Instruction                                                                                                     AR 6145.6(a)

INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE

Admission

In order to approve the admission of a foreign exchange student, the Superintendent or designee must receive a written request for enrollment by May 20 of the preceding school year.

All foreign exchange students must meet state and District immunization requirements. 

(cf. 5141.22 - Infectious Diseases)
(cf. 5141.33 - Immunizations)

Athletics

Foreign exchange students shall be eligible for participation in interscholastic sports if their sponsoring program is listed in the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) bylaws.  Participation by other foreign students must be approved by the CIF section.  
(CIF bylaws, Article 2, Section 212)

Transfer of Credits

Students who seek graduation credits for academic work completed in a foreign country must provide the Superintendent or designee with official transcripts, translated into English which indicate:

1.	Classes successfully completed.

2.	The amount of time each class met and the total number of class periods held 
the grading period, and

3.	A descriptive or numerical evaluation of the student’s academic performance.

At his/her discretion, the Superintendent or designee may assign pass or fail grades whenever the above transcript provides descriptive evaluations rather than letter or numerical grades.

Diplomas

1.	Foreign exchange students will be considered for a regular diploma if they have satisfactorily completed the following:

a.	Two semesters of full-time enrollment or one semester of full-time enrollment with an additional full-time semester of transferable credit from another California high school.

                                                                                                             AR 6145.6(b)

INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE (continued)

b.	Course work comparable to the courses required for graduation form this District, as evidenced by official transcripts from the student’s native country.

c.	District proficiency tests.

(cf. 6146.1 - High School Graduation Requirements/Standards of Proficiency)

2.	Foreign exchange students who are not eligible for a regular diploma will receive an honorary diploma, provided they have completed at least one semester of full-time enrollment and achieved at least a 2.0 grade point average.

3.	At the discretion of the principal or designee, foreign exchange students who do not meet requirements for a regular or a honorary diploma may, at the end of their visit, be given a letter certifying the time period for which they were enrolled. 

Regulation                                                                      MURRIETA VALLEY USD
approved:  	October 22, 1992                                                  Murrieta, California

									                         E 6145.6(a)

CRITERIA FOR TEENAGER EXCHANGE VISITOR PROGRAM

These criteria govern the Department of State designation and monitoring of Exchange Visitor Programs.  These programs are designed to give foreign teenager students an opportunity to spend from six months to a year studying at a U.S. high school or other educational institution.

The student is placed by the Exchange Visitor Sponsor with a U.S. family which serves as the host family during the period of sponsorship.  The primary purpose of these programs is to improve the foreign student’s knowledge of American culture and language through active participation in family, school and community life.  A secondary purpose is to improve American knowledge of a foreign culture and to contribute to international understanding through personal experiences in schools and communities throughout the United States.

1.	Eligibility for Sponsorship

	Only nonprofit organizations and institutions which have received tax exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service under Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code will be designated as Exchange Visitor Program sponsors for teenager programs.

2.	Selection

a.	The designated sponsor must assume responsibility for the selection of students to participate in these programs.  Employment or travel agencies either in the United States or abroad shall not be used under any circumstances for the recruitment of foreign students.
	
b.	Selection will be limited to secondary school students or recent graduates between the ages of 15 and 19 who have a sufficient knowledge of English to enable them to function in an English-speaking environment.  Students should be screened for demonstrated maturity and ability to get maximum benefit from these programs.

3.	Agreements

All provisions of the agreements between students, their parents and sponsors must be written if possible in bother English and the students’ native languages.  The terms of such agreements must be specific stating clearly the total cost of the program, refund policies and program rules and regulations.  The sponsors are responsible for assuring that these terms are fully understood by students and parents/guardians.

                                                                                                                          E 6145.6(b)

CRITERIA FOR TEENAGER EXCHANGE VISITOR PROGRAM
(continued)

4.	Orientation

a.	Orientation, both pre-departure and upon arrival in the United States, must be provided to all students.  The orientation should be designed to give the students basic information about the United States, its people and family and school life.  Students should be fully informed of the nature of the program in which they are participating.  Sponsors are encouraged to include returnees in pre-departure orientation sessions.

b.	Orientation must also be provided to host families in advance of the student’s arrival.  Each host family should be well-briefed on family and school life, customs, religion and mores in its exchange student’s native country.  Each family should also be apprised of potential problems in hosting an exchange student and provided with suggestions on how to cope with those problems.

c.	Student’s must be provided with an identification card which includes 1) the       name and telephone number of an official of the sponsoring organization, 2) the name and telephone number of the Facilitative Services Staff Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of the State.

d.	In addition, students and host families must be provided with a copy of the “Criteria For Exchange Visitor Teenager Programs”

5.	Health, Accident and Liability Insurance

a.	The sponsor is responsible for ensuring that every student selected to participate in the program has appropriate medical coverage.   
Minimum acceptable coverage must include 1) basic medical/accident of $2000.00  (per injury or illness), 2) preparation and transportation of remains to home country (at least $1,500) and dismemberment coverage.

b. 	Coverage may be provided in any of the following ways, with the Department informed of the sponsor’s choice:

(1)	By health and accident coverage arranges for by the student.

	(2)	By health and accident insurance coverage arranged for by the sponsor.

	(3)	By the sponsor assuming all financial responsibilities for a student’s illnesses and accidents form the time the student leaves his/her home country until he/she returns home. 

                                                                                                                          E 6145.6(c)

CRITERIA FOR TEENAGER EXCHANGE VISITOR PROGRAM
(continued)

6.	Geographical Distribution

Sponsors must develop plans to ensure that groups of students, especially those of the same nationality, are not clustered.  Every effort must be made to have the students widely dispersed throughout the country.  No more than four foreign students and no more than two of the same nationality may be placed in one high school by a sponsor.  

7.	Placement of Students in U.S. Schools

a.	No organization sponsoring this type of exchange program shall place a student in secondary school without first notifying the principal or superintendent or school board and obtaining approval for the admission of the student.  Sponsors must make clear arrangements with school authorities regarding any tuition payments or waivers of tuition.

b.	Placement of the student in a secondary school should be arranged at least five weeks in advance of the student’s departure form the student’s native country.  In any event, such placement must be made before the student’s arrival in the United States.

8.	Placement of Students in U. S. Host Families

a.	The designated program sponsor is responsible for the selection of the American host family.  A program sponsor’s representative must personally 
Interview and visit the home of each host family before that family is permitted to receive an exchange student.  Telephone interviews are not sufficient.  Employment agencies shall not be used, under any circumstances, for placement of exchange students.
	
b.	The student shall not be asked to perform the duties of a household domestic under any circumstances.  However, students should be made aware that they may be asked to assist with some of the normal daily chores (keeping their rooms neat, helping with the dishes) which all of the members of the household must do.

c.	The American host family should have at home during non-school hours at least one family member, preferably a teenager, to assure the exchange student of some companionship.

d.	Sponsors must make every effort to assure that a student is placed with the family which promises the greatest compatibility for the student.  Such arrangements should be made well in advance so that the students and                                                                                                               

                                                                                                               E 6145.6(d)

CRITERIA FOR TEENAGER EXCHANGE VISITOR PROGRAM
(continued)

their hosts have ample time for correspondence before the students leave their home countries.

e.	Sponsors should notify students of their home placement at least five weeks prior to their departure for the United States.

f.	A host family should be given the background data and arrival information about the student at least five weeks prior to the student’s arrival in the United States.

g.	Home placement must be made before the student’s arrival in the United States.  Noncompliance with this requirement can result in immediate suspension or revocation of exchange visitor departure.

9.	Supervision

a.	The sponsor must assume the responsibility of resolving problems including, if necessary, the changing of host families and the early return home of the exchange student because of personal or family difficulties.

b.	Sponsors must contact students and their host families periodically throughout their exchange visit to ensure that problems are dealt with promptly and effectively.  These periodic contacts should include personal meetings with students.

c.	The sponsor must provide the host family with a copy of the identification card furnished each student (see 4.c.) as well as the names, address and telephone numbers of both local and national officials of the sponsoring organization who can be contacted at any time in case of an emergency of other problems.

d.	Sponsors must solicit written evaluations of the exchange program from students and host families at the termination of the exchange visit.  Student evaluations should include discussion of host families, host schools, area representatives of sponsors, orientation programs and suggested improvements.  Host family evaluations should include discussion of exchange students, area representatives, orientation programs and suggested improvements.

10.	Employment

Students in the teenager program are not permitted to accept full-time 
                                                                                                                          E 6145.6(e)

CRITERIA FOR TEENAGER EXCHANGE VISITOR PROGRAM
(continued)

employment during their stay in the United States.  However, noncompetitive small jobs not to exceed 10 hours per week, such as tutoring, grass cutting, baby or people sitting, newspaper delivery, etc. will be allowed. 

11.	Financial Responsibility

a.	A sponsor must guarantee return transportation for students in the event of 
of a default by their organization.  This may be done by the purchase of round trip tickets on regularly scheduled flights, or a combination of the two.  Alternatively, a sponsor may arrange a surety bond or surety trust agreement with a bank to ensure return transportation.
	
b.	Sponsors are required to have available for review by the Department of State an audited financial statement of their operations.  The financial statement should include an itemized list of the salaries of the officers of the organization.

12.	Reports

Sponsors will furnish the Department of State with an annual report on their programs at the end of each year.  A questionnaire will be sent to sponsors each year to assist them in preparing the report.

13.	Suspension or Revocation of Exchange Visitor Program Destination

Sponsors who are found to be in violation of the above criteria are subject to having program designations suspended or revoked in accordance with Section 63.16 of the Regulations Governing Designated Exchange Visitor Programs. 

                                                                                       MURRIETA VALLEY USD
                                                                                                              Murrieta, California