An International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma from Wooster (or any school) is a great accomplishment.
The problem with WCSD and many other districts is that they only tell one side of IB. Most districts use the International Baccalaureate Organization's (IBO's) excellent marketing materials and do a very good job presenting the positive aspects of IB. This article will focus on, the other side of IB.
HERE IS WHAT MANY DISTRICT DO NOT TELL PARENTS AND STUDENTS PRIOR TO THEIR ENROLLMENT IN IB:
1) IB will increase college costs for most graduates compared to their fellow AP studentsbecause AP is much more accepted for college credit than IB. Most colleges that do give credit for IB only give credit for the IB HL classes (2 year courses).
http://www.collegeconfidential.com/dean/archives/ap-vs-ib.htm
UNR is similar to most colleges,
http://www.unr.edu/admissions/admissions-resources/ap-ip-tests
Washington Post reporter Jay Mathews is the nation’s number one IB proponent, co-author of Supertest: How IB Can Strengthen Our Schools, admits colleges give more credit for AP than IB,
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/class-struggle/2010/02/u-va_discriminates_against_sma.html
It is likely that colleges give more credit for AP classes because they are college level classes.
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/about.html
IB classes are not college level.
http://www.ibo.org/recognition/
Per IBO rules when IB/AP classes are combined as they are at Wooster, the IB course material must take priority. Students then take both the IB and AP exam.
It is common for districts boast about how well IB schools do on Jay Mathew's Americas Best High Schools list. WCSD is no exception, they typically boast about how well Wooster does on the list. But this list is flawed because it ONLY considers the number of advanced exams students take NOT how many are passed.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dan-brown/newsweeks-top-high-school_b_213159.html
2) For the IB Diploma over the course of two years, students must meet all requirements in the link below and take: 3 SL (standard level) classes, 3 HL (higher level) two year classes, the Theory of Knowledge (TOK) class, write the extended essay, and complete 150 hours of community service. Article 15 of this IBO document states the minimum test scores and all the other requirements to obtain the IB Diploma.
http://www.ibo.org/become/guidance/documents/DP_regs_en.pdf
Most colleges do not give credit for IB SL classes, the TOK class, or the extended essay.
Here is an article from IBO's website,
http://www.ibo.org/ibaem/conferences/documents/ValuespaperRMarshman.pdf
On page 6 of 8 in refereing to the TOK class it says (emphasis added),
"In their essays and oral presentations they (the students) grapple with questions like
- What makes evidence good enough to justify belief?
- What justifies the name of art?
- Do we act ethically out of social duty, religious belief, universal principle or self interest?
- When can it be right to disobey the law?
- Can suicide bombers be right?"
At many colleges the most credit you can obtain for IB is 9 semester units. On the other hand, top AP students who graduate with up to 10 AP classes can obtain up to 30 semester units and can enter numerous colleges including, UNR and BYU, as sophomores.
Jay Mathews provides the perfect example in this article,
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/class-struggle/2010/02/u-va_discriminates_against_sma.html
Here is specific AP vs. IB college credit information for 23 top colleges:
http://www.princeton.k12.oh.us/HighSchool.cfm?subpage=416
3) Most districts distort the benefits of IB but; IBO does NOT claim IB will improve student performance. The research (including one dissertation) shows IB will NOT improve student performance.
http://myinclinevillage.com/2011/03/01/ib-does-not-improve-student-performance.aspx
4) The reasons most schools state for dropping IB are: 1) Cost, 2) Lack of student improvement with IB, 3) Less flexible than AP, 4) Lack of participation in IB classes, 5) Lack of college credit for IB.
http://myinclinevillage.com/2011/06/16/what-all-school-board-members-should-know-if-considering-ib.aspx
5) Some parents object to IB on religious grounds,
http://www.theambroseschool.org/documents/parent-insights-documents/a-perspective-on-the-international-baccalaureate/
http://www.wpaag.org/International%20Bbaccalaureate%20Program%201.htm
http://www.gtbe.org/news/index.php/1/22/186.html
6) IB is a non-governmental organization (NGO) of United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) the United Nations (UN).
http://www.ibo.org/partnerships/governments/
IBO and UNESCO work out of the same building in Switzerland (toward the bottom of the page):
http://www.ibo.org/partnerships/governments/
If you do not agree the UN's ideology it is probably best to avoid IB.
http://myinclinevillage.com/2010/07/16/even-jay-matthews-admits-colleges-give-more-credit-for-ap.aspx
Here is an article where Mr. Olabiyi Babalola Joseph Yai, Chair of UNESCO’s executive board, said: "UNESCO'S role is to think global governance. That is why the Organization was founded."
http://www.infowars.com/unesco-chair-admits-organization-was-founded-to-push-global-governance/
Here is a link to more articles and a video on the IB/global governance connection,
http://myinclinevillage.com/2010/09/01/is-ib-mission-to-promote-global-governance.aspx
IBO does not go out of their way to say IB is an NGO of UNESCO; in fact, some IB proponents will attempt to deny this fact.
7) At the elementary level (PYP) IB is required school wide. PYP will not improve student performance,
http://www.grandcanyonnews.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=9167
IBO states the goal of PYP is to "develop attitudes," and get the students to "take action."
http://www.ibo.org/pyp/curriculum/index.cfm
Unless you want your elementary child in a UN sponsored programme that will develop attitudes and get them to take action, but will not improve student performance, it is best to avoid a PYP school.
Since IBO and most districts do not tell parents IB is an NGO of UNESCO, many parents whose children are in IB do not know this fact. One mother had her daughter in IB for nine years and didn't know IB is a UN sponsored programme. When she discovered this fact, everything she had been going through for nine years finally made sense. Here are her comments,
http://myinclinevillage.com/2010/11/20/one-florida-mother-who-had-her-daughter-in-ib-for-years---talks-about-programme.aspx
8) According to WCSDTV; Epistemology is being taught in Wooster’s IB programme,
http://wcsdtv.blogspot.com/
9) The current trend with districts is to use IBO's great marketing materials and a few buzz words including: "critical thinker," "world citizen," and "create a better and more peaceful world through education," to RUSH IB implementation. Throughout the country IB is implemented before parents and the community understand all aspects of the programme. Sometimes superintendents and school boards vote, behind closed doors, to totally change a school and implement IB with little or no input from teachers, parents, or the community. Once IB is in place it can be very difficult to remove. IB has divided many communities around the country. The site that best covers these issues and "the other side" of IB is: www.TruthAboutIB.com
10) AP may be best for gifted students, especially if they hope to earn as much college credit for their high school classes. According to Pedro Martinez, Deputy Superintendent of Clark County School District (Las Vegas), and IB proponent, “in my old district, Chicago gifted students usually take the AP classes.”
According to Duke University, "AP for Gifted students is still a good choice."
http://www.tip.duke.edu/node/895
11) At the high school level IB can be a good fit for some students and obtaining the IB Diploma is a great accomplishment.
After hundreds (probably thousands) of hours of research on IB, I think the programme is best for average and above high school students who are willing to work very hard, and who know in advance the amount of college credit they can expect with IB.
Any parent considering the PYP should read paragraph 7 and the associated links above before enrolling their student in the programme.
PARENTS AND STUDENTS DESERVE TO KNOW ALL THE FACTS ABOUT IB PRIOR TO ENROLLMENT!
John Eppolito
john@Jtahoe.com
Former K-12 teacher
Father of four children grades 1-8