ITALY INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT Student Handbook 2020-2021 Italy Independent School District Student Handbook Table of Contents Preface ........................................................................................ 4 Accessibility .............................................................................................................................. 5 Section I: Parental Rights ............................................................. 6 Consent, Opt-Out, and Refusal Rights ..................................................................................... 6 Removing a Student from Instruction or Excusing a Student from a Required Component of Instruction .............................................................................................................................. 10 Right of Access to Student Records, Curriculum Materials, and District Records/Policies ... 12 Students with Exceptionalities or Special Circumstances ...................................................... 16 Section II: Other Important Information for Students and Parents22 Absences/Attendance ............................................................................................................ 22 Accountability under State and Federal Law (All Grade Levels) ............................................ 27 Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Test ................................................................. 27 Awards and Honors (All Grade Levels) ...................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Bullying (All Grade Levels) ...................................................................................................... 28 Career and Technical Education (CTE) Programs (Secondary Grade Levels Only)................. 30 Celebrations (All Grade Levels) .............................................................................................. 30 Child Sexual Abuse and Other Maltreatment of Children (All Grade Levels) ........................ 30 Class Rank/Highest-Ranking Student (Secondary Grade Levels Only) ................................... 33 Class Schedules (Secondary Grade Levels Only) .................................................................... 33 College and University Admissions and Financial Aid (Secondary Grade Levels Only) ......... 37 College Credit Courses (Secondary Grade Levels Only) ......................................................... 38 Communications—Automated .............................................................................................. 39 Complaints and Concerns (All Grade Levels) ......................................................................... 39 Conduct (All Grade Levels) ..................................................................................................... 40 Counseling .............................................................................................................................. 41 Course Credit (Secondary Grade Levels Only) ....................................................................... 42 Credit by Examination—If a Student Has Taken the Course/Subject (All Grade Levels) ....... 42 Credit by Examination for Advancement/Acceleration—If a Student Has Not Taken the Course/Subject ....................................................................................................................... 42 Dating Violence, Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation (All Grade Levels) ................ 43 Discrimination ........................................................................................................................ 46 Distance Learning ................................................................................................................... 46 Page 1 of 109 Italy Independent School District Student Handbook Distribution of Literature, Published Materials, or Other Documents (All Grade Levels) ..... 47 Dress and Grooming (All Grade Levels).................................................................................. 48 Electronic Devices and Technology Resources (All Grade Levels) ......................................... 50 End-of-Course (EOC) Assessments ......................................................................................... 52 English Language Learners (All Grade Levels) ........................................................................ 52 Extracurricular Activities, Clubs, and Organizations (All Grade Levels) ................................. 53 Fees (All Grade Levels) ........................................................................................................... 55 Fundraising (All Grade Levels) ................................................................................................ 56 Gang-Free Zones (All Grade Levels) ....................................................................................... 57 Gender-Based Harassment .................................................................................................... 57 Grade-Level Classification (Grades 9–12 Only) ...................................................................... 57 Grading Guidelines (All Grade Levels) .................................................................................... 57 Graduation (Secondary Grade Levels Only) ........................................................................... 58 Harassment ............................................................................................................................ 63 Hazing (All Grade Levels) ........................................................................................................ 63 Health-Related Matters .......................................................................................................... 64 Homeless Students (All Grade Levels) .................................................................................... 68 Homework (All Grade Levels) ................................................................................................. 69 Illness ...................................................................................................................................... 69 Immunization (All Grade Levels) ............................................................................................ 69 Law Enforcement Agencies (All Grade Levels) ....................................................................... 69 Leaving Campus (All Grade Levels) ........................................................................................ 71 Lost and Found (All Grade Levels) .......................................................................................... 72 Makeup Work ......................................................................................................................... 72 Medicine at School (All Grade Levels) .................................................................................... 73 Nondiscrimination Statement (All Grade Levels) ................................................................... 75 Nontraditional Academic Programs (All Grade Levels) .......................................................... 75 Parent and Family Engagement (All Grade Levels) ................................................................ 75 Physical Examinations/Health Screenings.............................................................................. 76 Pledges of Allegiance and a Minute of Silence (All Grade Levels) ......................................... 77 Prayer (All Grade Levels) ........................................................................................................ 78 Promotion and Retention ...................................................................................................... 78 Release of Students from School ........................................................................................... 80 Page 2 of 109 Italy Independent School District Student Handbook Report Cards/Progress Reports and Conferences (All Grade Levels) .................................... 80 Retaliation .............................................................................................................................. 80 Safety (All Grade Levels) ......................................................................................................... 80 SAT, ACT, and Other Standardized Tests................................................................................ 82 Schedule Changes (Middle/Junior High and High School Grade Levels) ............................... 82 School Facilities ...................................................................................................................... 82 Searches ................................................................................................................................. 84 Sexual Harassment ................................................................................................................. 85 Special Programs (All Grade Levels) ....................................................................................... 85 Standardized Testing .............................................................................................................. 85 Steroids (Secondary Grade Levels Only) ................................................................................ 87 Students in Foster Care (All Grade Levels) ............................................................................. 87 Student Speakers (All Grade Levels) .....................................................................................