MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — The school board has rejected a proposal to have students from China attend school in Mason City, citing concerns about the proposal and unauthorized use of student photos.
The board voted 6-1 Thursday against the proposal by International Educational Development Corp. The company originally proposed having about 20 students travel to northern Iowa to attend classes in Mason City and other communities. Mason City would have been designated as the proposal’s lead school, with administrative responsibilities.
Some Mason City board members expressed concerns Thursday about the amount of money the district would receive from the company, the cost of obtaining visas for the students and about their English proficiency. The proposal also was jeopardized last month when unauthorized Mason City student photos were spotted on the company’s website.
