Boulder Valley School District
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JECBA

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JECBA

File: JECBA (pdf)
Adopted: date of manual adoption
Revised: May 21, 1998, June 12, 2001


ADMISSION OF F-1 VISA,J-1 FOREIGN EXCHANGE PROGRAM STUDENTS,
IMMIGRANT STUDENTS, AND DEPENDENTS OF NONIMMIGRANT VISA HOLDERS

All foreign students wishing to receive an F-1 visa to attend school in the Boulder Valley School District and all Foreign Exchange programs requesting to place J-1 students in a Boulder Valley School must make appropriate request through the Department of Secondary Education.

Immigrant Students

Students who have immigrated to the Boulder Valley School District from a foreign country, and are under the sponsorship of their parents or guardians living in the Boulder Valley School District, will be admitted to schools under the same provisions and terms as any other resident or nonresident of the School District, dependent upon which residency category is applicable.

Dependents of Nonimmigrant Visa Holders

The spouse and minor children of a visa holder may enter the United States as a dependent of the visa holder.  Minor dependents are admitted to schools under the same provisions as any other resident or nonresident of the School District, dependent upon which residency category is applicable.

F-1 Nonimmigrant Foreign Students

Nonimmigrant students must meet certain requirements for admission to the Boulder Valley School District, which include:

  1. The student must satisfy the same age and other general requirements of citizen students.
  2. Students must provide a transcript and an official English translation of those transcripts.
  3. The student must be sponsored by a responsible adult living in the Boulder Valley School District.
  4. Students on F-1 visas may attend a maximum of one school year.
  5. Students on F-1 visas may attend only 9-12 grade.
  6. To receive the I-20 form provided by the Immigration and Naturalization Service needed to obtain an F-1 visa, students must have paid the "full unsubsidized per capita cost" of tuition to the District, which is adjusted each year to reflect the PPR received from the State of Colorado.
  7. In the event that a student does not enroll in the Boulder Valley School District, the full cost of tuition minus administrative costs will be refunded.
  8. Any student who has enrolled in the District having paid tuition for a full year and must voluntarily leave the District prior to completing one semester, will be eligible for a partial refund of the tuition paid.
  9. Students will be entered only at the beginning of a semester and for a minimum of one semester of attendance.
  10. Students will not be permitted to attend classes on a noncredit or audit basis.

J-1 Nonimmigrant Exchange Program Students

The Boulder Valley School District annually will screen applications from organizations wishing to receive approval to solicit Host Families for Foreign Exchange students in BVSD high schools.

Once an organization has received approval from the District, organizations may contact high school buildings to solicit Host Families for placement of students.

It is up to the discretion of the individual high school to determine whether sufficient space is available to place foreign exchange students.

Student Eligibility

  1. The foreign exchange student must not have turned 19 years of age before September 15 of the year in which he or she enrolls in a Boulder Valley School, and must NOT HAVE GRADUATED from his or her home country high school, or its equivalent.
  2. The foreign exchange student must reside with a legal adult resident of the Boulder Valley School District.  Every effort should be made to place foreign exchange students with Host Families where one or more students from that family attend the same school the exchange student will attend.
  3. The foreign exchange student must have sufficient knowledge of the English language to enable effective communication, to use instructional materials and textbooks printed in English, and to function in the regular curriculum without special professional assistance.  If a foreign exchange student's English proficiency is found to be insufficient to function in the regular curricular program without special professional assistance, the sponsoring exchange organization must provide a tutor or make other educational arrangements for the student.

Placement Quotas for Exchange Organizations

Exchange organizations must meet the following placement quotas:

Up to April 1 of each school year, approved exchange organizations may make application for the enrollment of two exchange students per each BVSD high school.

After April 1, at the discretion of each high school principal any additional available foreign student slots MAY be filled by exchange organizations.  However, a maximum of four students sponsored by any exchange organization may be placed in a single school and no more than two of these students should be of the same nationality.

Academic Standards and Graduation

  1. The nonimmigrant foreign student (F-1), the nonimmigrant foreign exchange program student (J-1), and dependents of nonimmigrant visa holders will be expected to meet all standards as required of any student enrolled in Boulder Valley Schools.  These students will be treated as regular students regarding attendance, academic standards, responsibilities and rights, discipline, and graduation requirements.
  2. The nonimmigrant foreign exchange program student (J-1) will not graduate from a Boulder Valley School District high school
    and will not participate in graduation ceremonies.

    a. At the discretion of the individual school, the nonimmigrant foreign exchange program student (J-1) may be recognized at an alternate event or celebration.
     
  3. The nonimmigrant foreign student (F-1) will not qualify to graduate from a Boulder Valley School District high school in most circumstances.  In a situation in which the nonimmigrant foreign student (F-1) meets District graduation requirements and transfer student expectations, he or she may be granted a diploma from the Boulder Valley School District.

Exceptions to this policy may be made by the building principal when such action is deemed in the best interest of the student and the School District.

Nonimmigrant Visitors

Foreign students visiting on a short-term basis in the Boulder Valley School District may attend school as a visitor for a limited period of time, normally not to exceed two weeks.  No class credit shall be granted for such visits.

Current practice codified 1978.

End of File: JECBA