School Board Authorizes Application for International Baccalaureate Programs

The State College Area School Board on Monday approved a request by district administrators to apply for candidacy for the International Baccalaureate Diploma and Career Programmes.

The nonprofit International Baccalaureate foundation offers four programs — IB Diploma, IB Career, IB Middle Years and IB Primary Years. IB must give authorization for schools to offer the program. The district will seek authorization to apply for candidacy in the middle years and primary years programs in 2018

A memo from assistant superintendent Jason Perrin and director of curriculum for grades 7-12 Jacque Martin said the program, which has an international and personal development focus, would offer a choice for students and enhance offerings within the district

‘The IB Diploma Programme is designed to provide students with specific characteristics to be active, compassionate lifelong learners, it stated. ‘Students seeking a special challenge related to curriculum may select to be an IB Diploma Candidate in order to earn scholarships and/or college credit.’

Since receiving permission from the board in September 2016 to begin exploring the IB program, district administrators visited an IB Diploma Programme at McCaskey High School in Lancaster and a Primary Years Programme in Montgomery County. Community and faculty presentations were held and the district conducted surveys among parents and students.

Of the 514 parents and guardians who responded to a survey, 78 percent supported offering IB programs as a choice in the district. Twenty-four State College Area High School students met with students from the IB program at McCaskey and half said they would be interested in pursuing the IB Diploma Programme. A third said they would take more than one IB course.

Martin said there was an enthusiastic response among the 40 faculty members who attended a meeting about the program.

The estimated 2016-17 cost for IB Diploma Programme, for grades 11 and 12, is $12,700, which includes training and application, candidacy, evaluation and reauthorization fees. The estimated total cost over the next five years would be $97,170, which includes professional development for faculty in 2017-18 and 2018-19.

Estimated 2016-17 cost for the IB Career Programme, also for grades 11 and 12, is $5,800. Over the next five years the estimated cost totals $36,500.

The estimates do not include the cost of an IB coordinator. In separate action the board approved a proposed job description for an IB coordinator.

The district will apply for candidacy in the diploma and career programs this month and candidacy in the primary and middle years programs in March 2018. The board would be asked to approve specific IB courses in the fall of 2018.

Middle years programs are offered for grades 6-8 and 9-10. The primary years program is offered for grades K-5.

Administrators hope to begin faculty professional development this spring.