Lower Moreland staff propose EF Tours study-abroad trip to Spain; board to vote at next meeting
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Summary
District staff presented a proposed EF Tours study-abroad program to Spain that would prioritize upperclass students, require a 24-student minimum, include hotel stays and a 9 p.m. curfew, and rely on family payments plus fundraising and EF scholarship/financing options. The board will consider the trip at its next session.
Lower Moreland Township School District staff presented a proposal for a study-abroad trip to Spain organized through EF Tours and said the board will vote on the proposal at the district's next meeting.
The proposal, discussed during the district's public meeting on Feb. 25, would require a 24-student minimum to guarantee district-specific bus transport and would prioritize seniors and juniors if demand is limited. Organizers said they favored hotel accommodations rather than homestays for safety and supervision, and said the program can accommodate up to 30–36 students if staffing allows.
District presenters told the board the trip is being planned in part as a retention tool for upper-level language students and to support students pursuing the Seal of Biliteracy. A staff member said college credit is available through EF’s university partnership and would require a research project to be submitted after the trip; that project is optional and typically due about a month after return.
Organizers addressed safety and supervision. “I believe the curfew is 9PM, and it is a firm curfew,” a staff presenter said, adding the program provides structured days with limited free time and that chaperones plan to implement a rotating duty schedule at night. The proposal cites EF Tours’ hotel-based accommodations as a reason organizers chose the vendor over companies that use homestays.
On cost and fundraising, presenters acknowledged the trip “is expensive” and said each student receives a fundraising page to solicit contributions and that group fundraisers may reduce costs modestly. EF Tours’ scholarship program was noted as available but described as limited; EF also offers multiple payment models including upfront payment, monthly installments and split payments. Presenters said medical/evacuation coverage is included in the package and that the tour has access to medical care ranging from clinics to ER services.
Parents and community members who spoke at the meeting largely supported the approach, emphasizing the educational value while urging attention to safety and equity for families who cannot afford full payments. One audience member, a former teacher and chaperone, said limited free time and hotel accommodations increased her comfort with the proposal.
The board did not take a final vote on the trip during the Feb. 25 meeting; the item was listed on the agenda to be considered at the board’s next session on March 18, 2025. Organizers said additional details — including whether passports will be held centrally or retained by students, final per-student price, and any scholarship awards — will be clarified before the vote.