3142P - International Student Exchange Procedure

Definitions

1. Foreign student: This term pertains to those students of foreign nationality who visit this country for a specified period of time (usually limited to one year) and who are enrolled in an American school as a foreign visitor on an F-1 or J-1 visa.
2. Definition of Non-Immigrant Visas
   1. B-2, Visitor for Pleasure: This visa is issued to an alien who has a home in a foreign country to which they will return after a short stay in the United States. The purpose of the stay in the United States is to tour, visit friends or family, or sightseeing. B-2 aliens may not attend school fulltime.
   2. J-1, Exchange-Visitor: This visa is issued to aliens who will participate in a United States Information Agency designated Exchange-Visitor program. The student must have a home in a foreign country to which they will return after the stay in the United States.
   3. F-1/ I-20 Academic Student: No I-20 form will be initiated or processed by the Issaquah School District for any foreign student wishing to attend an Issaquah school. A foreign student who wishes to study in the Issaquah School District must come through an approved exchange visitor program and follow the procedures noted below. 
   4. Definition of Immigrant Refugee: An "immigrant" is a person who has been legally admitted to the U.S. as a permanent resident alien. The immigrant usually has been issued an Alien Registration Receipt Card (INS Form I-551) generally referred to as a "green card." The immigrant has the choice of becoming a citizen of the U.S. after residing in the U.S. for a period of five years and passing an examination.
   5. A "refugee" is a person who is unwilling or unable to return to their country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular group, or political opinion. Refugees do not hold a "green card," but they will possess an Arrival/Departure Card (INS Form I-94) annotated “Parolee-Indefinite Stay."
3. An international exchange organization is an organization registered with the Secretary of State’s office in Washington State.
   
   Selection of International Exchange Organization
   1. The District will only accept students from international exchange organizations registered with the Office of the Secretary of State of Washington State. (A list of such organizations is available on the website of the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction at
   2. The District reserves the right to work with international exchange organizations that have proven their commitment to high standards and responsiveness to student and District needs.

 J-1/Foreign Exchange programs:

The Issaquah School District may accept for enrollment a limited number of high school students each year who are non-immigrant foreign students who seek to enter the United State temporarily to participate in a District recognized foreign exchange program (J-1 status) for the full school year.

Such students may be enrolled if the following requirements are met and procedures followed:

• Be part of a foreign exchange program that has been approved by the Issaquah School District in advance and is in good standing with the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET)
• Be at least 15 years of age
• Have not received the equivalent of a high school diploma in their native country
• Understand that credit cannot be guaranteed
• Understand that an official high school diploma will not be awarded, although a student who successfully completes assigned coursework may receive a Certificate of Attendance.
• Have a level of proficiency in the English language that allows the student to actively and fully participate in the classroom.
• Provide all required documents as noted below.

In order to initially qualify to place students in the Issaquah School District, the International Exchange Organization will provide the Office of the Executive Director of Secondary Education with its designated USIA# and letters of recommendation from at least three school Districts (preferably local) who are currently placing agency-sponsored students in their schools.

The International Exchange Organization must also be a member, in good standing, with the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET) and be registered with the Secretary of State for the State of Washington. 

• The International Exchange Organization and its designated representative will accept the responsibility of negotiation placement of all students sponsored by the agency in the Issaquah School District with the Office of the Executive Director of Secondary Education, 5150 220^th AVE SE, Issaquah, WA 98029 (425-837-7050). At no time will the agency or its designated representative cause the student of host parent(s) to act as negotiators for placement in the Issaquah School District.
• The International Exchange Organization and its designated representative will at no time directly contact any employee of the school of attendance in the Issaquah School District without the express permission of the Office of the Executive Director of Secondary Education.
• Agencies should contact the Office of Secondary Education in early spring and no later than June 15, regarding possible placements for the next school year. Each school has a limited number of spaces available to foreign exchange students due to enrollments. It is understood that no additional placements in the Issaquah School District will be negotiated for the next school year after June 15, and the foreign exchange agency and its designated representative will make no further attempt to place students in the District for the upcoming school year.
• The International Exchange Organization and its designated representative will comply with all policies of the Issaquah School District.
• The International Exchange Organization and its designated representative will ensure that all student sponsored by the agency are English proficient. Proficiency will be established prior to negotiating placement of students and will be a condition of placement. If it is found that the student is not English-proficient admittance will be denied, regardless of host family placement.
• The International Exchange Organization and its designated representative understand that students must show written proof of immunization for diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis, polio, hepatitis B, measles, rubella, mumps and any other state or federally required vaccinations. If an immunization record is not included in the student placement file as proof of inoculation for the above diseases, admittance will be denied, regardless of host family placement.
• The International Exchange Organization and its designated representative will intercede on behalf of all student sponsored by the agency who are placed in the Issaquah School District in all legal, financial, and host family placement matters. At no time will District personnel be asked or expected to arrange host family placement for foreign exchange students.
• The International Exchange Organization and its designated representative will accept responsibility for removal of all students sponsored by the agency who violate the rules and regulations of the school of attendance or of the Issaquah School District.
• The International Exchange Organization and its designated representative will provide the office of the Director of Secondary Education with a student placement file containing the following: 1) the agency-approved student application form, 2) immunization record, 3) current school transcripts, 4) sample three-page narrative prepared by the student without assistance, 5) The results of a recognized English-proficiency test, and 6) any letters of recommendation from teachers or other home school officials.
• The International Exchange Organization and its designated representative will accept responsibility for preparation of all student-entry documents required by the US Customs. 
• No I-20 form will be initiated by the Issaquah School District for any exchange student wishing to attend an Issaquah school.

It is understood that failure to comply with the above terms and conditions will be considered sufficient reason to deny the International Exchange Organization and its designated representative the right to place students in the Issaquah School District. The agency may re-qualify to place students in the Issaquah School District by petitioning the Office of the Executive Director of Secondary Education in writing and by agreeing to the terms and conditions set forth herein.