Admission of Non-Immigrant International Exchange Students: JFABB

1.0 General Information

School District 27J (“the District”) is committed to allowing the admission of a limited number of international exchange students to the regular education programs offered in the District’s high schools.

• 1.1 The District will only admit international exchange students from Districtapproved international exchange programs. Program approval must be obtained prior to seeking the admission of any international exchange student to a District school.
• 1.2 This policy applies to non-immigrant students from other countries who are temporarily residing with a host family in School District 27J for the purpose of attending school. International exchange students must have a J-1 visa.
• 1.3 This policy does not apply to resident aliens, political exiles or students from other countries residing in the District with their parents/legal guardians. Students in the United States on a visitor visa are not entitled to enroll in School District 27J.

2.0 Deadlines

• 2.1 The student application deadline for an exchange placement is May 15th of the school year prior to the desired exchange school year.
• 2.2. The application deadline for sponsor agencies to be approved is March 1st annually.

3.0 Sponsoring Organization Requirements

All sponsoring exchange organizations must meet the following requirements to be considered for approval by the District:

• 3.1 The program must be approved by, and in good standing with, the Council for Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET). Adams County civic organizations may be exempt from being approved by CSIET but must comply with all other requirements for international exchange organizations.
• 3.2 The program must have a local representative who resides within the Denver area and who is able to meet with school personnel, the student, and the host family on a regular basis.
• 3.3 The exchange organization must provide outbound exchange opportunities for American students, in addition to offering inbound exchange opportunities for students from other countries.
• 3.4 Orientation, both pre-departure and upon arrival in the United States, must be provided to help each international exchange student transition.
• 3.5 Orientation must be provided to the host family in advance of the international exchange student's arrival. The family should be acquainted with the needs and requirements of housing a visitor for a long period of time, advised of potential problems in hosting an exchange student, and provided with suggestions for coping with these problems.

4.0 Minimum Requirements for Exchange Students

All international exchange students must meet the following minimum requirements in order to be considered for approval by School District 27J:

• 4.1 International exchange students must obtain a J-1 student visa upon approval of the exchange application but prior to being enrolled in school in the District.
• 4.2 Students must be at least 16 years of age but not more than 18 before October 1 of the year of enrollment in a School District 27J school.
• 4.3 The student must be a secondary school student in his/her home country who has completed at least 2 years of high school or equivalent, but who has not completed more than 11 years of primary and secondary study. The student must not have graduated from high school or its equivalent.
• 4.4 The student must not have previously participated in an academic year or semester student exchange program in the United States, or attended school in the United States under either F-1 or J-1 visa status.
• 4.5 The student must reside with a legal adult resident of School District 27J. Effort should be made to place international exchange students with host families where one or more students from that family attend the same school the exchange student will attend.
• 4.6 Students must be sufficiently proficient in the English language to enable them to participate in the regular high school curriculum. If, after placement, an exchange student’s English proficiency is insufficient to function in the regular curricular program without special assistance, enrollment may be revoked, or the host family and sponsor agency may be required to provide a tutor.
• 4.7 The student must have above-average grades in the student’s home school and must not require specialized assistance to succeed in the regular academic program.
• 4.8 Students must demonstrate English language proficiency via a standardized assessment. The two most commonly accepted are ELTIS (211 or greater required) or SLEP (48 or higher required). If an alternative standardized assessment is used, the student’s exchange agency must also provide a score conversion chart that establishes a score equivalency comparison with ELTIS.

5.0 Application Requirements

Sponsor organizations seeking to place an exchange student for the upcoming school year must submit the following documents prior to May 15th:

• 5.1 A completed International Exchange Student Application.
• 5.2 An identifying information page from the prospective host family (from the agency’s family application);
• 5.3 Three years of official transcripts and/or records of prior education from the student’s home school, an English translation of these documents and an interpretation of the grading system from the student’s home school in English.
• 5.4 Evidence of required immunizations, a physical examination and appropriate insurance must be provided before a student will be approved;
• 5.5 Evidence that the student has successfully completed a minimum of three years of instruction in English, which includes speaking and listening as well as reading and writing;
• 5.6 Proof of English language proficiency: evidence the student has passed a test of the English language proficiency, such as the SLEP, TOEFL or FSI, at a level of proficient or higher.
• 5.7 A written application or a letter of application from the potential international exchange student to the school. This application/letter should provide pertinent information about the student (e.g. name, age, birth date, home country, level of education, participation in educational or extracurricular activities in their home country), and the student’s reasons for wanting to attend school in the District. The application/letter must also include the name, address and phone number(s) of the international exchange student’s own parents/guardians, the host family and the local international exchange program representative; and
• 5.8 Two character references translated into English; one must be from the student’s English language teacher documenting the type of instruction the student has had and the student’s level of proficiency, and one from someone who has been acquainted with the student for at least one year.
• 5.9 Proof of identity and date of birth: a passport and/or birth certificate or other official documents that verify the student’s identity, date of birth, and nationality.

6.0 Status and Academic Standards for International Exchange Students

• 6.1 Exchange students are responsible for complying with superintendent policies including attendance, academic standards, responsibilities and rights, and behavior.
• 6.2 Exchange students must take a minimum of five classes per term including one Language Arts/English class and one American/U.S. History and/or government class. Students are expected to maintain passing grades in all classes.
• 6.3 Exchange students enrolled for one school year will be classified as juniors or seniors at the discretion of each school. Students will earn grades and receive credit for courses successfully completed but will not be included on the cumulative academic class ranking.
• 6.4 Exchange students are not eligible to receive a District 27J diploma. Seniors may be recognized with an honorary certificate of attendance.
• 6.5 Exchange students are not eligible to receive scholastic awards but may be eligible to receive extracurricular awards.
• 6.6 The eligibility requirements of the Colorado High Schools Activities Association (CHSAA) will be followed. Interested parties should refer to the CHSAA bylaws or contact CHSAA directly for more information.
• 6.7 Exchange students are expected to pay for all standard fees including but not limited to school lunches, books, athletic fees, student activity and other fees, yearbook costs and all other school-incurred expenses that are expected of other students in the district. Fee waivers or reductions for exchange students are not permitted.

7.0 Violations of Policy

• 7.1 Exchange organizations, private sponsors or host families which violate School District 27J exchange policies are subject to having the exchange partnership terminated.
• 7.2 Exchange students who violate the Code of Conduct and would typically be suspended or expelled may also risk having their exchange enrollment revoked.

Adopted July 19, 2016
Revised June 16, 2017
Revised April 17, 2018

8 U.S.C. 1101 (a)(15)(F)(i) (definition of nonimmigrant student)
8 U.S.C. 1184 (m)
22 C.F.R. 62.25