Strategically, Portland needs to begin to build its global economic future.
Portland Public Schools should in its 2012-13 budget allocate $240,000(shift the funds) for a pilot high school study abroad program. The $240,000 would pay $8,000 each towards the fees of study abroad organizations (and other expenses) for thirty students to spend the 2013-14 high school year abroad. Five students would be selected to study in each of six targeted countries. Four of those countries would be the BRIC countries of Brazil, Russia, India and China. These are the countries now, and for the foreseeable future, dominating global economic growth. Two additional countries, Japan and Mexico, would be selected both because of their economic importance but also because Portland Public Schools currently has immersion programs in both of their languages: Spanish and Japanese.
Current study abroad organizations offer high school years in each of these countries. Typically, they provide tuition and room & board with a host family (often these are provided free, and the fees cover expenses of the study abroad organization). International transportation is also often included.
Here’s a sample of the high school year fees of several study abroad organizations:
For China, ASSE’ fee is $8,250 (same for Taiwan and $7,900 for Hong Kong). Education, Travel & Culture’s fee is $8,867 (to Chengdu). Youth for Understanding’s fee is $10,995. AFS’s fee is $13,500 and CIEE’s fee is $15,995.
For India, Youth for Understanding’s fee is $10,995 and AFS’s fee is $13,500.
For Brazil, ASSE’s fee is $6,700. Youth for Understanding’s fee is $9,595. CIEE’s fee is $9,945. And AFS’s fee is $12,000.
For Russia, Youth for Understanding’s fee is $10,995 and AFS’s fee is $12,000.
For Japan, ASSE’s fee is $9,325. Youth for Understanding’s fee is $12,595. AFS’s fee is $13,000. And CIEE’s fee is $14,485.
For Mexico, ASSE’s fee is $4,750 plus airfare. Youth for Understanding’s fee is $7,995. Education, Travel and Culture has a high school year in Costa Rice for $7,550.
Links for each of the study abroad organizations listed: ASSE (here), Education, Travel & Culture (here), Youth for Understanding (here), CIEE (here) and AFS (here).
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