Policies

Austin International School (AIS) seeks diverse, motivated students who will thrive in our trilingual program. Our Admission Policy is designed to identify families who share our vision, mission, and values. We expect AIS students to actively contribute to both our local community and the global society. This introduction reflects our core educational philosophy and commitment to fostering engaged, multilingual learners.

At the heart of AIS’s mission is a commitment to immersive instruction of languages. This Language Policy explains our language-based philosophies as well as the practices we have in place to support students with varying language backgrounds.

While AIS does not discriminate on the basis of a special educational need, we are only able to admit students whom we are able to fully support. This policy document explains how students, once admitted, are supported for certain special educational needs.
 

ATTENDANCE POLICY
Students are expected to attend all school days. If a student has 18 or more absences per year, he or she may not be permitted to progress to the next grade upon evaluation by the school leadership. Families should understand that excessive absences and tardiness have a negative effect on academic performance. Students are urged to be punctual and responsible with their school attendance. Students who are regularly absent may jeopardize their academic standing in school.

We value every student's education and strive to support all learners. However, we kindly ask families to consider the impact of extended absences on their child's academic progress. While we understand that circumstances may lead to time away from school, our teachers focus on moving forward with the curriculum for the benefit of all students present. As such, they are not expected to provide advanced materials or individualized catch-up sessions, particularly for non-essential absences.

We encourage families to carefully weigh the educational implications of prolonged time away from school. If you have any concerns about an upcoming absence, please don't hesitate to discuss them with your child's teacher or the school administration. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in maintaining a productive learning environment for all our students.

TARDIES
Punctuality is expected, and tardy arrivals are recorded on each student’s report card. Frequent tardiness is extremely disruptive to the classroom environment. There is no grace period for late arrivals, and students are marked tardy if they are not in the classroom by:
• PS, MS, and GS - 8:30am
• CP through CM2 - 8:15am
• Middle School - 8:10am

If a student is late, the parent or guardian must bring the child to the reception area. The child will be marked as tardy with the recorded time and sent to class. Three unexcused tardy arrivals will be considered one day of absence when evaluating a student’s attendance record.

Maternelle, CP – CM2 (Pre-K3 through 5th Grade)

Shirts

• Solid navy or white shirts (polo, blouse are permitted and not required for maternelle)
• Navy sweaters
• No hoodies or sweatshirts
• No patterns, writing, or logos except AIS (AIS t-shirts are permitted on Fridays)

Bottoms 

• Solid navy blue pants/shorts (must have pockets)
• Solid navy skirts/dresses/tights/leggings
• No denim

Shoes

• Closed-toed
• Rubber soled

Middle School

Shirts

• Solid navy or white collared shirts (polos, blouses)
• Navy sweaters
• No patterns, writing, or logos except AIS (AIS t-shirts are permitted on Fridays)
• No hoodies or sweatshirts

Bottoms

• Solid navy blue or khaki pants/shorts (must have pockets)
• Solid navy or khaki skirt
• Solid navy dresses/tights
• A navy blue sports coat may be required for special events.
• No denim

Shoes

• Closed-toed
• Rubber soled

Parents will receive a reminder from school leadership in the first instance that the student does not abide by the dress code. In the second instance, the student will be provided with clothing to change into (which must be washed and returned the next day) and parents will receive a final reminder. In the third and subsequent instances when the student does not follow the dress code, he or she will be sent home.

Uniforms can be purchased through Target, Oshkosh, French Toast, Old Navy and many other resources.

The Texas Department of State Health Services is responsible for setting minimum vaccine requirements in line with state law for schools operating in the State of Texas. Information on exclusions from immunization requirements, provisional enrollment, and acceptable documentation of immunizations may be found in §97.62, §97.66, and §97.68 of the Texas Administrative Code, respectively.

Vaccines currently required by the TDSHS to attend K-12 schools include:

• DTaP: Diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis (whooping cough); record may show DT or DTP
• Polio: IPV - inactivated polio vaccine; OPV – oral polio vaccine
• MMR: Measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines combined
• HepB: Hepatitis B vaccine
• Varicella: Chickenpox vaccine. May be written VAR on record
• MCV4: Meningococcal vaccine
• HepA: Hepatitis A vaccine

Full immunization and dosage requirements (i.e., schedule and number of doses) for the current school year are available from the TDSHS website in English and Spanish. Information on exclusions from immunization requirements, provisional enrollment, and acceptable documentation of immunizations may be found in §97.62, §97.66, and §97.68 of the Texas Administrative Code, respectively.

Documentation

Texas Administrative Code §97.68 outlines acceptable evidence for vaccinations:

• Vaccines administered after September 1, 1991, shall include the month, day, and year each vaccine was administered.
• Documentation of vaccines administered that include the signature or stamp of the physician or physician's designee, or public health personnel, is acceptable. Immunization records generated from electronic health record systems must include clinic contact information and the provider's signature/stamp.
• An official immunization record generated from a state or local health authority is acceptable.
• An official record received from school officials, including a record from another state, is acceptable.

In compliance with state law, students must have acceptable evidence on file by September 15th of the academic year in order to attend classes regularly.

Provisional Enrollment

Texas Administrative Code §97.66(a) outlines school requirements for students who are not up-to-date with vaccine requirements:

The law requires that children and students be fully vaccinated against the specified diseases. A child or student may be enrolled provisionally if the child or student has an immunization record that indicates the child or student has received at least one dose of each specified age-appropriate vaccine required by this rule. To remain enrolled, the child or student must complete the required subsequent doses in each vaccine series on schedule and as rapidly as is medically feasible and provide acceptable evidence of vaccination to the child-care facility or school. A child-care provider, school nurse, or school administrator shall review the immunization status of a provisionally enrolled child or student every 30 days to ensure continued compliance in completing the required doses of vaccination. If, at the end of the 30-day period, a child or student has not received a subsequent dose of vaccine, the child or student is not in compliance and the facility shall exclude the child or student from attendance until the required dose is administered.

Exemptions

Families requesting exemptions to these requirements for any reason are required to obtain an affidavit from the TDSHS and submit it to the school in lieu of the child's vaccination records. An affidavit may be requested online, by mail, by fax, or in person.

All Applicants

Families are required to complete an online application for admission along with a non-refundable application fee and provide supporting documentation as needed.

• Recent photo of applicant
• Copy of applicant’s birth certificate or passport
• Teacher Evaluation Form from the applicant’s previous school
• Current Report Card and, starting from 2nd grade (CE1) and above, a minimum of two years of report cards, including qualitative comments from teachers
• Standardized testing results from previous schools, if applicable
• Psychoeducational Evaluation Report and/or individualized education plan (IEP) from a previous school, if applicable
• Applicants may be required to complete an admissions assessment as part of the process. The Director of Enrollment will inform families about the specific assessment(s), if any, that would be required as part of the admissions process.
• Families will be required to submit a language survey regarding the applicant’s language background.
• Applicants will be invited for a Shadow Day

Once the application and all supporting documentation are submitted, the completed application will be sent to the Admissions Committee for review, consideration, and an admissions decision. The Admissions Committee consists of:

Principal    
Director of Enrollment Management
Head of School
A Cycle Coordinator (when possible)

Associated fees: 

• Families are required to pay a non-refundable application fee.
• Families may accept an offer of admission by paying the non-refundable registration fee.

Maternelle Applicants
All children must be fully toilet trained. There are no exceptions to this requirement.
Ability to recognize the sensation associated with needing to use the restroom
Ability to express verbally the need to use the restroom
Ability to control needs until she or he is on the toilet
Ability to undress and dress independently
Ability to clean oneself
Age requirements:
Pre-K3 (PS) applicants must be 3 years old by December 31st
Pre-K4 (MS) applicants must be 4 years old by December 31st