Reply to IB Costs Increasing

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Reply to "IB Costs Increasing"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Wow the IB hater(s) are out in full force!  Really foaming at the mouth!
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The counties around us offer IB as an opt-in program that kids apply for while the rest of the HS takes AP. APS and LCPS both have schools that students can choose to attend for IB but all of the schools have full AP programs for everyone. If FCPS wants to keep IB, they need to offer AP at all the schools instead of putting the burden on the parents to move their kids to AP HS for the program that they want their kid in. I would guess that they don't put AP at the IB schools because the numbers of kids taking IB classes would drop even lower then it currently is.

And don't tell me that the majority of students take IB classes at the schools, I want to know what percentage are taking HL classes because those are the AP equivalents. SL classes are not the same. We are zoned for an IB school and I know plenty of kids who are taking only IB SL classes, they will not take any HL class.  The IB HL classes are not offered for most of the sciences because there is not enough interest.

FCPS cannot even hire MS Counselors who are able to provide good information to families in MS for HS classes. The IB diploma requires 5 years of foreign language but the MS Counselors actively tell families whose kids are attending IB HS that their kids don't need to take a foreign language in 8th grade. Kids are behind in the program before they even step foot in the HS. How ridiculous is that.

IB is an interesting concept that can work well if people are completing the diploma. It is an overall approach to education that is strong because of the sum of its parts. When you allow people to only take an IB class here or there, you are not utilizing the strength of the program. You can tell me all you want that you don't have to have the IB diploma for the program to be successful but that is a cop out. The program is meant to be geared towards completing the diploma. You can get something out of taking the individual classes but they are not meant to be taken as one or two classes. You don't go to a HS in Europe and get a degree without taking all of the classes. That is the IB model. AP was not built as a diploma, it was meant to be a pick and choose classes based on strengths and interest.

If FCPS is not going to promote IB for what it is and actually get kids into the diploma track then they need to ditch the program. At the very least, every HS should have AP as an option for the kids that don't want to do IB. Or the county can bus kids to the AP school near them so kids can have access to the program that is commonly accepted in the US.

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