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Minutes for SB361 - Committee on Education
Short Title
Authorizing foreign exchange students who reside with a host family to enroll in and attend the resident school district of the host family as if the student were a resident of the school district and excluding such student from the open-seat lottery process.
Minutes Content for Tue, Feb 3, 2026
Chairman Erickson opened the hearing on SB361. Tamera Lawrence, Assistant Revisor, Office of the Revisor of Statutes, gave a brief overview of the bill and stood for questions. (Attachment 5)
Senator Brad Starnes, District 22, said this bill would provide proviso language that was included in the Governor's Recommendation compared to Special Committee on State Budget Recommendation FY2026-FT2028 to be accepted on a permanent basis, not require year-to-year approval. The language allows foreign exchange students who reside with a host family to be permitted to enroll in and attend a school within the host family's home district and that these students should not be subjected to the open seat lottery. (Attachment 6)
Retired Senator Tom Hawk explained that the Superintendent of a school district is required by the State Department to sign a PAF form indicating there is a space for the foreign exchange students at the school before the student can be issued a J-1 Visa. Due to Open Enrollment requirements, it is difficult to be positive there is enough room. It has now been verified that the Open Enrollment Bill was never intended to affect foreign exchange students and programs. K.S.A. 72-3122 seems to lay out what an in-district student is and the definition of a "person acting as parent", which is what the host family is considered. Therefore a foreign exchange student is considered "In-district”, and the Open enrollment requirements do not apply. (Attachment 7)
Shannon Kimball, Government Relations Specialist, Kansas Association of School Boards, stated that this bill clarifies that a foreign exchange student, living with a host family who already resides within a school district's boundaries, is not considered an "out of district" student subject to the open enrollment application and lottery. Rather, the student is permitted to enroll as a resident student. (Attachment 8)
Discussion followed.
No Opponent or Neural testimony was submitted.
Chairman Erickson closed the hearing on SB361.
