The Shelby County Schools system will accept students from other nations who come to Shelby County via organizations recognized by the Shelby County Board of Education.
Application for admission to Shelby County Schools will be made through the Student
Services Department. The following standards shall be observed:
The organization operating the foreign exchange program must have received
the official United States Information Agency designation as an Exchange-Visitor
Program.
The organization will have legal and financial responsibility for the students
during their stay in this country.
The organization will have a representative living in or adjacent to Shelby
County who will be readily available to confer with school officials regarding
attendance, behavioral or academic performance of students accepted from that
organization into the County Schools.
The organization must also have a program established for sending American
students to foreign countries and its local representatives must actively
recruit Shelby County high school students for placement with families in
other countries with the objective of developing a true exchange program.
The student and host parent must bring to the Student Services Department
the J-1 Visa, the student's health record and a transcript of the student's
grades, which has been translated into English by World Education Services,
or an equivalent service and evidence of medical insurance.
The host school shall not accept a foreign student without an approved "Exchange
Student Application" form. The host school is responsible for grade placement.
The foreign student must be able to successfully complete a school system
approved English Proficiency Test.
The foreign student will be enrolled in the school that serves the address
of the host parent provided the distribution of exchange students meets system
approval.
If a student desires to participate in graduation exercises, the student
must meet all requirements for graduation. Effective August 1985, any student
desiring to participate in graduation exercises must express desire upon initial
enrollment. The course schedule must be approved by the director of secondary
education after reviewing the student's previous transcript.
The organization's representative and the host parent shall be responsible
for all personal obligations of the student related to school requirements.
Shelby County Board of Education retains the right to limit the number of
foreign students if necessary.