Facility Immunization Requirements and
policy FFAB(LEGAL) for more information.]
Lice (All Grade Levels)
Head lice is very common among children. Although not an illness or a disease, head lice
spread through head-to-head contact during play, sports, nap time, and when children share
things like brushes, combs, hats, and headphones. Because lice spread so easily, the District
will need to exclude any student found to have live lice until after one treatment of an FDA-
approved shampoo or cream rinse, which can be purchased from a drug store or a grocery
store.

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If careful observation indicates that a student has head lice, the school nurse will contact the
student’s parent and inform the parent that the student will need to be picked up from school
and will need to stay home until after an initial treatment is applied. After the student has
undergone one treatment, the parent should check in with the school nurse to discuss the
treatment used. The nurse can also offer additional recommendations, including subsequent
treatments, how best to get rid of lice, and how to prevent lice from returning.
The district will provide notice to parents of elementary school students in an affected classroom
without identifying the student with lice.
More information on head lice can be obtained from the DSHS website Managing Head Lice in
School Settings and at Home.
[See policy FFAA for more information.]
Medicine at School (All Grade Levels)
If a student must take medication during school hours, the student’s parent must provide the
medication. All medication, whether prescription or nonprescription, must be kept in the nurse’s
office and be administered by the nurse or another authorized district employee. A student may
be authorized to possess his or her own medication because of asthma or a severe allergy as
described below or as otherwise allowed by law.
In accordance with policy FFAC, authorized employees may administer:
• Prescription medication in the original, properly labeled container, provided by the parent,
along with a written request. Samples must be accompanied by a note of instruction from
the treating physician or dentist.
• Prescription medication from a properly labeled unit dosage container filled by a registered
nurse or another qualified district employee from the original, properly labeled container
provided by the parent along with a written request.
• Nonprescription medication in the original, properly labeled container, provided by the parent
along with a written request. Note: Insect repellant is considered a nonprescription
medication.
• Herbal or dietary supplements provided by the parent only if required by the student’s
individualized education program (IEP) or Section 504 plan for a student with disabilities.
An elementary or secondary student may possess and self-apply sunscreen to avoid
overexposure to the sun. An elementary student’s teacher or other district personnel will apply
sunscreen to the student’s exposed skin if the student brings the sunscreen to school and asks
for help applying it. If a secondary student needs assistance with sunscreen application, please
address the need with the school nurse. Whether a student is at the elementary or secondary
level, if sunscreen needs to be administered to treat any type of medical condition, this should
be handled through communication with the school nurse so that the district is made aware of
any safety and medical issues.
Any Tomball ISD employee reserves the right to refuse the administration of any medication if it
conflicts with his/her professional judgment. For more information regarding administration of
medicine at school, contact the school nurse or visit the Health Services page of the Tomball
ISD website.

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Asthma and Severe Allergic Reactions

A student with asthma or severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) may possess and use
prescribed asthma or anaphylaxis medication at school or school-related events only if he or
she has written authorization from his or her parent and a physician or other licensed health-
care provider. The student must also demonstrate to his or her health-care provider and the
school nurse the ability to use the prescribed medication, including any device required to
administer the medication.
If the student has been prescribed asthma or anaphylaxis medication for use during the school
day, the student and parents should discuss this with the school nurse or principal.
See also Food Allergies on page 79.
Unassigned Opioid Antagonists (Secondary Campuses Only)
In accordance with Chapter 38, Subchapter E of the Education Code, the board will adopt a
policy to allow authorized and trained school personnel at each campus that serves students in
grades 6-12 to administer an opioid antagonist, such as Narcan or Naloxone to an individual
who is reasonably believed to be experiencing an opioid-related drug overdose.
One or more authorized and trained individuals will be present on each campus subject to this
policy during regular school hours.
Steroids (Secondary Grade Levels Only)
State law prohibits students from possessing, dispensing, delivering, or administering an
anabolic steroid. Anabolic steroids are for physician-prescribed medical use only.
Body building, muscle enhancement, or the increase of muscle bulk or strength through the use
of an anabolic steroid or human growth hormone by a healthy student is not a valid medical use
and is a criminal offense.
Mental Health Support (All Grade Levels)
The district has implemented programs to address the following mental health, behavioral
health, and substance abuse concerns:
• Mental health promotion and early intervention;
o The district provides ongoing Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training for staff and
parents. MHFA is a state approved eight-hour course that teaches school staff and
parents about the signs and symptoms of mental health needs. The yearly MHFA
training can be found at this link https://www.tomballisd.net/apps/pages/curriculum-
departments/student-support/.
o The district ensures that all staff have completed the required training on youth
mental health awareness and suicide prevention.
• Building skills to manage emotions, establish and maintain positive relationships, and
engage in responsible decision-making;
o The district maintains a Behavioral Health website which describes positive behavior
interventions and supports (PBIS) and wrap around services to address the whole
child. The Tomball ISD Behavioral Health website is found by following this link
https://sites.google.com/tomballschools.net/behavioralhealth/home.

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o School counselors deliver guidance lessons based on a district scope and sequence
that help teach students essential relationship and decision-making skills.
• Substance abuse prevention and intervention;
o In partnership with Clear Hope Counseling, the district provides substance use
screening and intervention through the Restore, Instruct, Support and Educate
(RISE) program for any student referred by campus personnel or teacher. Although
referrals to RISE are required for all students found “under the influence” on a
Tomball ISD campus, parents and teachers are encouraged to refer students to RISE
if a substance-abuse disorder is suspected. For more information on RISE follow
this link https://sites.google.com/tomballschools.net/behavioralhealth/wrap-around-
services/rise
• Suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention (interventions after a suicide in a
community);
o A cohort of district counselors and LSSPs are trained to provide psychological first
aid as postvention based on circumstances. District counselors follow suicide
protocol when students make an outcry. Suicide prevention efforts are individualized
as needed and implemented at the campus level.

• Grief, trauma, and trauma-informed care;

• Positive behavior interventions and supports;
• Positive youth development; and
o The Great Expectations (GE) character development program is in place at all
elementary and intermediate campuses.
• Safe, supportive, and positive school climates.
o The GE program as noted above is in place in district campuses.
o Restorative practices are utilized on select campuses. Information can be found at
the following links:
 https://tea.texas.gov/texas-schools/health-safety-discipline/restorative-
discipline-practices-in-texas
 https://tea.texas.gov/texas-schools/health-safety-discipline/restorative-
discipline-practices-in-texas
 https://www.iirp.edu/images/pdf/Defining-Restorative_Nov-2016.pdf
If a student has been hospitalized or placed in residential treatment for a mental health condition
or substance abuse, the district has procedures to support the student’s return to school. Please
contact the campus counselor for further information.
Teachers and other district employees may discuss a student’s academic progress or behavior
with the student’s parents or another employee as appropriate; however, they are not permitted
to recommend use of psychotropic drugs. A psychotropic drug is a substance used in the
diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of a disease or as a component of a medication that is
intended to alter perception, emotion, mood, or behavior.

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A district employee who is a registered nurse, an advanced nurse practitioner, a physician, or a

certified or credentialed mental health professional can recommend that a student be evaluated
by an appropriate medical practitioner, if appropriate. [See policy FFEB for more information.]
For related information, see:
• Consent to Conduct a Psychological Evaluation on page 6 and Consent to Provide a
Mental Health Care Service on page 8 for the district’s procedures for recommending a
mental health intervention and the mental health liaison’s contact information;
• Counseling on page 44 for the district’s comprehensive school counseling program;
• Physical and Mental Health Resources on page 80 for campus and community mental
and physical health resources; and
• Policies and Procedures that Promote Student Physical and Mental Health on page 80
for board-adopted policies and administrative procedures that promote student health.
Physical Activity Requirements
Elementary School
The district will ensure that students in full-day prekindergarten–grade 5 engage in moderate or
vigorous physical activity for at least 30 minutes per day or 135 minutes per week, in
accordance with policies at EHAB, EHAC, EHBG, and FFA.
Students must have tennis or court shoes to participate in Physical Education (P.E.) classes.
Boots, waffle bottom soles or cleats are not appropriate. If a student does not have appropriate
shoes, he or she will not be able to participate and may not receive credit for that class period.
Excessive failure to participate will affect a student’s grade in P.E. Shorts under dresses are
recommended for various activities.
For additional information on the district’s elementary school student physical activity programs
and requirements, please see the principal.
Junior High/Middle School
The district will ensure that students in middle or junior high school will engage in 30 minutes of
moderate or vigorous physical activity per day for at least four semesters in accordance with
policies at EHAB, EHAC, EHBG, and FFA.
For additional information on the district’s junior high and middle school student physical activity
programs and requirements, please see the principal.
Temporary Restriction from Participation in Physical Education
Students who are temporarily restricted from participation in physical education will not actively
participate in skill demonstration but will remain in class to learn the concepts of the lessons.
If a child is not physically able to participate in the physical education program for a period of
three days or less, a note from the parent is required. For a period exceeding three days, a
physician’s statement must be presented to the school nurse.
Physical Fitness Assessment (Grades 3–12)
Annually, the district will conduct a physical fitness assessment of students in grades 3–12 who
are enrolled in a physical education course or a course for which physical education credit is

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awarded. At the end of the school year, a parent may submit a written request to the teacher
who administered the assessment to obtain the results of his or her child’s physical fitness
assessment conducted during the school year.
Physical Health Screenings/Examinations
Athletics Participation (Secondary Grade Levels Only)
For certain extracurricular activities, a student must submit certification from an authorized
health-care provider. The certification must state that the student has been examined and is
physically able to participate in the relevant program, including:
• A district athletics program.
• District marching band.
• Any district extracurricular program identified by the superintendent.
This examination is required to be submitted annually to the district. Additional student groups
or organizations other than athletics may require these physical examinations, as well. No
student will be allowed to try out, practice, even during the athletic period, or compete without a
UIL- recognized physical on file when school begins or upon enrollment.
The athletic department sponsors a day each spring, usually in May, when doctors come to the
school and perform physicals for a fee. Students and parents will be notified prior to the date as
to the location and times of the physicals. The Athletic Department will recognize physicals
taken from May of one year to the end of the following school year as the official duration a
physical is valid.
UIL (University Interscholastic League) requires that all physicals be completed on the form
designed by the UIL. Students may go to any doctor, but the UIL Form must be used. These
forms are available on the District’s website or at your student’s school.
Students should be aware of the rare possibility of sudden cardiac arrest, which in athletes is
usually caused by a previously unsuspected heart disease or disorder. A student may request
an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) to screen for such disorders, in addition to his or her
required physical examination.
See the UIL’s explanation of sudden cardiac arrest for more information.
Spinal Screening Program
School-based spinal screening helps identify adolescents with abnormal spinal curvature at an
early stage when the curve is mild and may go unnoticed. Early detection is key to controlling
spinal deformities. Spinal screening is non-invasive and conducted in accordance with the most
recent nationally accepted and peer-reviewed standards.
All students who meet the Texas Department of State Health Services criteria will be screened
for abnormal spinal curvature before the end of the school year. As appropriate, students will be
referred for follow-up with their physician. Screenings will be conducted before the end of the
school year as follows:
• Girls will be screened two times, once at age ten and again at age twelve.
• Boys will be screened one time at age thirteen or fourteen.

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For information on spinal screening by an outside professional or exemption from spinal

screening based on religious beliefs, contact the superintendent, or see policy FFAA(LEGAL).
Other Examinations and Screenings (All Grade Levels)
Students are required to undergo a risk assessment for Type 2 diabetes at the same time the
district screens students for hearing and vision issues or for abnormal spinal curvatures.
Parents of students identified through any screening programs as needing treatment or further
examinations shall be advised of the need and referred to appropriate health agents.
[See policy FFAA for more information.]
Special Health Concerns (All Grade Levels)
Bacterial Meningitis (All Grade Levels)
Please see the district’s website at www.tomballisd.net for information regarding meningitis.
Note: Entering college students must show, with limited exception, evidence of receiving a
bacterial meningitis vaccination within the five-year period prior to enrolling in and taking
courses at an institution of higher education. Please see the school nurse for more information,
as this may affect a student who wishes to enroll in a dual credit course taken off campus.
[See Immunization on page 72.]
Diabetes
In accordance with a student’s individual health plan for management of diabetes, a student with
diabetes will be permitted to possess and use monitoring and treatment supplies and equipment
while at school or at a school-related activity. See the school nurse or principal for information.
[See policy FFAF(LEGAL) for more information.]
Food Allergies (All Grade Levels)
Parents should notify the district when a student has been diagnosed with a food allergy,
especially an allergy that could result in dangerous or life-threatening reactions either by
breathing, eating, or touching the particular food. It is important to disclose the food to which the
student is allergic as well as the nature of the allergic reaction. Please contact the school nurse
or campus principal if your child has a known food allergy or as soon as possible after any
diagnosis of a food allergy.
The district has developed and annually reviews a food allergy management plan, based on the
Texas Department of State Health Services’ (DSHS) “Guidelines for the Care of Students with
Food Allergies At-Risk for Anaphylaxis” found on the DSHS website at Allergies and
Anaphylaxis.
When the district receives information that a student has a food allergy that puts the student at
risk for anaphylaxis, an individual care plan will be developed to assist the student in safely
accessing the school environment. The district’s food allergy management plan can be
accessed by contacting the campus nurse or the Director of Health Services at 281-357-3281.
[See Celebrations on page 37 and policy FFAF for more information.]
Seizures (All Grade Levels)
To address the care of a student with a seizure disorder while at school or participating in a
school activity, a parent may submit a seizure management and treatment plan to the district

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before the beginning of the school year, upon enrollment of the student, or as soon as
practicable following diagnosis of a seizure disorder.
[See A Student with Physical or Mental Impairments Protected under Section 504 on page
24 and contact the school nurse for more information.]
Tobacco and E-Cigarettes Prohibited (All Grade Levels and All Others on School
Property)
Students are prohibited from possessing or using any type of tobacco product, electronic
cigarette (e-cigarette), or any other electronic vaporizing device while on school property or
while attending an off-campus school-related activity.
The district and its staff strictly enforce prohibitions against the use of all tobacco products, e-
cigarettes, or any other electronic vaporizing device by students and all others on school
property and at school-sponsored and school-related activities. [See the Student Code of
Conduct and policies FNCD and GKA for more information.]
Health-Related Resources, Policies, and Procedures
Physical and Mental Health Resources (All Grade Levels)
Parents and students in need of assistance with physical and mental health concerns may
contact the following campus and community resources:
• The campus full-time nurse:
• The campus full-time school counselor:
• The local public health authority, Harris County Public Health and Environmental Services,
which may be contacted at 713-439-6080.
• The local mental health authority, The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD, which may
be contacted at 713-970-7000.
Policies and Procedures that Promote Student Physical and Mental Health (All Grade
Levels)
The district has adopted board policies that promote student physical and mental health.
(LOCAL) policies on the topics below can be found in the district’s policy manual, available at
www.tomballisd.net.
• Food and nutrition management: CO, COA, COB
• Wellness and Health Services: FFA
• Physical Examinations: FFAA
• Immunizations: FFAB
• Medical Treatment: FFAC
• Communicable Diseases: FFAD
• School-Based Health Centers: FFAE
• Care Plans: FFAF

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• Crisis Intervention: FFB

• Trauma-informed Care: FFBA
• Student Support Services: FFC
• Student Safety: FFF
• Child Abuse and Neglect: FFG
• Freedom from Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation: FFH
• Freedom from Bullying: FFI
In addition, the District Improvement Plan details the district’s strategies to improve student
performance through evidence-based practices that address physical and mental health.
The district has developed administrative procedures as necessary to implement the above
policies and plans.
Please contact the campus principal for further information regarding these procedures and
access to the District Improvement Plan.
School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) (All Grade Levels)
During the preceding school year, the district’s School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) held six
meetings. Additional information regarding the district’s SHAC is available from the Director of
Administrative Services.
Notification of upcoming SHAC meetings will be posted at each campus administrative office at
least 72 hours before the meeting. Notification of upcoming SHAC meetings, meeting minutes,
and a recording of each meeting will be posted on the district website at www.tomballisd.net.
[See Consent to Human Sexuality Instruction on page 6, Consent Before Instruction on
Prevention of Child Abuse, Family Violence, Dating Violence, and Sex Trafficking on page
7, and policies BDF and EHAA for more information.]
Student Wellness Policy/Wellness Plan (All Grade Levels)
To encourage healthy habits in our students, the district has developed a board-adopted
wellness policy at FFA(LOCAL) and corresponding plans and procedures to implement it. For
questions about the content or implementation of the district’s wellness policy and plan, please
contact the Director of Administrative Services at 281-357-3100.
Homework (All Grade Levels)
Homework assignments are utilized to assist students in achieving satisfactory school progress
and developing desirable work habits. Through these assignments the parents can also
become more aware of the scope and sequence of the instructional program. Assignments are
an outgrowth of the work done in the classroom, and sufficient instruction is given by the
teacher to ensure that the student can work independently in most instances. The type of
assignment and time devoted to it are determined by the grade level and the age of the student.
Assignments vary in length. Some will be of an extended length, e.g., research papers. There
may be some evenings when no homework is assigned. All homework is checked/reviewed and
the student is apprised of his/her progress.

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Late Work (Secondary Grade Levels Only)

Specific guidelines will be determined by grade level teams and subject to approval by the
building principal. Overall, long-term assignments, those taking a minimum of ten school days to
complete, will be turned in on or before the due date. Major assignments will be accepted up to
2 days late and graded, with a 15-point deduction per day.
Law Enforcement Agencies (All Grade Levels)
Questioning of Students
When law enforcement officers or other lawful authorities wish to question or interview a student
at school, the principal will cooperate fully regarding the conditions of the interview, including
without parental consent, if necessary, if it is part of a child abuse investigation. In other
circumstances, the principal will:
• Verify and record the identity of the officer or other authority and ask for an explanation of
the need to question the student at school.
• Ordinarily make reasonable efforts to notify the parents, unless the interviewer raises what
the principal considers to be a valid objection.
• Ordinarily be present for the questioning or interview, unless the interviewer raises what the
principal considers to be a valid objection.
Students Taken into Custody
State law requires the district to permit a student to be taken into legal custody:
• To comply with an order of the juvenile court.
• To comply with the laws of arrest.
• By a law enforcement officer if there is probable cause to believe the student has engaged
in delinquent conduct or conduct in need of supervision.
• By a law enforcement officer to obtain fingerprints or photographs for comparison in an
investigation.
• By a law enforcement officer to obtain fingerprints or photographs to establish a student’s
identity where the child may have engaged in conduct indicating a need for supervision,
such as running away.
• By a probation officer if there is probable cause to believe the student has violated a
condition of probation imposed by the juvenile court.
• By an authorized representative of Child Protective Services (CPS), Texas Department of
Family and Protective Services (DFPS), a law enforcement officer, or a juvenile probation
officer, without a court order, under the conditions set out in the Family Code relating to the
student’s physical health or safety.
• To comply with a properly issued directive from a juvenile court to take a student into
custody.
Before a student is released to a legally authorized person, the principal will verify the person’s
identity and, to the best of his or her ability, will verify the person’s authority to take custody of
the student.

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The principal will immediately notify the superintendent and will attempt to notify the parent,
unless the legally authorized person raises what the principal considers to be a valid objection
to notifying the parents. Because the principal does not have the authority to prevent or delay a
student’s release to a legally authorized person, any notification will most likely be after the fact.
Notification of Law Violations
The district is required by state law to notify:
• All instructional and support personnel who have responsibility for supervising a student who
has been taken into custody, arrested, or referred to the juvenile court for any felony offense
or for certain misdemeanors.
• All instructional and support personnel who have regular contact with a student who has
been convicted, received deferred prosecution, received deferred adjudication, or was
adjudicated for delinquent conduct for any felony offense or certain misdemeanors that
occur in school, on school property, or at a school-sponsored or school-related activity on or
off school property. These personnel will also be notified if the principal has reasonable
grounds to believe the student has engaged in certain conduct.
• All appropriate district personnel regarding a student who is required to register as a sex
offender.
[See policy GRAA(LEGAL) for more information.]
Leaving Campus (All Grade Levels)
Student attendance is crucial. Appointments should be scheduled outside of school hours if
possible. Also, note that picking up a student early on a regular basis results in missed
opportunities for learning. Absent extenuating circumstances, students will not regularly be
released before the end of the school day.
Parental consent is required before any student leaves campus for any part of the school day.
For students in elementary and middle school, a parent or authorized adult must come to the
office and show identification to sign the student out. A campus representative will ask the
student to report to the office. For safety purposes and stability of the learning environment, we
cannot allow any unescorted adult to go to the classroom or other area to pick up the student. If
the student returns to campus the same day, the parent or authorized adult must sign the
student back in through the main office upon the student’s return. Documentation regarding the
reason for the absence will also be required.
The same process applies to students in high school if a parent picks the student up from
campus. If the student’s parent authorizes the student to leave campus unaccompanied, a note
provided by the parent must be submitted to the main office no later than two hours prior to the
student’s need to leave campus. A phone call from the parent may be accepted, but the school
may ultimately require a note for documentation purposes. Once the office has received
information that the student’s parent consents to the student leaving campus, a pass will be
issued to the student to hand to his or her teacher with the necessary information. The student
must sign out through the main office and sign in upon his or her return, if the student returns
the same day.
If a student becomes ill during the school day and the school nurse or other district personnel
determines that the student should go home, the nurse will contact the student’s parent and
document the parent’s wishes regarding release from school.

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Unless the parent directs district personnel to release the student unaccompanied, the parent or
other authorized adult must follow the sign-out procedures listed above. If a student is permitted
by his or her parent to leave campus unaccompanied, the nurse will document the time of day
the student was released. Under no circumstances will a student in elementary or middle school
be released unaccompanied by a parent or adult authorized by the parent.
If a student is 18 years of age or is an emancipated minor, the student may sign him- or herself
out of school. Documentation regarding the reason for the absence will be required.
During Lunch
All Tomball ISD schools are closed campuses. No students are allowed to leave during lunch
without a parent following the procedures for leaving campus described above.
At Any Other Time during the School Day
Students are not authorized to leave campus during regular school hours for any other reason,
except with the permission of the principal.
Students who leave campus in violation of these rules will be subject to disciplinary action in
accordance with the Student Code of Conduct.
Lost and Found (All Grade Levels)
A lost and found collection box is located in the campus office. A student who loses an item
should check the lost and found box. The district discourages bringing personal items of high
monetary value to school, as the district is not responsible for lost or stolen items. The campus
will dispose of lost and found items at the end of each semester.
Makeup Work
Makeup Work Because of Absence (All Grade Levels)
A teacher may assign makeup work to a student who misses class based on instructional
objectives and the needs of the student in mastering the essential knowledge and skills or
meeting subject or course requirements.
The student will be responsible for obtaining and completing the makeup work within the time
specified by the teacher and in accordance with grading guidelines. A student who does not
make up assigned work within the time allotted by the teacher will receive a grade of zero for
the assignment.
The student is encouraged to speak with his or her teacher if the student knows of an absence
ahead of time so that the teacher and student may plan any makeup work. Please remember
the importance of student attendance at school. With limited exceptions, all absences count for
the 90 percent threshold set in state law regarding attendance for credit or final grade. [See
Attendance for Credit or Final Grade on page 28.]
A student involved in an extracurricular activity must notify his or her teachers ahead of time
about any absences.
A student will be permitted to make up tests and turn in projects due in any class missed
because of absence. Teachers may assign a late penalty to any long-term project in accordance
with timelines approved by the principal and previously communicated to students.

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School work missed due to short-term absences (three days or less) may be made up after the
student is well and returns to school. Parents may request make-up work to accommodate their
child’s needs resulting from extended absences by calling the school office or their child’s
teachers prior to picking up the work at the end of the day. Make-up work will, in most cases,
not be issued prior to the absence.
DAEP Makeup Work
Grades 9–12
If a high school student is enrolled in a foundation curriculum course at the time of removal to a
disciplinary alternative education program (DAEP), he or she will have an opportunity to
complete the course before the beginning of the next school year. The district may provide the
opportunity to complete the course through an alternative method, including a correspondence
course, another distance learning option, or summer school. The district will not charge the
student for any method of completion provided by the district. [See policy FOCA(LEGAL) for
more information.]
In-School Suspension (ISS) and Out-of-School Suspension (OSS) Makeup Work (All
Grade Levels)
Alternative Means to Receive Coursework
While a student is in ISS or OSS, the district will provide the student with all course work for the
student’s foundation curriculum classes that the student misses as a result of the suspension.
Opportunity to Complete Courses
A student removed from the regular classroom to ISS or another setting, other than a DAEP, will
have an opportunity to complete before the beginning of the next school year each course the
student was enrolled in at the time of removal from the regular classroom. The district may
provide the opportunity by any method available, including a correspondence course, another
distance learning option, or summer school. The district will not charge the student for any
method of completion provided by the district. [See policy FO(LEGAL) for more information.]
Messages or Deliveries for Students
Only messages of an emergency nature from a parent can be relayed to students. Parents are
encouraged to plan ahead with their children for unusual weather conditions or other situations
that would alter the method by which children return home. Any changes in method of
transportation must go through the front office at least 30 minutes prior to the end of the school
day. Do not rely on fax, email, or voice mail.
Messages and deliveries of a personal nature (such as flowers, balloons, gifts, cards, etc. for
birthdays, homecoming, Valentine’s Day, etc.) will not be permitted. Food may be brought only
by a student’s parent or grandparent and, if the parent is not having lunch with the student, must
be left at the front desk. The receptionist will not send for the student or monitor who takes the
lunch.
Nondiscrimination Statement (All Grade Levels)
In its efforts to promote nondiscrimination and as required by law, the district does not
discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sex, age, disability, or
any other basis prohibited by law in providing education services, activities, and programs,

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including Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. The district provides equal access to
the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.
In accordance with Title IX, the district does not and is required not to discriminate on the basis
of sex in its educational programs or activities. The requirement not to discriminate extends to
employment. Inquiries about the application of Title IX may be referred to the district’s Title IX
Coordinator (see below), to the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights of the Department of
Education, or both.
Other federal laws that prohibit discrimination include Title VI, Section 504, the Age
Discrimination Act, the Boy Scouts Act, and Title II.
The district has designated and authorized the following employee as the Title IX Coordinator to
address concerns or inquiries regarding discrimination on the basis of sex, including sexual
harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, or gender-based
harassment:
Dr. Steven Gutierrez, Chief Operating Officer
310 S. Cherry St., Tomball, TX 77375
281-357-3100
[email protected]

Reports can be made at any time and by any person, including during non-business hours, by
mail, phone, or email. During district business hours, reports may also be made in person. Upon
the district receiving notice or an allegation of sex-based harassment, the Title IX Coordinator
will promptly respond in accordance with the process described at FFH(LOCAL).
The following district representatives have been designated to address concerns or inquiries
about other kinds of discrimination:
• For concerns regarding discrimination on the basis of disability, see the ADA/Section 504
Coordinator:
Steven Shiels, Director of Guidance and Counseling
11211 Main St.., Tomball, TX 77375
[email protected]
281-357-3140

• For all other concerns regarding discrimination:

Dr. Steven Gutierrez, Chief Operating Officer
310 S. Cherry St., Tomball, TX 77375
281-357-3100
[email protected]

[See policies FB, FFH, and GKD for more information.]

Nontraditional Academic Programs (All Grade Levels)
Grad Lab
Grad Lab is a credit recovery program offered outside the regular school day, designed to allow
students to gain lost credit so that they can get back on track to graduate with their class. To
enroll, a student must:

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• Be enrolled in Tomball High School or Tomball Memorial High School

• Demonstrate the ability to work independently
• Demonstrate a willingness to follow all school and Grad Lab program rules
• Be actively working to earn credit in all current classes
• Pay all fees associated with Grad Lab
Students must complete all course work and exams with a grade average of 70 or better within
the allotted time. Grades for these courses will be recorded on a “Pass/Fail” basis. See the
counselor for more information or to apply.
Tomball Success Academy
Tomball Success Academy is a computer- based lab, located at Tomball Connections
Academy, similar to Grad Lab; however, students participate in this program during the full
school day. To be considered for this program a student must meet the following requirements:
• Have a minimum of 12 credit hours
• Have a minimum of 3 years of high school completed
• Have a good attendance history
• Have a good discipline history
• Be motivated and able to work independently.
Interested students should contact their counselor for an application.
Parent and Family Engagement (All Grade Levels)
Working Together
Experience and research tell us that a child succeeds in education with good communication
and a strong partnership between home and school. A parent’s involvement and engagement in
this partnership may include:
• Encouraging your child to put a high priority on education and working with your child every
day to make the most of the educational opportunities the school provides.
• Ensuring that your child completes all homework assignments and special projects and
comes to school each day prepared, rested, and ready to learn.
• Becoming familiar with all your child’s school activities and with the academic programs,
including special programs, offered in the district.
• Discussing with the school counselor or principal any questions you may have about the
options and opportunities available to your child.
• Reviewing the requirements and options for graduation with your child in middle school and
again while your child is enrolled in high school.
• Monitoring your child’s academic progress and contacting teachers as needed. [See
Academic Counseling on page 45.]
• Attending scheduled conferences and requesting additional conferences as needed. To
schedule a telephone or in-person conference with a teacher, school counselor, or principal,

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please call the school office for an appointment. The teacher will usually return your call or
meet with you during his or her conference period or before or after school. [See Report
Cards/Progress Reports and Conferences on page 91.]
• Becoming a school volunteer. [See Volunteers on page 107 and policy GKG for more
information.]
• Participating in campus parent organizations such as PTO, Renaissance/ARC, and booster
clubs for student organizations.
• Serving as a parent representative on the district-level or campus-level planning committees
that develop educational goals and plans to improve student achievement. For more
information, see policies BQA and BQB and contact the principal.
• Serving on the School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) and assisting the district in aligning
local community values with health education instruction, human sexuality instruction,
instruction on prevention of child abuse, family violence, dating violence, and sex trafficking,
and other wellness issues. [See School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) on page 79 and
policies BDF, EHAA, FFA for more information.]
• Being aware of the school’s ongoing bullying and harassment prevention efforts.
• Contacting school officials if you are concerned with your child’s emotional or mental well-
being.
• Attending board meetings to learn more about district operations. Regular board meetings
are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p. m. at the Central Administration
Building at 310 S. Cherry St. An agenda for a regular or special meeting is posted no later
than 72 hours before each meeting at the Central Administration Building and online at
www.tomballisd.net. [See policies BE and BED for more information.]
Parking and Parking Permits (Secondary Grade Levels Only)
Parking is by permit only, and only in those lots designated for student parking on the student’s
home campus. Students are not permitted to sit in vehicles parked on or adjoining school
grounds at any time. Students are not allowed in the parking lot during the school day without
administrative approval.
Students may drive to school and park in the designated student parking lot provided the driver:
• Agrees to participate in the district random drug testing program;
• Has a valid Texas driver’s license and student I.D.;
• Can provide proof of insurance on the vehicle; and
• Has no outstanding fees or fines from the previous year.
Drivers meeting these requirements are eligible to buy a parking permit. Parking permit fees
are not pro-rated or refunded upon withdrawal from school or upon revocation of the parking
permit. Lost permits must be replaced at full price.
Each permit is issued to an individual student and must be clearly displayed on the vehicle. The
student is responsible for any situations that arise from a vehicle displaying his/her permit.
Campus administrators retain the right to suspend or revoke any student’s parking permit at any
time at their discretion. Failure to follow the parking guidelines or Student Code of Conduct,

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including but not limited to, chronic tardiness, absenteeism, or other disciplinary issues, may
result in parking privileges being suspended or revoked with no refund. Students who speed,
exhibit reckless driving, or any other prohibited driving practice on campus shall be subject to
disciplinary action and revocation of parking privileges. In all instances of suspension or
revocation of a parking permit, a refund of the permit fee will not be issued.
Vehicles parked on school property are under the jurisdiction of the school. The school reserves
the right to search any vehicle if reasonable cause exists to do so. Students have full
responsibility for the security of their vehicles and will make certain they are locked and their keys
are not given to others. Students will be held responsible for any prohibited objects or substances,
such as, but not limited to, alcohol, drugs, and weapons, that are found in their vehicles and will
be subject to disciplinary action. Searches of vehicles may be conducted at any time there is
reasonable cause to do so, with or without the presence of the student.
Vehicles parked without a permit are subject to having a wheel clamp (boot) applied to the left-
front wheel. A fee will be charged to remove the wheel clamp. Any attempt by the student to
remove a wheel clamp will be considered vandalism to district property. The district is not
responsible for any damage that results from any attempt to drive a vehicle with a wheel clamp
attached. Additionally, the district may tow cars that are parked in violation of these rules.
The district is not liable for any vandalism, theft, or damage to any vehicle parked on school
property.
Parties
“Room Parents” are organized by the principal or designee to assist classroom teachers. No
more than three school-sponsored parties are conducted each year. Private party invitations
may not be distributed at school unless the entire class, or all boys or all girls as appropriate,
are invited.
Pledges of Allegiance and a Minute of Silence (All Grade Levels)
Each school day, students will recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the U.S. flag and the Pledge of
Allegiance to the Texas flag. Parents may submit a written request to the principal to excuse
their child from reciting a pledge. [See Reciting the Pledges to the U.S. and Texas Flags on
page 13.]
State law requires that one minute of silence follow recitation of the pledges. Each student may
choose to reflect, pray, meditate, or engage in any other silent activity during that minute so long
as the silent activity does not interfere with or distract others.
In addition, state law requires that each campus provide for the observance of one minute of
silence in remembrance of those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, at the beginning of
the first class period when September 11 falls on a regular school day.
[See policy EC for more information.]
Prayer (All Grade Levels)
Each student has a right to pray individually, voluntarily, and silently or to meditate in school in a
manner that does not disrupt school activities. The school will not encourage, require, or coerce
a student to engage in or refrain from such prayer or meditation during any school activity.

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Promotion and Retention

A student will be promoted only on the basis of academic achievement or proficiency. In making
promotion decisions, the district will consider the following:
• Teacher recommendation,
• Grades,
• Scores on criterion-referenced or state-mandated assessments, and
• Any other necessary academic information as determined by the district.
Elementary and Middle/Junior High Grade Levels
Promotion from grade 1 to grade 2 shall be based on proficiency in reading, language arts, and
mathematics, as demonstrated by a proficiency level no lower than “approaching” for a majority
of the grades in each of those subjects on the final grade 1 report card.
In grades 2–5, promotion to the next grade level shall be based on an overall average of 70 on
a scale of 100 based on course-level, grade-level standards (Texas Essential Knowledge and
Skills) for language arts (including reading), mathematics, science, and social studies, and a
grade of 70 or above in both language arts (including reading) and mathematics.
In grades 6-8, promotion is based on an overall average of 70 on a scale of 100 based upon
course-level, grade-level standards (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) for all subject areas,
and a grade of 70 or above in language arts and mathematics, and a grade of 70 or above in
either social studies or science. [See policy EIE(LOCAL).]
Repeating Prekindergarten or Kindergarten – Grade 8 at Parent Request
A parent may request in writing that a student repeat prekindergarten, kindergarten, or any
grade in grade 1-8. Before granting the request, the district may convene a retention committee
to meet and discuss the request and will invite the parent to participate.
High School Grade Levels
To earn credit in a course, a student must receive a grade of at least 70 based on course-level
standards.
A student in grades 9–12 will be advanced a grade level based on the number of course credits
earned. [See Grade-Level Classification on page 63.]
Students will also have multiple opportunities to retake EOC assessments. [See Graduation on
page 65 and Standardized Testing on page 102.]
Repeating a High-School Credit Course
A parent may request in writing that a student repeat a high-school credit course in which the
student was enrolled during the previous school year unless the district determines that the
student has met all requirements for graduation.
Before granting the request, the district may convene a retention committee to meet and discuss
the request and will invite the parent to participate.
Only the student’s first passing grade will be included in the calculation of class ranking under
this provision.

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Release of Students from School

[See Leaving Campus on page 83.]
Remote Instruction
The district may offer remote instruction in accordance with TEA guidelines.
All district policies, procedures, guidelines, rules, and other expectations of student behavior will
be enforced as applicable in a remote or virtual learning environment.
Report Cards/Progress Reports and Conferences (All Grade Levels)
Report cards with each student’s performance and absences in each class or subject are issued
at least once every nine weeks.
At the end of the first three weeks of a grading period or during the fourth week of a nine-week
grading period, parents will receive a progress report of their student’s performance. If a student
receives a grade lower than 70 in any class or subject at the end of a grading period, the parent
will be asked to schedule a conference with the teacher. [See Working Together on page 87 for
how to schedule a conference.]
Teachers follow grading guidelines that have been approved by the superintendent pursuant to
the board-adopted policy. Grading guidelines are designed to reflect each student’s relative
mastery of each assignment for the grading period, semester, or course. State law provides that
a test or course grade issued by a teacher cannot be changed unless the board determines that
the grade was arbitrary or contains an error, or that the teacher did not follow the district’s
grading policy. [See Grading Guidelines on page 63 and policy EIA(LOCAL) for more
information.]
Questions about grade calculation should first be discussed with the teacher. If the question is
not resolved, the student or parent may request a conference with the principal in accordance
with FNG(LOCAL).
The report card or unsatisfactory progress report will state whether tutorials are required for a
student who receives a grade lower than 70.
Report cards and unsatisfactory progress reports must be signed by the parent and returned to
the school within two days. The district may communicate academic information about a student
electronically, including for progress reporting purposes. An electronic signature will be accepted
by the district, but parents are entitled to request a handwritten signature of acknowledgment
instead.
Retaliation
[See Dating Violence, Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation on page 48.]
Required State Assessments
STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) for Grades 3-8
In addition to routine tests and other measures of achievement, students at certain grade levels
are required to take the state assessment, called STAAR, in the following subjects:
• Mathematics, annually in grades 3–8
• Reading, annually in grades 3–8

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• Science in grades 5 and 8

• Social Studies in grade 8
Standardized Testing for a Student Enrolled Above Grade Level
If a student in grades 3–8 is enrolled in a class or course intended for students above his or her
current grade level in which the student will be administered a state-mandated assessment, the
student will be required to take an applicable state-mandated assessment only for the course in
which he or she is enrolled, unless otherwise required to do so by federal law.
A student in grades 3–8 shall be assessed at least once in high school with the ACT or the SAT
if the student completes the high school end-of-course assessments in mathematics,
reading/language arts, or science prior to high school.
High School Courses End-of-Course (EOC) Assessments
STAAR end-of-course (EOC) assessments are administered for the following courses:
• Algebra I
• English I and English II
• Biology
• U.S. History
Satisfactory performance on the applicable assessments is required for graduation, unless
waived or substituted as allowed by state law and rules.
There are three testing windows during the year in which a student may take an EOC
assessment. The windows occur in the fall, spring, and summer months. If a student does not
meet satisfactory performance, the student will have opportunities to retake the assessment.
Requesting Administration of STAAR/EOC in Paper Format (All Grade Levels)
STAAR and EOC assessments are administered electronically.
A parent or teacher may request that a STAAR or EOC be administered to a student in paper
format. The district may grant this request for any single administration for up to three percent of
the number of students enrolled in the district. Requests will be granted in the order in which
they are received.
Requests for paper format for a fall administration of a STAAR or EOC must be submitted no
later than September 15 each school year.
Requests for paper format for a spring administration of a STAAR or EOC must be submitted no
later than December 1 each school year.
Standardized Testing for a Student in Special Programs
Certain students—some with disabilities and some classified as emergent bilingual students—
may be eligible for exemptions, accommodations, or deferred testing.
STAAR Alternate 2 is available for eligible students receiving special education services who
meet certain state-established criteria as determined by the student’s ARD committee.

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An admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee for a student receiving special education
services will determine whether successful performance on the EOC assessments will be
required for graduation within the parameters identified in state rules and the student’s personal
graduation plan (PGP). [See Graduation on page 54.] STAAR Spanish is available for eligible
students for whom a Spanish version of STAAR is the most appropriate measure of their
academic progress.
Failure to Perform Satisfactorily on a STAAR or EOC Assessment
If a student does not perform satisfactorily on a required state assessment in any subject, the
district will provide accelerated instruction for the student in the subsequent school year by:
• Assigning the student to a teacher who is certified as a master, exemplary, or recognized
teacher if one is available in the grade and subject matter of the state assessment on which
the student did not perform satisfactorily, or
• Providing supplemental instruction.
A student may be required to attend any assigned supplemental instruction program before or
after school or during the summer.
The district will provide transportation for supplemental instruction.
When a student fails to perform satisfactorily on a required state assessment in the same
subject area for two or more years, the district shall develop an accelerated education plan.
Parents are encouraged to participate in developing this plan.
Personal Graduation Plan – Junior High School Students
For a junior high school student who does not perform satisfactorily on a state-mandated
examination, a school official will prepare a personal graduation plan (PGP).
School officials will also develop a PGP for a junior high school student who is determined by
the district to be unlikely to earn a high school diploma within five years of high school
enrollment. The plan will, among other items;
• Identify the student’s educational goals,
• Address the parent’s educational expectations for the student, and
• Outline an intensive instruction program for the student.
[See the counselor and policy EIF(LEGAL) for more information.]
For a student receiving special education services, the student’s IEP may serve as the student’s
PGP and would therefore be developed by the student’s ARD committee.
[See Personal Graduation Plans on page 66 for information related to the development of
personal graduation plans for high school students.]
For more information, see the principal, school counselor, or special education director.
Safety (All Grade Levels)
Student safety on campus, at school-related events, and in district vehicles is a high priority of
the district. The cooperation of students is essential to ensuring school safety. A student is
expected to:

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• Avoid conduct that is likely to put the student or others at risk.

• Follow all behavioral standards in this handbook and the Student Code of Conduct or set by
district employees.
• Help secure the campus by keeping all exterior doors closed, latched, and locked unless the
door is actively monitored by a district employee.
• Follow instructions from teachers and other district employees regarding classroom doors.
• Remain alert to any safety hazards, such as intruders on campus or threats made by any
person toward a student or staff member, and promptly report any incidents to a district
employee. A student may make anonymous reports about safety concerns by accessing the
Anonymous Alert Smartphone application or website link found on the district website and
using the district code.
• Know emergency evacuation routes and signals.
• Follow immediately the instructions of teachers, bus drivers, and other district employees
who are overseeing the welfare of students.
• Wear Smart Tag / Student ID issued by the campus.
Accident Insurance
Soon after the school year begins, parents will have the opportunity to purchase low-cost
accident insurance that would help meet medical expenses in the event of injury to their child.
Insurance for Career and Technical Education (CTE) Programs
The district may purchase accident, liability, or automobile insurance coverage for students and
businesses involved in the district’s CTE programs.
Crime Stoppers Safe School Program
Tomball ISD, in cooperation with the Tomball Police Department, participates in the Harris
County Crime Stoppers Safe School Program. Students, parents and staff are encouraged to
call the reward hotline at (713) 222-TIPS with any information regarding possession of guns or
other weapons, graffiti, theft, arson, vandalism, and/or possession of drugs on school campus.
Rewards from $100 to $1,000 are paid for information leading to the arrest and charges filed for
these crimes. Anonymity of the caller is guaranteed.
Preparedness Drills: Evacuation, Severe Weather, and Other Emergencies
Periodically, the school will conduct preparedness drills of emergency procedures. When the
command is given or alarm is sounded, students need to follow the direction of teachers or
others in charge quickly, quietly, and in an orderly manner. Visitors are expected to cooperate
with school staff during drills.
Preparedness Training: CPR and Stop the Bleed
The district will offer instruction in CPR and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED)
at least once to students enrolled in in grades 7–12. The instruction can be provided as part of
any course and is not required to result in CPR or AED certification.
The district will annually offer students in grades 7–12 instruction on the use of bleeding control
stations to respond to traumatic injury. For more information, see:

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• Homeland Security’s Stop the Bleed

• Stop the Bleed Texas.
Emergency Medical Treatment and Information
In case of accident or illness, a child will be given first aid, and, if the nurse considers it
necessary, parents will be notified. In all cases requiring a doctor’s care, parents will be notified
if they are reachable. Children will be sent home according to the instructions on the
emergency procedure form.
All parents are asked each year to complete a medical care authorization form, providing written
parental consent to obtain emergency treatment and information about allergies to medications
or drugs. Parents should contact the school nurse to update emergency care information (name
of doctor, emergency phone numbers, allergies, etc.).
The district may consent to medical treatment, including dental treatment, if necessary, for a
student if:
• The district has received written authorization from a person having the right to consent;
• That person cannot be contacted; and
• That person has not given the district actual notice to the contrary.
The emergency care authorization form will be used by the district when a student’s parent or
authorized designee cannot be contacted. A student may provide consent if authorized by law or
court order.
Regardless of parental authorization for the district to consent to medical treatment, district
employees will contact emergency medical services to provide emergency care when required
by law or when deemed necessary, such as to avoid a life-threatening situation.
Emergency Procedures
In the interest of safety for students and staff, the Superintendent may direct that one or more
campuses or sites enact a Shelter in Place or be relocated to a designated relocation site. No
student or staff will be released from the school or site designated as a Shelter in Place as long
as hazardous conditions remain. No student will be released from a Shelter in Place or from a
relocation site to anyone not listed on the student’s current registration form as authorized to
accept custody of the student. Identification will be required.
Emergency School Closing Information
Each year, parents are asked to complete an emergency release form to provide contact
information in the event that the district needs to notify parents of early dismissal, delayed
opening, or restricted access to a campus because of severe weather, a security threat, or
another emergency cause.
The district will rely on contact information on file with the district to communicate with parents in
an emergency situation, which may include real-time or automated messages. It is crucial to
notify your child’s school when a phone number changes. State law requires parents to update
contact information within two weeks after the date the information changes.
If the campus must close, delay opening, or restrict access to the building because of an
emergency, the district will also alert the community in the following ways:

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• If a weather event occurs that would require district officials to close or delay school, parents
should tune in to local radio and television stations for emergency information to determine if
school will be held.
• Tomball ISD may also utilize its emergency phone notification system to deliver a message
to home, work or cell phones to inform parents if school will be closed or delayed. Please
keep the registrar of your child’s school informed of any change in your contact information.
• Emergency information will be posted online on the Tomball ISD website.
[See Parent Contact Information on page 67 and Automated, Emergency on page 42.]
SAT, ACT, and Other Standardized Tests
[See Standardized Testing on page 102.]
Schedule Changes (Middle/Junior High and High School Grade Levels)
Student requests for schedule changes must be made in writing and received in the counseling
office by the designated deadline date. A commitment to do well in selected courses is valued
in the District. Only necessary administrative changes will be made after classes begin.
Schedule changes are necessary under the following conditions:
1. The student already has credit in a course listed on the current schedule.
2. The student does not have the prerequisite for a course on the current schedule.
3. The student receives a “D” or “F” in an honors/TAP/AP, DC level course and the teacher
recommends that the student change to the same course at the regular level.
In consideration of the student, these changes will only occur at the end of the first three weeks,
six weeks, the end of the first grading period, or at the end of the semester.
After consultation with teacher/coach students may withdraw from band, choir, LOTC, ROTC, or
athletics at any time, but in each case, they will be assigned to a regular physical education
class (not including Off-Campus PE) for the remainder of the semester. This could result in
rearrangement of class periods. Please note: all students who choose to participate in UIL
sanctioned activities, such as TISD athletics or TISD fine arts, are required to be enrolled in the
corresponding athletic or fine art period within their class schedule. This requirement will
include both cheer and dance teams.
School Facilities
Asbestos Management Plan (All Grade Levels)
The district works diligently to maintain compliance with federal and state law governing
asbestos in school buildings. A copy of the district’s asbestos management plan is available in
the central administrative office. If you have any questions or would like to examine the district’s
plan in more detail, please contact the Chief Financial Officer, The district’s designated asbestos
coordinator, at 281-357-3100.
Food and Nutrition Services (All Grade Levels)
The district participates in the School Breakfast Program and National School Lunch Program
and offers students nutritionally balanced meals daily in accordance with standards set forth in
state and federal law. Menus and nutritional information can be found on the Child Nutrition
Department webpage.

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During annual student enrollment, families are notified about the application process for
participation in the free or reduced-priced breakfast and lunch program. Parents are
encouraged to complete a free or reduced meal application if economic hardships exist.
Applications expire each year. Applications can be submitted online at www.schoolcafe.com
OR through the School Café App, to determine if benefits are required. Eligibility decisions are
based on federally established income and household size guidelines without regard to race,
sex, color, national origin, age, or disability.
Information about a student’s participation is confidential. The district may share information
such as a student’s name and eligibility status to help enroll eligible children in Medicaid or the
state children’s health insurance program (CHIP) unless the student’s parent notifies the district
that a student’s information should not be disclosed.
Participating students will be offered the same meal options as their peers and will not be
treated differently from their peers.
Money may be deposited into student accounts with cash, check, online at www.schoolcafe.com
OR through the School Cafe App. Advanced payment is not necessary. However, this process
is convenient for parents, and a child is always ensured a nutritious cafeteria breakfast and
lunch.
Students may charge meals up to the value of two breakfasts and two lunches. An automated
phone call occurs when a negative balance appears on a student’s account. If a student
account exhausts the grace period/charge limit, the student must select a peanut butter and jelly
or toasted cheese sandwich entree for lunch and/or a cereal entrée for breakfast until the
negative balance is paid. A la carte items are not available for charging.
The following information is published as required by the USDA for participation in the National
School Lunch Program:
“In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil
rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of
race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age,
or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
“Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with
disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g.,
Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or
local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice
and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
“To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027,
USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at:
https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by
calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the
complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged
discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR)
about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or
letter must be submitted to USDA by:
1. mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

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1400 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
2. fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
3. email:
[email protected]
“This institution is an equal opportunity provider.”
The responsible state agency that administers the program is the Texas Department of
Agriculture (https://www.texasagriculture.gov/Home/Contact-Us), which can be reached at (800)
TELL-TDA (835-5832) or (800) 735-2989 (TTY).
The local agency that administers the program is the district. See Nondiscrimination Statement
on page 75 for the name and contact information for the Title IX coordinator, ADA/Section 504
coordinator, and superintendent for other concerns about discrimination.
Vending Machines (All Grade Levels)
The district has adopted and implemented the state and federal policies for food service,
including guidelines to restrict student access to vending machines. For more information
regarding these policies and guidelines, see the Director of Child Nutrition. [See policies at CO
and FFA for more information.]
Pest Management Plan (All Grade Levels)
The district is required to follow integrated pest management (IPM) procedures to control pests
on school grounds. Although the district strives to use the safest and most effective methods to
manage pests, including a variety of non-chemical control measures, periodic indoor and
outdoor pesticide use is sometimes necessary to ensure a safe, pest-free school environment.
All pesticides used are registered for their intended use by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency and are applied only by certified pesticide applicators. Except in an emergency, all
inspections and treatments, if necessary, are conducted on Thursday nights after school hours.
All outdoor applications will be posted at the time of treatment, and signs will remain until it is
safe to enter the area.
Parents who have questions or who want to be notified of the times and types of applications
prior to pesticide application inside their child’s school assignment area may contact the
district’s IPM coordinator, The Director of Operations and Environment, at 281-357-3170.
Conduct Before and After School (All Grade Levels)
Teachers and administrators have full authority over student conduct at before- or after-school
activities. Whether a school activity is on or off district premises, students must follow the same
rules of conduct that apply during the instructional day. Misbehavior will be subject to
consequences established by the Student Code of Conduct or any stricter standards of behavior
established by the sponsor for extracurricular participants.

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Food and Drink

Except by special permission from the Principal or an Assistant Principal, eating will be
restricted to the commons/cafeteria. Food or drinks (with the exception of water) may not be
carried down the hall. There will be no parties in the classrooms unless approved by the
principal.
Library (All Grade Levels)
The library is a learning resource center with books, computers, magazines, and other materials
available for classroom assignments, projects, and reading or listening pleasure. The library is
open for independent student use during the day with a teacher permit.
The following guidelines should be followed in the use of the library media center:
• Books may be checked out for two-week periods. A book may be renewed twice if desired.
• No books will be checked out to a student who has an overdue book.
• A student who has lost or damaged a book must pay for the book before being allowed to
check out another book. Refunds for payment of lost books will be made if the book is later
found and returned.
• Students may check out a maximum of three books.
• Periodicals and reference materials are available in the library.
Use of Hallways during Class Time (All Grade Levels)
During class times, loitering or standing in the halls is not permitted, and a student must have a
hall pass to be outside the classroom for any purpose. Failure to obtain a pass may result in
disciplinary action in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct.
Use by Students Before and After School (All Grade Levels)
Certain areas of the school will be accessible to students before and after school for specific
purposes. Students are required to remain in the area where their activity is scheduled to take
place.
Unless the teacher or sponsor overseeing an activity gives permission, a student will not be
permitted to go to another area of the building or campus.
Students must leave campus immediately after dismissal of school in the afternoon, unless the
student is involved in an activity under the supervision of a teacher or other authorized
employee or adult.
Meetings of Noncurriculum-Related Groups (Secondary Grade Levels Only)
Student-organized, student-led noncurriculum-related groups are permitted to meet during the
hours designated by the principal before and after school. These groups must comply with the
requirements of policy FNAB(LOCAL).
A list of these groups is available in the principal’s office.
School-Sponsored Field Trips (All Grade Levels)
The district periodically takes students on field trips for educational purposes.

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A parent must provide permission for a student to participate in a field trip.

The district may ask the parent to provide information about a student’s medical provider and
insurance coverage and may also ask the parent to sign a waiver allowing for emergency
medical treatment in the case of a student accident or illness during the field trip. See Fees (All
Grade Levels) on page 62 for more information.
The district may require a fee for student participation in a field trip that is not required as part of
a basic educational program or course to cover expenses such as transportation, admission,
and meals; however, a student will not be denied participation because of financial need.
The district is not responsible for refunding fees paid directly to a third-party vendor.
Searches
Searches in General (All Grade Levels)
In the interest of promoting student safety and drug-free schools, district officials may
occasionally conduct searches.
District officials may search students, their belongings, and their vehicles in accordance with law
and district policy. Searches of students will be conducted without discrimination, based on, for
example, reasonable suspicion or voluntary consent or pursuant to district policy providing for
suspicionless security procedures, including the use of metal detectors.
In accordance with the Student Code of Conduct, students are responsible for prohibited items
found in their possession, including items in their personal belongings or in vehicles parked on
district property.
If there is reasonable suspicion to believe that searching a student’s person, belongings, or
vehicle will reveal evidence of a violation of the Student Code of Conduct, a district official may
conduct a search in accordance with law and district regulations.
District Property (All Grade Levels)
Desks, lockers, district-provided technology, and similar items are the property of the district and
are provided for student use as a matter of convenience. District property is subject to search or
inspection at any time without notice. Students have no expectation of privacy in district
property.
Students are responsible for any item found in district property provided to the student that is
prohibited by law, district policy, or the Student Code of Conduct. Students must be certain that
their lockers are locked, and that the combinations are not available to others.
The parent will be notified if any prohibited items are found in the student’s desk or locker.
Metal Detectors (All Grade Levels)
To maintain a safe and disciplined learning environment, the district reserves the right to subject
students to metal detector searches when entering a district campus and at off-campus, school-
sponsored activities.
Telecommunications and Other Electronic Devices (All Grade Levels)
Use of district-owned equipment and its network systems is not private and will be monitored by
the district. [See policy CQ for more information.]

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Any searches of personal electronic devices will be conducted in accordance with law, and the
device may be confiscated to perform a lawful search. A confiscated device may be turned over
to law enforcement to determine whether a crime has been committed.
[See Electronic Devices and Technology Resources on page 55 and policy FNF(LEGAL) for
more information.]
Trained Dogs (All Grade Levels)
The district may use trained dogs to screen for concealed, prohibited items, including drugs and
alcohol. Screenings conducted by trained dogs will not be announced in advance. The dogs will
not be used with students, but students may be asked to leave personal belongings in an area
that is going to be screened, such as a classroom, a locker, or a vehicle. If a dog alerts to an
item or an area, it may be searched by district officials.
Drug Testing (Secondary Grade Levels Only)
As a prerequisite to participation in UIL athletic activities, student-athletes must agree that they
will not use anabolic steroids as defined in the UIL Anabolic Steroid Testing Program Protocol
and that they understand that they may be asked to submit to testing for the presence of
anabolic steroids in their body. Additionally, as a prerequisite to participation in UIL athletic
activities, student-athletes must agree to submit to such testing and analysis by a certified
laboratory if selected.
Additionally, since the use or misuse of drugs, including alcohol, may pose a significant threat to
the health and safety of all students who participate in extra-curricular activities or drive a
vehicle on campus, the District has determined a need to implement a program of random
testing of students in grades 9-12 as a condition of their participation in such activities and/or as
a condition of obtaining/maintaining a permit to park on campus.
[See Steroids on page 75.]
Vehicles on Campus (Secondary Grade Levels Only)
If a vehicle subject to search is locked, the student will be asked to unlock the vehicle. If the
student refuses, the district will contact the student’s parents. If the parents also refuse to permit
the vehicle to be searched, the district may turn the matter over to law enforcement. The district
may contact law enforcement even if permission to search is granted.
Sexual Harassment
[See Dating Violence, Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation on page 48.]
Special Programs (All Grade Levels)
The district provides special programs for gifted and talented students, students who are
homeless, students in foster care, bilingual students, migrant students, emergent bilingual
students, and students with disabilities. The coordinator of each program can answer questions
about eligibility requirements, as well as programs and services offered in the district or by other
organizations. A student or parent with questions about these programs should contact the
Department of Curriculum and Instruction.
The Texas State Library and Archives Commission’s Talking Book Program provides audiobooks
free of charge to qualifying Texans, including students with visual, physical, or reading
disabilities such as dyslexia.

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Standardized Testing
SAT/ACT (Scholastic Aptitude Test and American College Test)
Many colleges require either the American College Test (ACT) or the Scholastic Aptitude Test
(SAT) for admission. These assessments are usually taken at the end of the junior year.
Students are encouraged to talk with the school counselor early during their junior year to learn
about these assessments and determine the appropriate examination to take. The Preliminary
SAT (PSAT) and ACT-Aspire are the corresponding preparatory and readiness assessments for
the SAT and ACT.
Note: These assessments may qualify a student to receive a performance acknowledgment on
the student’s transcript under the foundation graduation program and may qualify as a substitute
for an end-of-course testing requirement in certain circumstances. A student’s performance at a
certain level on the SAT or ACT also makes the student eligible for automatic admission to a
Texas public institution of higher education.
TSI (Texas Success Initiative) Assessment
Prior to enrollment in a Texas public college or university, most students must take a
standardized test called the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) assessment. The TSI assesses the
reading, mathematics, and writing skills that first-year students need to perform effectively as
undergraduates in Texas public colleges and universities. This assessment may also be
required before a student enrolls in a dual credit course offered through the district. Achieving
certain benchmark scores on this assessment may also waive certain end-of-course
assessment requirements in limited circumstances.
Student Speakers (All Grade Levels)
The district provides students the opportunity to introduce the following school events:
• Student organization banquets and other social activities;
• Ceremonies for induction of new members or officers of school sponsored student
organizations; and
• Other school events at which students publicly speak, as needed
If a student meets the eligibility criteria and wishes to introduce one of the school events listed
above, the student should submit his or her name in accordance with policy FNA(LOCAL).
[See Graduation on page 65 for information related to student speakers at graduation
ceremonies and policy FNA(LOCAL) regarding other speaking opportunities.]
Summer School (All Grade Levels)
The Tomball ISD summer program includes a variety of classes and camps designed to
address both the academic needs and interests of students. Inquiries should be directed to the
counselor.
Tardies (All Grade Levels)
Students are counted tardy if they are not physically present in their classroom when the tardy
bell rings. Excused tardies in the form of admits may be issued only by administrators,
counselors, and the nurse. Repeated instances of tardiness may result in more severe

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disciplinary action, in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct. Students with more than
ten (10) unexcused tardies or late arrivals will not be eligible for exam exemptions.
Textbooks, Electronic Textbooks, Technological Equipment, and Other
Instructional Materials (All Grade Levels)
Instructional materials are any resources used in classroom instruction as part of the required
curriculum, such as textbooks, workbooks, computer software, or online services.
The district selects instructional materials in accordance with state law and policy EFA.
The district provides approved instructional materials to students free of charge for each subject
or class. Students must treat instructional materials with care, as directed by the teacher..
If a student needs a graphing calculator for a course and the district does not provide one, the
student may use a calculator application with graphing capabilities on a phone, laptop, tablet, or
other computing device.
A student who is issued a damaged item should report the damage to the teacher.
Any student who does not return an item or returns an item in an unacceptable condition loses
the right to free textbooks and technological equipment until the item is returned or the damage
is paid for by the parent. However, the student will be provided the necessary instructional
resources and equipment for use at school during the school day.
For information on library books and other resources students may access voluntarily, see
Library (All Grade Levels) on page 99.
Transfers (All Grade Levels)
The principal is authorized to transfer a student from one classroom to another.
The Chief Operating Officer is authorized to investigate and approve transfers between schools.
Students are assigned to the school determined by their residence in a Board-approved
attendance zone. Transfers of students from one attendance zone to another attendance zone
are generally not permitted due to budgetary constraints. A parent or legal guardian may apply
for a transfer of his or her student from one attendance zone within the district to another
attendance zone within the district only in the following circumstances:
• The student resides in the same household as a student receiving special education
services at the campus where the application for transfer is requested, or
• Child-care is located in the attendance zone where the application for transfer is requested
(approval by the Superintendent or designee is required for students grades 7-12) and
evidence is provided by the parent or legal guardian that undue hardship would exist if the
application for transfer were denied, or
• The student is a participant in a program offered on only one high school campus, or
• The student was continuously enrolled for the entire previous school year and moves after
earning senior status. The sending and receiving principal must agree to the transfer
Resident students whose parent(s) or legal guardian(s) move into another attendance zone
after the school year begins may request (using the district-approved transfer form) to remain in
the school designated by the former attendance zone for the remainder of the semester and, in

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some cases, year. These students must enroll in the school designated for the new residence
the following school semester or year.
Please note: transportation is not provided by the district for these types of student transfers
[See Safety Transfers/Assignments on page 19, Bullying on page 32, and A Student Who
Has Learning Difficulties or Who Needs Special Education or Section 504 Services on
page 21, for other transfer options.]
Transcripts
Each student’s cumulative high school academic record is contained on the high school
transcript. STAAR EOC scores are the only test scores printed on the transcript.
Official transcripts cost $2.00 each and unofficial transcripts cost $1.00 each. Colleges require
an official transcript for admission and a final one upon graduation. One final transcript will be
sent free of charge if ordered prior to graduation on the “Final Transcript Request Form for
Seniors.” Allow two (2) days for processing in addition to adequate mail delivery time when
requesting official transcripts.
Transportation (All Grade Levels)
School-Sponsored Trips
Students who participate in school-sponsored trips are required to use school-provided
transportation to and from the event. However, in accordance with campus procedures, a parent
may provide written consent for his or her child to ride with or be released after the event to the
parent or another adult designated by the parent. [See School-Sponsored Field Trips on page
99.]
Buses and Other School Vehicles
The district makes school bus transportation available to all students living in the district and to
any students who are experiencing homelessness. This service is provided at no cost to
students.
Bus routes and stops will be designated annually. Any subsequent changes will be posted at the
school and on the district’s website. For the safety of the driver and all passengers, students
must board district vehicles only at authorized stops and drivers must unload passengers only at
authorized stops.
A parent may, in some cases, designate a child-care facility or grandparent’s residence as the
regular pickup and drop-off location for his or her child. The designated facility or residence
must be on an approved stop on an approved route. For information on bus routes and stops or
to designate an alternate pickup or drop-off location, you may contact the Department of
Transportation at 281-357-3193.
Buses will run their regular route at all times. If a child does not ride the bus for two or more
consecutive weeks, the bus may discontinue that stop. Transportation must be notified when
the child is to resume riding the bus.
[See the Student Code of Conduct for provisions regarding transportation to the DAEP.]
Students are expected to assist district staff in ensuring that buses and other district vehicles
remain in good condition and that transportation is provided safely. When riding in district

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vehicles, including buses, students are held to behavioral standards established in this
handbook and the Student Code of Conduct. Students must:
• Follow the driver’s directions at all times.
• Enter and leave the vehicle in an orderly manner at the designated stop.
• Keep feet, books, instrument cases, and other objects out of the aisle.
• Not deface the vehicle or its equipment.
• Not put head, hands, arms, or legs out of the window, hold any object out of the window, or
throw objects within or out of the vehicle.
• Not bring on the vehicle at any time: animals, glass containers, noise producing items, or
medications of any kind (except those with proper documentation for life-threatening
conditions).
• Not possess or use any form of tobacco or e-cigarettes in any district vehicle.
• Talk quietly without using offensive language or offensive gestures.
• Not talk on any telecommunication device.
• Be aware of the danger of wearing clothing or accessories that might catch or lodge on
handles when entering or exiting the vehicle.
• Observe all usual classroom rules.
• Be seated while the vehicle is moving.
• Fasten their seat belts, if available.
• Wait for the driver’s signal upon leaving the vehicle and before crossing in front of the
vehicle.
• Follow any other rules established by the operator of the vehicle.
Misconduct will be disciplined in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct, including loss of
the privilege to ride in a district vehicle.
When a student has had his/her bus riding privilege suspended, he/she has also lost the
privilege of riding the activity bus. Zero tolerance applies to unacceptable behavior on the
activity bus. Consequences of violating bus rules on the activity bus may result in losing the
privilege of riding the activity bus for up to a semester.
SMART tag
The SMART tag system will be in full implementation for the 2023-2024 school year. SMART
tag is designed to ensure authorized ridership and improve the safety and security of students
who utilize school bus transportation and to identify students while on campus. SMART tag
provides live monitoring through the Parent Portal of where and when students load onto and
unload off of their school bus to keep transportation, administrators and parents informed.
All Tomball ISD students will receive a plastic SMART tag ID badge which students will need to
wear on a lanyard around their neck and present each time they enter or exit the bus so that all
riders are accounted for. Students will also wear their badges for identification purposes at all

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secondary campuses. Parents and guardians are asked to help enforce this requirement to
ensure safety at all times.
Tomball ISD drivers will not leave students unattended at the bus stop if they forget or lose their
SMART tag ID badge. However, a lost SMART tag ID badge must be replaced immediately.
Failure to use the supplied SMART tag may result in disciplinary action and/or suspension from
riding the bus. Additionally, students will be required to wear the SMART tag at all secondary
campuses, failure to do so could result in disciplinary action.
To obtain a replacement SMART tag ID badge, parents should contact their student’s campus.
Replacement ID badges are $5.00 each and $1.00 for the plastic sleeve.
Vandalism (All Grade Levels)
Littering, defacing, or damaging school property is not tolerated. Students will be required to pay
for damages they cause and will be subject to criminal proceedings as well as disciplinary
consequences in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct.
Video Cameras (All Grade Levels)
For safety purposes, the district uses video and audio recording equipment to monitor student
behavior, including on buses and in common areas on campus. Students will not be told when
the equipment is being used.
The principal will review the video and audio recordings as needed and document student
misconduct. Discipline will be in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct.
In accordance with state law, a parent of a student who receives special education services, a
staff member (as this term is defined by law), a principal or assistant principal, or the board may
make a written request for the district to place video and audio recording equipment in certain
self-contained special education classrooms. The district will provide notice before placing a
video camera in a classroom or other setting in which a child receives special education
services. For more information or to request the installation and operation of this equipment,
contact the principal or the Director of Special Services, whom the district has designated to
coordinate the implementation of and compliance with this law.
[See policy EHBAF(LOCAL) for more information.]
[For video and other recording by parents or visitors to virtual or in-person classrooms, see
Consent to Video or Audio Record a Student when Not Already Permitted by Law on page
9.]
Visitors to the School (All Grade Levels)
General Visitors
Parents and others are welcome to visit district schools. For the safety of those within the school
and to avoid disruption of instructional time, all visitors during the school day must first report to
the main office and comply with all applicable district policies and procedures, including:
• Before being admitted into any campus, visitors must push the doorbell button and will be
asked to show a valid photo I.D. such as a driver’s license, other picture identification issued
by a government entity, or employee or student identification issued by the district. A person
who refuses to provide the identification and who reasonably appears to have no legitimate
reason to be on district property may be ejected from district property.

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• Visitors will sign in at the school office and his or her driver’s license will be scanned in order
to obtain a visitor’s badge.
• Visitors are to sign out and return their visitor’s badge when they leave.
• Visitors must exit the school at the primary entrance and leave all exterior doors closed,
latched, and locked unless actively monitored by a district employee.
• Arrangements should be made for pre-schoolchildren. The school does not have child care
facilities and the activities of pre-school children distract students, teachers, and parents.
• There are no provisions for school-age friends or relatives of district students to visit Tomball
schools.
• Parents having lunch with their student may provide lunch only for themselves and their own
student.
Individuals may visit classrooms or observe virtual instruction during instructional time only with
approval of the principal and teacher. Visitors may not interfere with instruction or disrupt the
normal school environment. Even if the visit is approved prior to the visitor’s arrival, the
individual must check in at the main office first.
All visitors are expected to demonstrate the highest standards of courtesy and conduct.
Disruptive behavior or violations of student privacy will not be permitted.
[For video and other recording by parents or visitors to virtual or in-person classrooms, see
Consent to Video or Audio Record a Student when Not Already Permitted by Law on page
9.]
Unauthorized Persons
In accordance with Education Code 37.105, a school administrator, school resource officer
(SRO), or district police officer has the authority to refuse entry to or eject a person from district
property if the person refuses to leave peaceably on request and:
• The person poses a substantial risk of harm to any person; or
• The person behaves in a manner that is inappropriate for a school setting and persists in the
behavior after being given a verbal warning that the behavior is inappropriate and may result
in refusal of entry or ejection.
Appeals regarding refusal of entry or ejection from district property may be filed in accordance
with policies FNG(LOCAL) or GF(LOCAL).
[See the Student Code of Conduct.]
Visitors Participating in Special Programs for Students
Business, Civic, and Youth Groups
The district may invite representatives from patriotic societies listed in Title 36 of the United
States Code to present information to interested students about membership in the society.
Volunteers (All Grade Levels)
The district invites and appreciates the efforts of volunteers who are willing to serve our district
and students.

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If you are interested in volunteering, please contact the principal for more information and to
complete an application.
Subject to exceptions in accordance with state law and district procedures, the district requires a
state criminal history background check for each volunteer, including parents, guardians, or
grandparents of a child enrolled in the district. The volunteer must pay all costs for the
background check.
Voter Registration (Secondary Grade Levels Only)
A student who is eligible to vote in any local, state, or federal election may obtain a voter
registration application at the main campus office.
Withdrawing from School (All Grade Levels)
To withdraw a student under age 18 from school, the parent or guardian must submit a written
request to the principal specifying the reasons for withdrawal and the final day the student will
be in attendance. Withdrawal forms are available from the registrar or principal’s office.
A student who is age 18 or older, who is married, or who has been declared by a court to be an
emancipated minor may withdraw without parental signature.
Please provide the school at least three days’ notice of withdrawal so that records and
documents may be prepared.

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Glossary
Accelerated instruction, including supplemental instruction, is an intensive educational
program designed to help an individual student acquire the knowledge and skills required at his
or her grade level. It is required when a student does not meet the passing standard on a state-
mandated assessment. Accelerated instruction may be provided by assigning a student to a
classroom teacher who is certified as a master, exemplary, or recognized teacher or by
providing supplemental instruction in addition to regular instruction.
ACT, or the American College Test, is one of the two most frequently used college or university
admissions examinations. The test may be required for admission to certain colleges or
universities.
ACT-Aspire is designed as a preparatory and readiness assessment for the ACT. This is
usually taken by students in grade 10.
ARD stands for admission, review, and dismissal. The ARD committee convenes for each
student who is identified as needing a full and individual evaluation for special education
services. The eligible student and his or her parents are members of the committee.
Attendance review committee is responsible for reviewing a student’s absences when the
student’s attendance drops below 90 percent, or in some cases 75 percent, of the days the
class is offered. Under guidelines adopted by the board, the committee will determine whether
there were extenuating circumstances for the absences and whether the student needs to
complete certain conditions to master the course and regain credit or a final grade lost because
of absences.
CPS stands for Child Protective Services.
DAEP stands for disciplinary alternative education program, a placement for students who have
violated certain provisions of the Student Code of Conduct.
DFPS stands for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.
DPS stands for the Texas Department of Public Safety.
DSHS stands for the Texas Department of State Health Services.
ED stands for the U.S. Department of Education.
Emergent bilingual student refers to a student of limited English proficiency. Other related
terms include English learner, English language learner, and limited English proficient student.
EOC (end-of-course) assessments are state-mandated and are part of the STAAR program.
Successful performance on EOC assessments are required for graduation. These examinations
will be given in English I, English II, Algebra I, Biology, and U.S. History.
ESSA is the federal Every Student Succeeds Act.
FERPA refers to the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, which grants specific
privacy protections to student records. The law contains certain exceptions, such as for
directory information, unless a student’s parent or a student 18 years of age or older directs the
school not to release directory information.
IEP stands for individualized education program and is the written record prepared by the ARD
committee for a student with disabilities who is eligible for special education services.

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IGC is the individual graduation committee, formed in accordance with state law, to determine a
student’s eligibility to graduate when the student has failed to demonstrate satisfactory
performance on no more than two of the required state assessments.
ISS refers to in-school suspension, a disciplinary technique for misconduct found in the Student
Code of Conduct. Although different from out-of-school suspension and placement in a DAEP,
ISS removes the student from the regular classroom.
PGP stands for personal graduation plan, which is required for high school students and for any
student in middle school who fails a section on a state-mandated test or is identified by the
district as not likely to earn a high school diploma before the fifth school year after he or she
begins grade 9.
PSAT is the preparatory and readiness assessment for the SAT. It also serves as the basis for
the awarding of National Merit Scholarships.
SAT refers to the Scholastic Aptitude Test, one of the two most frequently used college or
university admissions examinations. The test may be required for admissions to certain colleges
or universities.
SHAC stands for School Health Advisory Council, a group of at least five members, a majority of
whom must be parents, appointed by the school board to help ensure that local community
values and health issues are reflected in the district’s health education instruction, as well as
assist with other student and employee wellness issues.
Section 504 is the federal law that prohibits discrimination against a student with a disability,
requiring schools to provide opportunities for equal services, programs, and participation in
activities. Unless the student is determined to be eligible for special education services under
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), general education with appropriate
instructional accommodations will be provided.
STAAR is the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, the state’s system of
standardized academic achievement assessments.
STAAR Alternate 2 is an alternative state-mandated assessment designed for students with
severe cognitive disabilities receiving special education services who meet the participation
requirements, as determined by the student’s ARD committee.
STAAR Spanish is an alternative state-mandated assessment administered to eligible students
for whom a Spanish version of STAAR is the most appropriate measure of their academic
progress.
State-mandated assessments are required of students at certain grade levels and in specified
subjects. Except under limited circumstances, students must pass the STAAR EOC
assessments to graduate. Students have multiple opportunities to take the tests, if necessary,
for graduation.
Student Code of Conduct is developed with the advice of the district-level committee and
adopted by the board and identifies the circumstances, consistent with law, when a student may
be removed from a classroom, campus, or district vehicle; sets out the conditions that authorize
or require the principal or another administrator to place the student in a DAEP; and outlines
conditions for out-of-school suspension and for expulsion. The Student Code of Conduct also
addresses notice to the parent regarding a student’s violation of one of its provisions.
TAC stands for the Texas Administrative Code.

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TEA stands for the Texas Education Agency, which oversees primary and secondary public
education in Texas.
TEC stands for the Texas Education Code.
TELPAS stands for the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System, which
assesses the progress that emergent bilingual students make in learning the English language
and is administered for those who meet the participation requirements in kindergarten–grade
12.
TSI stands for the Texas Success Initiative, an assessment designed to measure the reading,
mathematics, and writing skills that entering college-level freshmen students should have if they
are to be successful in undergraduate programs in Texas public colleges and universities.
TXVSN stands for the Texas Virtual School Network, which provides online courses for Texas
students to supplement the instructional programs of public school districts. Courses are taught
by qualified instructors and are equivalent in rigor and scope to a course taught in a traditional
classroom setting.
UIL refers to the University Interscholastic League, the statewide, voluntary nonprofit
organization that oversees educational extracurricular academic, athletic, and music contests.
.

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Appendix: Freedom from Bullying Policy

Note: This policy addresses bullying of District students. For purposes of this policy, the term
bullying includes cyber-bullying.
For provisions regarding discrimination and harassment involving District students, see FFH.
Note that FFI shall be used in conjunction with FFH for certain prohibited conduct. For reporting
requirements related to child abuse and neglect, see FFG..
Bullying Prohibited
The District prohibits bullying, including cyberbullying, as defined by state law. Retaliation
against anyone involved in the complaint process is a violation of District policy and is
prohibited.
Examples
Bullying of a student could occur by physical contact or through electronic means and may
include hazing, threats, taunting, teasing, confinement, assault, demands for money, destruction
of property, theft of valued possessions, name calling, rumor spreading, or ostracism.
Minimum Standards
In accordance with law, the Superintendent shall develop administrative procedures to ensure
that minimum standards for bullying prevention are implemented.
Retaliation
The District prohibits retaliation by a student or District employee against any person who in
good faith makes a report of bullying, serves as a witness, or participates in an investigation.
Examples
Examples of retaliation may include threats, rumor spreading, ostracism, assault, destruction of
property, unjustified punishments, or unwarranted grade reductions. Unlawful retaliation does
not include petty slights or annoyances.
False Claim
A student who intentionally makes a false claim, offers false statements, or refuses to cooperate
with a District investigation regarding bullying shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary action.
Timely Reporting
Reports of bullying shall be made as soon as possible after the alleged act or knowledge of the
alleged act. A failure to immediately report may impair the District’s ability to investigate and
address the prohibited conduct.
Reporting Procedures
Student Report
To obtain assistance and intervention, any student who believes that he or she has experienced
bullying or believes that another student has experienced bullying should immediately report the
alleged acts to a teacher, school counselor, principal, or other District employee. The
Superintendent shall develop procedures allowing a student to anonymously report an alleged
incident of bullying.

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Employee Report

Any District employee who suspects or receives notice that a student or group of students has
or may have experienced bullying shall immediately notify the principal or designee.
Report Format
A report may be made orally or in writing. The principal or designee shall reduce any oral
reports to written form.
Periodic Monitoring
The Superintendent shall periodically monitor the reported counts of bullying incidents, and that
declines in the count may represent not only improvements in the campus culture because
bullying declines but also declines in the campus culture because of a decline in openness to
report incidents.
Notice of Report
When an allegation of bullying is reported, the principal or designee shall notify a parent of the
alleged victim on or before the third business day after the incident is reported. The principal or
designee shall also notify a parent of the student alleged to have engaged in the conduct within
a reasonable amount of time after the incident is reported.
Prohibited Conduct
The principal or designee shall determine whether the allegations in the report, if proven, would
constitute prohibited conduct as defined by policy FFH, including dating violence and
harassment or dis-crimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender, national origin,
or disability. If so, the District shall proceed under policy FFH. If the allegations could constitute
both prohibited conduct and bullying, the investigation under FFH shall include a determination
on each type of conduct.
Investigation of Report
The principal or designee shall conduct an appropriate investigation based on the allegations in
the report. The principal or designee shall promptly take interim action calculated to prevent
bullying during the course of an investigation, if appropriate.
Concluding the Investigation
Absent extenuating circumstances, the investigation should be completed within ten District
business days from the date of the initial report alleging bullying; however, the principal or
designee shall take additional time if necessary to complete a thorough investigation.
The principal or designee shall prepare a final, written report of the investigation. The report
shall include a determination of whether bullying occurred, and if so, whether the victim used
reasonable self-defense. A copy of the report shall be sent to the Superintendent or designee.
Notice to Parents
If an incident of bullying is confirmed, the principal or designee shall promptly notify the parents
of the victim and of the student who engaged in bullying.
District Action

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Bullying
If the results of an investigation indicate that bullying occurred, the District shall promptly
respond by taking appropriate disciplinary action in accordance with the District’s Student Code
of Conduct and may take corrective action reasonably calculated to address the conduct. The
District may notify law enforcement in certain circumstances.
Discipline
A student who is a victim of bullying and who used reasonable self-defense in response to the
bullying shall not be subject to disciplinary action.
The discipline of a student with a disability is subject to applicable state and federal law in
addition to the Student Code of Conduct.
Corrective Action
Examples of corrective action may include a training program for the individuals involved in the
complaint, a comprehensive education program for the school community, follow-up inquiries to
deter-mine whether any new incidents or any instances of retaliation have occurred, involving
parents and students in efforts to identify problems and improve the school climate, increasing
staff monitoring of areas where bullying has occurred, and reaffirming the District’s policy
against bullying.
Transfers
The principal or designee shall refer to FDB for transfer provisions.
Counseling
The principal or designee shall notify the victim, the student who engaged in bullying, and any
students who witnessed the bullying of available counseling options.
Improper Conduct
If the investigation reveals improper conduct that did not rise to the level of prohibited conduct or
bullying, the District may take action in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct or any
other ap-propriate corrective action.
Confidentiality
To the greatest extent possible, the District shall respect the privacy of the complainant, persons
against whom a report is filed, and witnesses. Limited disclosures may be necessary in order to
con-duct a thorough investigation.
Appeal
A student who is dissatisfied with the outcome of the investigation may appeal through
FNG(LOCAL), beginning at the appropriate level.
Records Retention
Retention of records shall be in accordance with CPC(LOCAL).
Access to Policy and Procedures
This policy and any accompanying procedures shall be distributed annually in the employee and
student handbooks. Copies of the policy and procedures shall be posted on the District’s

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website, to the extent practicable, and shall be readily available at each cam-pus and the
District’s administrative offices.

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