Our History

How It Started

The Bellville Independent School District is one of Austin County's oldest educational districts.  Bellville’s first schools were private community schools until a committee of Bellville citizens drafted a bill for consideration by the Texas Legislature. This bill, brought by Bellville’s own State Senator, Alvah Chesley, to the Texas Legislature granted unincorporated Texas towns and villages the power to incorporate for free public school purposes. After this bill became law the area’s private schools were now part of the Bellville School District.   Bellville Public School District created the first Texas Public School for unincorporated towns.  Bellville School District has undergone many changes in its organization and growth since the creation of this new State Law. Since Bellville ISD is a long-established district, there are many different documents, pamphlets, programs, artifacts, and yearbooks included on this site as well as our BISD Museum.