An Administrator's Guide to California Private School Law

Chapter 16 – Off Campus Activities

places two or more pupils in an elementary or secondary school within a five-year period.” 2244 Student Exchange Visitor Organizations are required to register with the Attorney General. 2245 The International Student Exchange Visitor Program has specific requirements for organizations that place students in California schools. The organization must ensure that suitable students are selected for the program. 2246 Students must have a sufficient command of the English language and be screened to ensure they demonstrate traits such as maturity and good character. 2247 The organization is responsible for providing each student and his or her immediate family with a suitable orientation prior to departure that will acquaint the student in advance with the customs of the State of California and the United States. In addition, the organization must provide each student and his or her family with detailed knowledge of the school and academic program in which he or she will be participating and information relating to the host family. 2248 Similarly, each host family must be provided with suitable orientation in advance of the student's arrival, including information on the family, school, and culture of the student's native country, as well as information relating to the academic program in which the student will be enrolled. 2249 The organization is also responsible for selecting a host family for the student visitor and must visit the home and personally interview each host family before a student can be assigned to a host family. 2250 The organization must ensure that the host family can provide separate sleeping quarters for students of each sex, a bed for each student visitor and ensure that there are no more than four individuals per bedroom. 2251 The location of the home, information regarding the host family and the student, as well as other information, must be provided in writing. 2252 Throughout the student’s enrollment in the program, the organization must also maintain regular personal contact with each visitor student, host family, and the school where each student is enrolled. 2253 The organization must ensure that students participating in an exchange program have health and accident insurance from the time the student departs from his or her home country until the student returns to his or her home country. 2254 There are also very specific records requirements that apply to these organizations. 2255 2. F EDERAL R ULES Federal rules govern other student exchange programs. The Federal Student Exchange Program sets forth the federal guidelines that proscribe rules for sponsors of visitor exchange programs. The federal program requirements are similar to those in California. 2256 There are requirements regarding student selection. 2257 Both students and host families must undergo an orientation. 2258 A sponsor must also ensure that not only all employees but also volunteers and adult members of a host family undergo extensive background checks. 2259 For example, families are required to submit their fingerprints for a criminal background check and provide two personal references that attest to the host family’s good reputation and character. 2260 Many other provisions in the federal regulations overlap with those in California.

An Administrator’s Guide to California Private School Law ©2019 Liebert Cassidy Whitmore 545