BP 6145.6 — International Exchange
Section: 6000 - Instruction
Status: Active
Adopted: 2019-04-23
Revised: 2023-10-26
Policy text
INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE
The Governing Board recognizes that personal contact between students of different countries and cultures promotes global awareness and international understanding. To that end, the Board welcomes and prioritizes the enrollment of international exchange students and further encourages district students to take any opportunities that they may have to participate in such programs and study in another country. With Board approval, a district school may establish a sister-school relationship with a school in another country.
District Students Studying in Another Country
School counselors may provide information regarding international exchange programs and academic counseling to district students who wish to study in a foreign country. Such counseling shall include a review of the student’s completed coursework, academic achievement, and personal goals, and shall advise the student regarding requirements that the student must meet during attendance in the foreign school in order to maintain progress toward meeting district graduation requirements.
Credit for courses successfully completed in the foreign country shall be granted in accordance with Board policy and administrative regulation.
International Student Exchange Programs
Before enrolling an international exchange student in a district school, the Superintendent or designee shall request proof that the student is participating in an International Student Exchange Placement Organization (ISEPO) program registered with the California Attorney General’s Office.
The Superintendent or designee shall obtain from the ISEPO a description of the services to be performed by the ISEPO for the student, host family, and the district; telephone numbers that the student, host family, or district may contact for assistance; and a summary of the student’s complete prior academic coursework completed.
The district may require additional documents which may include, but are not limited to, evidence that the student has health and accident insurance from the time of departure from home to the time the student returns to the home country.
The Superintendent or designee may limit the number of international exchange students to be accepted at any district school during any school year.
An international student, or the ISEPO on behalf of the student, shall reimburse the district for the full, unsubsidized per capita cost of providing education at a district school for the period of the visiting student’s attendance, as calculated by the Superintendent or designee for the applicable school year.
The Superintendent or designee shall establish district criteria for issuing regular or honorary diplomas to international exchange students. The principal or designee shall refer to these criteria when assisting international exchange students in selecting classes and cocurricular activities based on the student’s individual qualifications, needs, and interests.
Legal
EDUCATION CODE
35160 Authority of governing board
35160.1 Broad authority of school districts
51225.5 Honorary diplomas; foreign exchange and terminally ill students
GOVERNMENT CODE
12620-12630 International Student Exchange Visitor Placement Organizations
CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, TITLE 22