IB

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
It seems like you are trying to obscure the facts, one of which is that, on balance, IB has failed to attract and retain significant numbers of high-achieving kids, the rationale that FCPS gave for introducing the program years ago. Yes, some students will pupil place to IB schools, and others will simply accept that it is the only advanced available program at their schools, but there is little evidence to suggest it has been a good investment for the county, and AP remains the program of choice for the overwhelming majority of the county's higher-achieving students. That is something that surely needs to be acknowledged, as the county has finite resources and AP is less expensive than IB.

Might it be related to the fact where an overwhelming majority of high school students have their neighborhood school offering AP?

Advanced Placement High Schools
Centreville
Chantilly
Fairfax
Falls Church
Hayfield
Herndon
Lake Braddock
Langley
Madison
McLean
Oakton
South County
Westfield
West Potomac
West Springfield
Woodson

International Baccalaureate High Schools
Annandale
Edison
Lee
Marshall
Mount Vernon
Robinson
South Lakes
Stuart

http://www.fcps.edu/dss/osp/StudentRegistration/student-transfer/infofiles/APandIB-list.pdf

If you start to look at Test Results numbers (the most recent I can find under School Profiles are from 2013-14), when you compare high schools, IB high schools are doing quite well in terms of IB test participation rates AND scores.

For example, comparing Falls Church (AP), Annandale (IB), and Stuart (IB):

Falls Church:
Grade 11 and 12 Membership 789
AP Participation # 358
AP Participation % 45.37%
AP Exam Tested # 361
AP Exam Tested % 45.75%
3 or Better on AP Exam # 244
3 or Better on AP Exam % 30.93%

Annandale:
Grade 11 and 12 Membership 1107
IB Participation # 551
IB Participation % 49.77%
IB Exam Tested # 389
IB Exam Tested % 35.14%
4 or Better on IB Exam # 315
4 or Better on IB Exam % 28.46%

Stuart:
Grade 11 and 12 Membership 796
IB Participation # 462
IB Participation % 58.04%
IB Exam Tested # 317
IB Exam Tested % 39.82%
4 or Better on IB Exam # 204
4 or Better on IB Exam % 25.63%