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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]IB classes are harder to use for college credit for a series of reasons. Mainly, only IB HL classes count for college credit. Most kids will take HB SL classes. There are a certain number of IB HL classes required for the diploma, I believe that number is 3, and then the rest SL. The IB tests have to be taken in senior year to count for the diploma program. Not when kids complete the classes, but senior year. So any kid who is ahead in math has to wait at least one year to take the IB exam in math.

https://www.fcps.edu/academics/high/advanced-academics/international-baccalaureate)

The IB Career related program allows kids to take 2 IB courses and 2 career-related courses. This feels like a US based program to try and give a reason to keep IB since so few kids in the country actually complete the Diploma.

There are fewer IB class offerings then there are AP classes. I agree that AP has become ridiculous in its offerings and could easily be scaled back. AP is happy to add more classes and tests because that means more money for the program. This has been driven by parents who want their kids to have 18 AP classes, ok so an exaggeration there, to stand out for college. But the idea that kids can take different Ap Physics and Calculus classes, which reflect college availability, is a good thing.

https://www.ibo.org/programmes/diploma-programme/curriculum/individuals-and-societies/history/

There is an IB history class while there are AP US History, AP World History, AP European History, and AP African American Studies. That means there are 4 history classes that students can earn college credit in to one for IB. And again, that is only if your school offers IB HL classes.

In Science, there are 5 different AP Science options, IB offers 4 but, and this is key, many schools don't have the kids with the interest to take IB HL in science. For Math, there are 2 IB Math classes and 1 IB Computer Science class and you have to have enough kids for the HL classes. And while I think AP Precalculus is ridiculous, AP Calculus, AP Statistics, AP Computer Science you have more options.

You have kids with 3 IBHL classes, maybe, on their HS transcript for college credit, and kids with 6-10 AP classes for college credit. You tell me which one is a better option for kids attending college? AP students learn how to write, they take English classes before the AP classes, just like the IB kids, and learn how to write and think about text. They do perfectly well in college. And they can either save money by needing one year less of college or open up space for a second major or more electives that they enjoy or for studying overseas and not worrying about jamming in required classes.

I am sorry, but AP works well for more kids then IB and it helps kids reduce college expenses or allows kids more opportunities in college. DE English and History classes can meet the needs for IB English and History if parents think that is better then AP, that is an option across the county.

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It's a shame there has never been a serious effort in FCPS to look at whether the cost of IB at the eight high schools with IB exceeds the benefit.

They make a big deal out of the fact that they are conducting the first county-wide boundary review in decades, but I'd argue the need for scrutiny of IB in FCPS should have been a higher priority.  Moreover, if they concluded replacing IB with AP across the county made sense, that would increase the enrollment at certain schools and reduce the need for boundary changes.

But FCPS specializes in doing things ass-backwards these days.  [/quote]

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