Policy 8920: Foreign Exchange Students (Rules)

Foreign Exchange Students 

1. Students entering the Grand Rapids Public Schools as foreign exchange students must be sponsored by an organization that is included on the Advisory List of International Educational Travel and Exchange Programs. A current list of approved organizations will be maintained and updated annually by the Office of Student Services.
2. Sponsoring organizations must provide the following information before the Superintendent will approve granting tuition-free classroom experiences:
   • Method of student selection
   • Method of determination of English proficiency
   • Name of person responsible for providing customs and immigration requirement forms
   • Housing arrangements and the process of selecting host families
   • Student records and experiences required for enrollment, including academic records, health record, immigration record, and co-curricular information
   • Travel arrangements
   • Insurance coverage including health, accident, and liability for the student
   • Name, address, and telephone of host family with a statement of their responsibilities
   • Purpose and financial status of sponsoring organizations
   • Name, address, and telephone of area representatives and their responsibilities.
3. Area representatives of exchange organizations must meet with the selected school's guidance counselor prior to the admittance of any student. Foreign exchange students will be enrolled during the Fall semester only. Host families must have a meeting or telephone contact with the guidance counselor prior to the exchange student's arrival at the school.
4. The Office of Student Services will oversee and approve the enrollment of foreign exchange students, maintain an updated listing of foreign exchange students who are enrolled in the Grand Rapids Public Schools, and be responsible for verifying the immigration and visa status of all foreign exchange students, including all required U.S. Government forms, prior to their enrollment in any Grand Rapids Public school.
5. A uniform certificate of attendance will be issued to all foreign exchange students, rather than a diploma, with the words "This is not a Diploma" printed clearly on the certificate. This is intended to keep foreign exchange students from gaining unmerited access to post-secondary educational institutions in the United States or in their native country, as an unintended result of the exchange student experience.
6. Only those students who have not graduated from their own equivalent of our high school will be admitted.
7. Only credits earned in the Grand Rapids Public Schools will be recognized for foreign exchange students. Subjects taken, but not successfully completed because of English deficiencies, will be indicated with "No Credit."
8. Enrollment in "Early College" classes at Grand Rapids Community College by foreign exchange students will not be permitted.
9. Grade classification of foreign exchange students will be made according to age, maturity, educational background, and other factors deemed relevant.
10. Each foreign exchange student's past academic record will be closely scrutinized and a class schedule reflecting each individual student's needs will be designated by the guidance counselor and/or building administrator. Placement in classes will be intended to foster awareness and understanding of American culture, including classes in English and Social Studies.
11. Foreign exchange students classified as seniors will be expected to pay full cost for school yearbooks, lunches, tickets for athletic and other events, class rings, graduation gowns, etc. According to all foreign exchange program agreements, participating students have adequate financial resources and should require no special financial assistance from the Grand Rapids Public Schools.
12. Foreign exchange students who receive formal discipline as a result of behavior problems in the school and/or because of possession or use of controlled drugs or alcohol, are subject to appropriate disciplinary action according to the Discipline Code of the Grand Rapids Public Schools and official reporting to their exchange agency by the school.
13. The Office of Student Services will review approved programs at least once a year and submit a status report of participants to the Superintendent.
14. The Student Services Office will review applications of foreign exchange students to provide a diversity of nationality and ethnic groups represented in our schools.
15. The Superintendent reserves the right to withdraw approval and to regulate the number of students participating in all foreign exchange programs.