Foreign Exchange Guidelines

Foreign Exchange Student Waiver Guidelines Allowable Limitation for an Expedited Waiver An application for an expedited foreign exchange student waiver will not be granted for a limitation on the number of foreign exchange students that is less than five per high school. An application for a waiver to limit the number of foreign exchange students to a number from one to four per high school must be submitted as a general waiver. A request to limit the number to zero will not be considered. Local Policies If a district has local policies or guidelines that impose limitations on foreign exchange student admission applications or requests, including a deadline for an application or request or a restriction on the foreign exchange programs that may place a student in the district, the district must submit the policies with the waiver application. If the district does not submit policies with the waiver application, the waiver is conditioned on the district accepting foreign exchange students on a first come, first serve basis until the number of students stated in the waiver is reached. Subsequent Waiver Applications If a district receives a foreign exchange waiver, the granting of any subsequent foreign exchange student waiver to the same district is conditioned on the district enrolling, in each year to which the previous waiver applied, a number of foreign exchange students equal to the lesser of 1) the number stated in the waiver or 2) the total number for which the district received an application or request for enrollment. Course Credit and Graduation The records or transcripts of foreign exchange students are required to be evaluated in the same manner as those of other out-of-state, out-of-country, or private school students entering the district and the district shall award the students credit and place them in appropriate courses accordingly. 19 Tex. Admin. Code §74.26(a). The district shall administer to a foreign exchange student the state assessments for the grade level of the student’s placement, except that a foreign exchange student may be excused from the exit-level testing requirements if the student waives in writing his or her intention to receive a Texas public high school diploma. 19 Tex. Admin Code §101.5(e). The waiver is at the option of the student and a school district may not require a student to sign such a waiver. A district is required to administer exit-level tests to a student who is eligible for the test and who has not voluntarily signed a waiver. A foreign exchange student is entitled to receive a diploma if the student performs satisfactorily on required exit-level tests and meets course credit requirements for the diploma.