International Exchange Student Information
Board Policy 6145.6 - 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 permits the enrollment of international exchange students on a case-by-case basis.
With Superintendent or designee approval, a district school may establish a sister-school relationship with a school in another country.
International Student Exchange Programs
To enroll in a district school, an international exchange student must be participating in an exchange program registered with the California Attorney General's Office, designated by the U.S. Department of State and accepted for listing on the Council for Standards for International Educational Travel's Advisory List.
When necessary because of overcrowding within district schools or limited district resources, the Superintendent or designee may limit the number of international exchange students to be accepted at any district high school during any school year.
The district shall not incur any financial obligations when sending and/or receiving international exchange students. Program sponsors shall provide assurance of their responsibility for health/accident/liability insurance, the student's home placement, and the resolution of any related personal difficulties which may arise.
The Superintendent or designee may 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 co-curricular activities based on the student's individual qualifications, needs and interests.
Conditions of Enrollment
An international exchange student must hold a J-1 visa to enroll in Los Alamitos High School and must meet the following conditions:
- The District will enroll only those students who are sponsored by an approved organization as listed by the United States Information Agency and/or the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel.
- The sponsoring agency must have a representative that the host family, district, and international student can contact at any time during the student’s enrollment at Los Alamitos High School.
- The host family must reside within the Los Alamitos Unified School District boundaries.
- Any exchange organization with the intent to enroll an international student in the District must submit a letter of intent and gain approval from the District prior to the placement of any student(s).
- The sponsoring organization shall provide all necessary and pertinent information, in English, of the international student desiring to enroll at Los Alamitos High School.
- International students will be required to follow all rules, policies, and procedures required of all students.
- International students shall be enrolled at the beginning of a semester, and enrollment will be for no less than a semester and nor more than two (2) consecutive semesters.
- International students are required to participate in classes in the same manner as resident students. International students are required to examinations, complete class activities and assignments as assigned by the classroom teacher.
- International students are subject to the District’s discipline and attendance policy. Disciplinary actions for international students who violate attendance or discipline policies will be consistent with disciplinary action taken against residential students, and may include suspension or expulsion.
- International students desiring to graduate from Los Alamitos High School with a diploma must complete the District’s requirements for graduation. This includes submission of an official transcript of credits completed prior to enrollment at Los Alamitos High School. If appropriate, the transcript(s) and related information from prior schools must be translated into English by the institution issuing the transcript. The translated transcript will be evaluated along with classes taken in the United States to determine if the graduation requirements have been satisfied. It is the responsibility of the international student sponsoring organization and international student to secure and submit all materials. The Los Alamitos Unified School District is not responsible for acquiring the materials.
The District reserves the right to deny enrollment to any international student or refuse to approve any international student sponsoring organization.