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Criteria for Approval of Foreign Exchange Student Programs by the Illinois High School Association
Board of Directors’ approval of foreign exchange student programs, for purposes of determining the residence eligibility for athletics of foreign exchange students in member schools, is required by Section 3.034.3 of the By-laws. In compliance with this provision, the Board of Directors has determined that only those exchange programs with “full listing” status in the 2021-22 CSIET Advisory List may be approved for the 2021-22 school term. Qualifying programs must submit the following documentation to the IHSA office for approval by the Executive Director:
1. An outline of the placement process for students, from initial contact to final placement.
2. A description of the process local or area representatives must follow in the placement of students.
3. The names, addresses and telephone numbers of all local or area representatives responsible for student placement.
4. Copies of any and all training materials provided to local or area representatives and documentation that all required training has been completed.
5. A description of the process used by the program to identify and secure local or area representatives.
6. A description of the process used by the program and local or area representatives to identify and secure host schools.
7. A description of the process used by the program and local or area representatives to identify and secure host families.
8. The procedures for follow up with local or area representatives to ensure that the program’s placement process has been followed.
9. The procedures for post placement follow up with the local or area representatives and the students placed by the program.
Following submission of the documentation described above and any additional documentation and/or investigation deemed necessary by the Executive Director, the Executive Director shall notify the program whether it has been approved.
5. Approved Foreign Exchange Programs
Please see the IHSA website (www.IHSA.org) for a current list of the programs that have been approved by the Board of Directors in accordance with By-law 3.034.3. To obtain an eligibility ruling for a student under one of these programs, schools should complete the on- line IHSA Foreign Exchange Student Eligibility Request.
6. Strike Policy
The IHSA Board of Directors, in conformity with policy established by the Illinois State Board of Education for strike situations, has ruled that a member school which does not have fifty-one (51%) percent of the students in the district in attendance and cannot offer the minimum program required by state law and ISBE Circular Series A160 on a daily basis shall not engage in interscholastic activities.
IHSA By-laws 3.012 and 3.015, relating to attendance requirements and eligibility requirements of interscholastic participants, and By- law 2.050, relating to schools with which contests may be held, shall be enforced.
The decision of the Board of Directors will not apply to time designated by the local Board of Education as school holidays or vacations, including the Illinois Code provision for five emergency days, provided school is in full operation on the school day preceding the school holiday.
Under the following criteria, practice sessions of the normal length and frequency may be held during the period when school is not fully operating:
1. They must be approved by the local Board of Education and school administration.
2. They must be conducted by personnel who meet the provisions of By-law 2.070.
3. They must be conducted in such manner that assures the health and safety of the participants.
4. Students from a school on strike may not practice with a team from a school which is not on strike.
Strike Policy — Participation in State Series During Strike
If a school is on strike and not in legal session, as defined by the State Board of Education, on the date of the beginning competition in any IHSA state series, students from that school may not participate in the state series.
However, when students from any member school first participate in the beginning level of competition in a given state series that state series is considered to have begun for all entered schools. If any school subsequently incurs a strike, the qualified teams and/or students will be permitted to continue participating in the state series, so far as the IHSA strike policy is concerned, even though their school may not be in legal session on the dates of subsequent state series competition in that sport.
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