International Baccalaureate
IB Standards Development Project
International Baccalaureate (IB) has contracted the Educational Policy Improvement Center to develop IB standards in: Language A, Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay, Mathematics, and Science (Physics, Chemistry, and Biology). The IB program is a challenging, worldwide curriculum offered to students during their junior and senior years of high school. It culminates in the International Baccalaureate Diploma.
Although the curriculum is standardized, IB has never had educational standards in support of this curriculum. This is problematic because the program of study did not have comparable standards language that could be aligned to state standards. Consequently, it was difficult for IB to describe to admissions officers at U.S. universities how the IB program of study prepares IB students for college success. This is an opportunity to make colleges, universities and the K-12 community aware of IB standards and expectations. It is hoped that this work will lead to further state- and province-level endorsement for IB schools and students.
The final report has been completed and delivered to IB. It includes the newly developed IB standards and the alignment with the Knowledge and Skills for University Success (KSUS) standards, a nationally recognized set of college-ready standards endorsed by the leading research universities. Results indicate that the IB program is nearly completely aligned with what colleges and universities expect of entry-level students. The information from this project will be shared with state-level Departments of Education and colleges and universities in the U.S., Canada, and beyond.
NEW PHASE: EPIC–in consultation with IB–is now using the new IB standards for additional alignment work with educational standards in four states and one Canadian province. As part of this new phase, EPIC is developing an online alignment tool that will allow IB to carry forward the work after this initial alignment with the states and province.