Board hears information session on proposed Costa Rica student trip; administration to bring recommendation in April

At the Southeast Delco School District board business meeting on March 26, representatives from EF Tours outlined an information-only proposal for a curriculum-linked student trip to Costa Rica targeted for summer 2028.

Megan Schafer, the EF Tours representative, said the program would include guided, curricular experiences in Costa Rica, opportunities to earn high-school or dual-enrollment credit and an optional global-citizen certificate. "We take students physically from their communities and give them a chance to see a new place in the world," Schafer said, describing academic components before, during and after the trip.

Alyssa Hockman, the district cyber coordinator and one of the teacher leaders for the proposal, told the board the initiative aims to expand access: "For many students, traveling outside the country isn't something that even feels possible, so this is gonna be an amazing opportunity to offer to Southeast Delco." Hockman and other staff said fundraising, payment plans and scholarships would be used to lower financial barriers.

Board members questioned safety, dietary needs, trip length and group size. Schafer responded that EF maintains in-country staff and 24/7 support and that health care and vendor accommodations are part of the program. "We deal with many different dietary issues," she said, noting staff gather students' needs about two months before travel and share them with vendors.

On logistics, EF said the immersion portion of the trip is seven days and that credit-earning requires pre-trip and post-trip components. Schafer described a 1:6 staff-to-student ratio and said typical Pennsylvania groups number about 25–30 students; smaller groups (10–12) can participate by partnering with other districts on the same dates. She also said families individually "lock in" their price when they enroll; UF pricing may increase at intervals (EF indicated the next scheduled increase would be May 1). Schafer said EF carries liability coverage for program operations, noting a $50,000,000 liability policy.

Superintendent Dr. Sanchez said the presentation was informational and that the administration will present a formal recommendation at the district's April board meeting for the board to consider. No vote was taken at the March 26 meeting.

Next steps: the administration will prepare materials for the April meeting, after which the board may vote to approve or decline the program and any district-level participation plan.