Policy 3145-Foreign Exchange Students

Philosophy
The District believes that foreign exchange students add to the richness of the high school setting for both District and foreign students. Thus, the District is willing to enroll a manageable number of foreign exchange students.

To protect the interests of the District and students, the District has adopted the following policies. It should be realized that foreign exchange students are educated at the expense of the taxpayers of the District and the State of Idaho.

  1. The foreign exchange student must be eighteen (18) years of age or younger at the time of enrollment.
  2. The foreign exchange student must reside with a legal resident of the District. Exceptions may be granted.
  3. The foreign exchange students must have sufficient knowledge of the English language to enable effective communication and to use instructional materials and textbooks printed in English.
    • An English proficiency test of the District’s own choosing may be administered and will supersede all other tests;
    • If an organization places a student who, upon arrival, is deemed by the District to be deficient in English language proficiency, the organization will do one of the following:
      • Terminate the student’s placement
      • Provide, and pay for, tutorial help until the student reaches proficiency, as determined by the District.
  4. The foreign exchange student must submit application to the District by May 1 and selection will be made by June 1 for the upcoming school year wishing to be enrolled.       

Academic Standards and Graduation

  1. The foreign exchange student will be expected to meet all appropriate standards required of any student enrolled in the District.
  2. Foreign exchange students may not graduate from Kimberly High School. They may participate in the graduation ceremony and receive a certificate.

Orientation by the Exchange Organization

  1. Orientation, both pre-departure and upon arrival in the United States, must be provided to the exchange student.
  2. Orientation must also be provided to the host family in advance of the exchange student’s arrival. The family should be advised of potential problems in hosting an exchange student and provided with suggestions for coping with these problems.
  3. The student’s host family and the District must be provided written information which includes at least:
    • Name, address, and phone number of both local and area coordinators for the exchange organization.
    • A twenty-four-(24)-hour emergency telephone number for immediate assistance by the exchange organization.

Supervision

  1. The sponsoring foreign student exchange organization must assume the final responsibility of resolving problems, including, if necessary, the changing of host families or the early return home of the exchange student because of personal, family, or school difficulties.
  2. The sponsoring foreign student exchange organization must contact the exchange student and host family periodically throughout the exchange visit to ensure that problems are dealt with promptly and effectively.
  3. The host family must be available and willing to meet with school personnel when functions or conditions require it.

District Expectations

  1. Required Courses. Foreign exchange students will be expected to enroll in the following academic classes while attending Kimberly High School:
    • One English class;
    • One United States history class or one government class;
    • Maintain enrollment in at least six (6) classes.
  2. Athletic Program. Foreign exchange students are eligible to participate in the Kimberly High School Activities Program. Guidelines for participation are set by District policy and by the Idaho High School Activities Association (IHSAA), as follows:
    • RECOGNITION. The student must be a participant of an “official Foreign
    • Exchange Program” as defined in the publication from the National Association of Secondary School Principals, entitled, “Advisory List of International Educational Travel and Exchange Programs”.
    • GRADUATION. The student cannot have graduated or received a diploma in his/her own country.
  3. Student Fees: Foreign exchange students are expected to pay all yearbook fees, lab fees, prom tickets, yearbook costs, athletic fees, cap and gown fees, lunch prices, and all other school incurred expenses that are expected of other students enrolled in Kimberly High School.
  4. Achievement and Discipline: Foreign exchange students must maintain passing grades in all classes, follow rules and regulations of District student policies, and show satisfactory discipline and attendance. Failure to comply with these expectations shall result in dismissal of the student from the District’s Foreign Exchange Program.
  5. Scholarship(s): The District will not include names of foreign exchange students in its formal class-rank listing based on cumulative grade point average, nor will foreign exchange students be eligible to apply for any local scholarship.

  Placement Quotas for Foreign Student Exchange Organizations

  1. The number of foreign exchange students attending High School at one time shall not exceed 1% of the total high school enrollment. The Board reserves the right to withdraw approval and regulate the number of students participating.
  2. The fact that a foreign exchange organization has located a host family within the District does not infer the District will automatically enroll the student. While the organization may develop such an agreement with a host family, the family should be advised it is contingent upon the student’s admission to Kimberly High School.

Legal Reference:
20 U.S.C. 221, et seq. IDAPA 08.02.03.105.03 Foreign Exchange Students

Policy History:
Adopted on: April 8, 2003
Revised on: February 18, 2015