Most language and international studies high schools (LISHS) are established as public magnet schools and stress voluntary enrollment. Generally, the academic curriculum emphasizes foreign languages, social sciences, and communications for participation in an international environment. Students are expected to graduate with functional competence in at least one foreign language. The program also includes a traditional secondary school curriculum, field trips, independent study, and cultural exchange programs. The programs can be designed to be housed in a separate building or, more commonly, as a school within a school. Financing and other support through local resources is preferred to dependence on federal grant support. Some issues of LISHS remain to be addressed, including staffing problems and the perception or threat of elitism. Some schools allow students to choose between preparing for a career-focused internship with an international company abroad or in urban America, and preparing for the International Baccalaureate Diploma during the last two years of school. The creation and maintenance of more LISHS will depend on the intelligence, commitment, and interest of educators, parents, and local leaders. (MSE)