Very few schools have boarding facilities. The schools are not operated or controlled by the U.S. government. Ownership and policy control are typically in the hands of associations of parents of the children enrolled, who elect a school board to supervise the superintendent or chief administrator whom the board chooses to administer the school. In some schools, the organization is highly formalized, comprising corporate status in the United States or in the host country, while other schools are loosely defined cooperative entities. All schools are subject, in varying degrees and with varying effects, to host-country laws and regulations pertaining to educational practices, importation of educational materials, personnel practices, etc.
Tuition payments are the principal source of financing for the schools.
The instructional programs provide a core curriculum that will prepare students to enter schools, colleges, and universities in the United States. The language of instruction is English, supplemented in most schools with the local language. The content of the educational programs is American but can vary depending on the proportion of U.S. students. Certain schools, especially in Latin America, must also fulfill host-country curriculum requirements. The curricula tend to be largely academic, with relatively little attention given to vocational or commercial education.