The Blaine County School District is considering the addition of International Baccalaureate, a well-respected method of study that emphasizes strong critical thinking.
"This is probably one of the most important things that has come in front of the district since I became involved," said Elizabeth Schwardtle, co-president for the Hailey Parent Teacher Organization. "Right now, we are just trying to get parents informed and excited."
Public support will be necessary for this project to move forward. Parents, students, teachers and faculty are encouraged to attend a meeting on Tuesday, March 20, from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Wood River High School library.
The meeting will provide information about International Baccalaureate and will gauge public support for the endeavor.
International Baccalaureate has a strong reputation for educational excellence, by both college and high school standards. It consists of three programs: the Primary Years Program for students between the ages of three and 12, the Middle Years Program for ages 11 to 16, and the Diploma Program for ages 16 to 19.
Only 714 schools in the United States participate in baccalaureate programs, a fraction of the total number of schools in the nation. However, in Newsweek's list of the top 10 schools for 2007, six were baccalaureate-affiliated schools.
Many of the nation's top colleges take the programs very seriously, particularly the Diploma Program, which includes, in addition to rigorous class work, a series of tests, surveys and community service work. High school students who successfully complete it may have their entire freshman year of course work waved. Both Harvard University and Stanford University have accepted baccalaureate courses in lieu of their freshman-year curriculum.
Currently, 124 countries employ International Baccalaureate programs, which includes over half a million students. Roughly one in three students are in the United States. The total operating budget is around $60 million, a relatively small amount for 500,000 students when compared to the Blaine County School District's estimated $43 million budget, Schwardtle said.
The implementation of International Baccalaureate will require an estimated $300,000 investment on behalf of the district, or roughly one-quarter of 1 percent of the district's budget, Schwardtle said.
"We are always trying to improve," said Tom Bailey Hailey Elementary principal and a former International Baccalaureate teacher at Wooster High School in Reno, Nev.
"People in the community and in the school district are investigating upgrading the curriculum," Bailey said. "We're looking at the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program, the addition of more AP (advanced placement) classes and dual immersion (where students enroll in courses at college campuses concurrent with their high school course work) as well."
As far as baccalaureate classes, Bailey said the common theme that runs through all courses in the curriculum is that students must look at all sides of an issue and be able to understand why arguments are made for each. Then students are called upon to come up with their own ideas and back up their claims with facts.
"This theme is carried through all courses, including history, math, science—all of them," Bailey said. "Students engage in college level work their junior and senior years, the classes really are more demanding,"
Currently, Coeur D'Alene is the only school district in Idaho offering International Baccalaureate courses. Unlike the Blaine County School District that receives a substantial portion of its budget from property taxes, nearly $29 million, Coeur d'Alene does not benefit from this revenue stream and had to float a levy to pay for the programs, Bailey said.
Anyone who would like to learn more about International Baccalaureate should attend the meeting on Tuesday, March 20, and visit the baccalaureate Web site at www.ibo.org.
