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The International Baccalaureate® Program (IB) is a transdisciplinary program of international education designed to foster the development of the whole child. It is a program of international education designed to help students develop the knowledge, understanding, attitudes and skills necessary to participate actively and responsibly in a changing world. The general objectives of the IB program are to provide students with a balanced education; to facilitate geographic and cultural mobility; to promote international understanding through shared academic experiences.

To learn more about the mission and benefits of an IB education, read "," a publication of the International Baccalaureate Organization.

JPS IB Programs

The ÐÓ°É Public School District offers the following three IB® programs:

The International Baccalaureate® Primary Years Program (IB-PYP) is designed for students aged 3 to 12. It focuses on the total growth of the developing child, touching hearts as well as minds and encompassing social, physical, emotional and cultural needs in addition to academic development. This program is offered at Barack Obama Magnet Elementary School, grades K-5.

The International Baccalaureate® Middle Years Program (IB – MYP) is designed for students aged 11 to 16. This period, encompassing early puberty and mid-adolescence, is a particularly critical phase of personal and intellectual development and requires a program that helps students participate actively and responsibly in a changing and increasingly interrelated world. Learning how to learn and how to evaluate information critically is as important as learning facts. This program is offered in grades 6-8 at Northwest ÐÓ°É, and the MYP continues, grades 9-10, at Jim Hill High School.

The International Baccalaureate® Diploma Program (IB - DP) is an internationally recognized program of studies available at Jim Hill High School to highly motivated 11th and 12th-grade students. This program provides the rigor, the structure, and the experience necessary to challenge academically talented and motivated students. The IB – DP program comprises a holistic philosophy of learning that seeks to address the intellectual, philosophical, and social development of the student. The DP program is a two-year program of study across the disciplines. Subjects are studied concurrently, and students are exposed to the two great traditions of learning: the humanities and the sciences.

Scores on IB® exams do not influence a student's grade point average (GPA)*; however, course grades for IB® receive more weight than regular course grades. In calculating high school GPAs, a "B" in an IB® course is counted as an "A," a "C" is counted as a "B," and so on. A comparison table is given below.

Students from throughout the district may apply for admission to the IB® program. Enrollment for the IB® program is based on grades, teacher recommendations, and standardized test scores.