Cedar Springs Public School District
Administrative Guidelines
 

5114 - FOREIGN AND FOREIGN-EXCHANGE STUDENTS

Exchange Visitor Program (EVP) for Nonimmigrant Students with J-1 Visas

Sponsoring Exchange Organizations

The Board will recognize non-profit organizations that are designated as sponsoring exchange organizations by the U.S. Department of State (USDOS) as sponsors of exchange visitor students. Documentation of the non-profit organization's status as a current USDOS-designated sponsoring exchange organization should be submitted annually, but will be required in any year when the organization seeks to place a exchange visitor student in the District's high school.

Pursuant to Federal law, a sponsoring exchange organization may not have more than five (5) students enrolled in the District's high school unless the school itself has requested, in writing, the placement of more than five (5) students from the sponsor.

Selection, Acceptance, and Enrollment of Exchange Visitor Students

Pursuant to Federal law, the sponsoring agency shall select a foreign national to participate in the exchange visitor program (EVP) when it has been determined that the program is suitable to the exchange visitor student's background, needs, and experience, and that the exchange visitor student possesses sufficient proficiency in the English language to participate in the program.

The sponsoring exchange organization must contact the Principal of the high school in which the student would enroll to request acceptance of the prospective exchange visitor student. The sponsor shall provide written assurance that the prospective exchange visitor student meets all criteria for eligibility for the program set forth in Federal law. The Principal shall inform the Superintendent whether or not s/he supports the enrollment of the prospective exchange visitor student. If the Principal supports the enrollment of the prospective student, the Superintendent shall provide the sponsoring agency with written acceptance of the student’s enrollment. A copy of the Student Handbook will be provided with the written acceptance.

Following receipt of written acceptance of enrollment, the sponsoring organization shall be responsible for issuing certificates of eligibility to participants for use in securing their U.S. non-immigrant J-1 Visa.

Following receipt of written acceptance of enrollment, the sponsoring organization shall also be responsible for the selection of a host family for the exchange visitor student. Following the selection of the host family by the sponsoring agency, the District shall be notified.

Pursuant to Federal law, an agreement between the sponsoring organization, the student's parents, and the student must clearly delineate the sponsoring organization's rules, as well as costs and refund policies. A copy of the Student Handbook shall be a part of this agreement.

The sponsoring organization shall submit the following at the time of the exchange visitor student’s enrollment:

 

A.

A copy of the agreement between the sponsoring organization, the student's parents, and the student.

   
 

B.

Documentation that the exchange visitor student has had the required immunization(s).

   
 

C.

Evidence of medical insurance coverage for the exchange visitor student.

Following the enrollment of the exchange visitor student, the Principal will designate a member of the faculty or school administration as the student's advisor during his/her stay at the school. The advisor shall serve as liaison between the school and host family, the school and the sponsoring organization’s local coordinator, the exchange visitor student and the student body, school faculty, and the community.

The Principal will provide the local coordinator with any data related to school attendance and performance that the sponsoring agency is required to report to the USDOS via the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).

Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) for Nonimmigrant Students with F-1 Visas

The District shall use the following procedures established for the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) by the United States Department of State (DOS) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) when selecting and enrolling Foreign National students with an F-1 Visa who have citizenship in a country other than the United States as Exchange Visitor Students.

The Kent County ISD is responsible for petitioning the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for certification of the school as a SEVP-certified school.

The Kent County ISD is responsible for submitting the information requested by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the principal investigative arm of the DHS, so that District's status as a SEVP-certified school can be maintained. This required information will be submitted via the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), which is maintained by ICE).

Upon authorization through resolution by the Board, the Kent County ISD is responsible for filing Form I-17 with ICE to secure recertification for the school every two (2) years.

© Neola 2015