IBNA Level 3 Workshop - IntlBaccalaureate -...

IB Americas Category 3 WorkshopProgramme Evaluation

Diploma Programme

Middle Years Programme

Primary Years Programme

Savannah, Georgia2 – 5, February, 2012

Cynthia BallheimSuzanne Geimer

[Date]© International Baccalaureate Organization 2023

Contact information for your workshop leaders:

Cynthia BallheimAP/IB CoordinatorUpper Arlington High SchoolUpper Arlington, [email protected]

Jan LotterPrincipalWheeling Elementary SchoolAurora, [email protected]

Table of contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1

WHAT SHOULD OUR IB WORLD SCHOOL KNOW AND BE ABLE TO DO? 3

Introduction to the workshop and each other 4

Review of documents applicable for all IB programmes 11

The IB programme evaluation process and forms 24

Programme evaluation submission guidelines 42

HOW WILL WE KNOW WHEN WE HAVE MET THE STANDARD? 44

How to organize the work of the self-study 45

Identifying strengths and practices in need of strengthening 55

The IB visit or self-evaluation review 65

The IB evaluation report (PYP, MYP, Diploma Programme) 71

WHAT WILL WE DO IF WE DO (OR DO NOT) REACH OUR GOALS? 80

Determining next steps for your programme’s further development 81

Sample Summaries from Standard C2 (collaborative planning) 2005 83

Sample Summaries from Standard C4 (assessment) 2005 87

Sample Summaries from Standard A2 (international-mindedness) 2005 91

Required schoolwide policies for IB World Schools 95

WORKBOOK EXTRAS 101

Ideas from research and experience in school change and school improvement 102

CORE DOCUMENTS 111

IB rules and regulations for authorized schools 112

IB programme standards and practices 124

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Programme evaluation in the 2011 coordinators’ handbooks 136

List of primary and secondary core documents 142

Bibliography of resources 143

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What should our IB World School know and be able to do?

Day One (three sessions)

Session one topics: Organization of workbook Workshop aims and objectives Ground rules for discussion Starting with what you know: comparison of authorization and evaluation

processes Introductions of presenters and participants

o Name, school, school location, programme, experience with programme, & burning question for the workshop

Seasonal partners 4-square evaluations What is my role in the evaluation process?

Session two topics: Common elements within the continuum of IB programmes Review of documents applicable for all IB programmes: rules for

authorized schools and general regulations; IB learner profile; IB programme standards and practices

o What is it?o Why does it exist?o Why is it important to schools?

Review participants’ questions, confirmations and surprises

Session three topics: Who is the audience for your programme evaluation Overview of the programme evaluation forms and published guidelines Checklist and rubric for completing the programme evaluation self-study Supporting resources on the OCC How programme evaluation “action plan” compares to school

authorization and other planning processes Submission guidelines from IB Americas

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Programme Evaluation Workshop: Day 1

Introduction to the workshop and each other

Workshop purpose, aims and objectives

The overall purpose of workshops in category 3 is to provide a forum for experienced educators to build on and enhance their professional development portfolios. Participants will engage in-depth investigation into specific areas of interest and expertise.

IBA category 3 workshop goals Provide a forum for exploring educational ideas and areas of interest Provide opportunities for investigation into specific areas of expertise

IBA category 3 workshop objectives Participants will engage in detailed discussion around topics such as:

o Learning theoryo Pedagogyo Assessmento Other scholarly interests

Participants will engage in detailed discussion around topics such as:o Subject specific seminars (i.e. changes to the IB curriculum)o Subject specific contento Administrative leadershipo Pedagogical leadership

Programme evaluation workshop purposeTo provide participants with a firm understanding of completing the process of programme evaluation and its required documents.

Aims/Objectives: Understand the purpose of IB’s programme evaluation. Learn how to organize and plan the IB programme evaluation. Learn how to complete the IB programme evaluation forms. Develop a firm knowledge of the IB programme standards and practices. Reflect on the connections between the three programs and their common

elements. Understand how the IB’s programme evaluation compares to authorization and

other school evaluations. Evaluate how well schools current practices meet the IB programme standards. Learn how to use the results of the IB programme evaluation to improve school

practices.

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Programme evaluation workshop aims and objectives (PYP style)What is our purpose?a) Central idea: Schools can improve through self-evaluation.b) An inquiry into: Completing the programme evaluation process and its required documents.

The IB programme standards and practices, self-evaluation forms, and other documents common to the three programmes (What is it like?)

The purpose of the IB programme evaluation (Why is it like this?) How to complete the IB programme self-evaluation forms (What is our

responsibility?) The IB evaluation report and site visit (What is it like?) Similarities and differences to authorization and other school evaluations (How

is it connected to other things?) How schools can use the IB standards and evaluation results throughout the

whole school (How do we know?)

Additional “burning questions”?

What I really want to know is . . ..

1)

2)

3)

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Starting with what you know: application and evaluation processes

APPLICATION EVALUATIONPURPOSE: Outline issues that need to be addressed for a school in order to implement the program.

PURPOSE: Provides a basis for the further development of a dynamic program.

PROCESS: Timetable Consideration Phase Candidate Phase (with trial

implementation for MYP & PYP) School Visit (i.e., verification visit) Authorization Report

PROCESS: Timetable Self Study School Visit (MYP & PYP for

sure and possibly DP) Evaluation Report

WHAT: Ensure that the standards and practices of the programmes will be maintained.Sections in which to present school information:

School Information Philosophy Organization Curriculum Supporting documents Charts (including action plan)

Sections in which to present school information:

School Presentation Philosophy Organization Curriculum Student (2005 only) Conclusions Supporting documents Charts (including action plan)

HOW:Forms are completed electronically.Documents are uploaded to IB Document Administration site.A list of supporting documents is provided.WHEN:Before authorization

WHEN:PYP – during year 4 of implementation following initial authorizationMYP & DP – during year 5 following initial authorization

After the initial Programme Evaluation, subsequent evaluations occur every 5 years. A timetable for Diploma Programme schools in the Americas can be found on the IB Americas web pages.

Remember: programme evaluation is not reauthorization.Based on your experience with IB authorization or evaluation or similar self-study, make a prediction of what might be the most challenging element of IB programme evaluation.

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Seasonal Partners

Make an appointment with 4 different people – one for each season of the year. Be sure you both record the appointment on your page. Only make the appointment if there is an open slot at that season on both of your calendars.

Spring: Summer:Same role in school/district Different IB programme

________________________ ________________________

Fall: Winter:Different location Same amount of IB experience

________________________ ________________________

Source: Robert Garmston and Bruce Wellman. (1999) The Adaptive School: A Sourcebook for Developing Collaborative Groups. Christopher-Gordon Publishers

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Thought/Ideas Concerns

Feelings Questions

Four square evaluation: please complete one of the above every day to provide the presenters with your formative feedback.

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Suggested group norms for the workshop

All suggested ground rules or group norms should support this overarching principle:

“Do not prevent yourself or others from participating or learning during the workshop sessions.”

The workshop leaders and participants agree to . . .

1) Start and end on time.

2) Remember my school’s particular experience may be different from all other IB World Schools.

3) Express disagreement with ideas, not individuals.

4) Listen respectfully to all ideas.

5) Avoid interrupting others when they are speaking.

6) Conduct personal business (e.g., phone calls, e-mails, health and beauty) outside of the meeting room.

7) Pay attention to “air time” yours and everyone else’s so all are heard.

8)

Establishing group norms is good idea for any group that is coming together for the purpose of discussion and planning. You may want to use the group norms provided above as the start of a list for your own programme evaluation planning

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What is my role in programme evaluation?

Everyone has a role to play in their school’s IB programme evaluation. You may be actively involved in the process or may simply be an observer. Since you are at this workshop you will likely be more than just an observer. Your school and your programme evaluation planning will benefit if you meet with people who may be involved with your programme evaluation (teachers, administrators, support staff, students, parents) to clarify roles and expectations.

My role is . . .

Add your thoughts to what participants have said in the past:District’s role

Link schools with what is needed to maintain the standards To be available to lobby for staff, training, etc. to the “enablers” in the

district who can help produce the needed resources Help everyone be “accountable” for doing what they said they were

going to do in the implementation of a programme

Administrator’s role Support the programme coordinator Provide a schedule allowing for collaboration Be good communicators

Coordinator’s role Archivists Initiators of tasks to do To be a guide but not an enforcer

Teacher’s or other’s role Being reflective of their teaching in light of the programme Being a direct connection to the families of students To support the programme coordinator

Everyone’s role (not just the principal or coordinator): Make sure the self-study is done correctly (i.e., that the documents are

correctly completed and that they match the reality of your school) Reflect and contribute thoughtfully during the self-study Communicate with others about the self-study process

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Review of documents applicable for all IB programmes

Towards a continuum of international education

The new IB publication Towards a continuum of international education (2008) provides an introduction to the three IB programmes, the similarities in their approaches, and the unique features of each programme.

Its division into sections provides insight into the areas of overlap.

A. Introduction

B. The three programmes

C. Implementing the continuum

D. Programme structures

E. Teaching and learning

F. Assessment

G. Leading the development of the continuum: pedagogic leadership

H. The language continuum

I. Special education needs

J. Action, community and service, and CAS

K. The culminating experience

L. Programme evaluation

M. Bibliography

The publication summarizes the common elements and the differences between the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the Diploma Programme (DP) and provides some practical guidance as to how schools can implement the IB continuum of international education effectively in order to develop a coherent, meaningful educational pathway for students.

Excerpts on the following pages are taken from the document.

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(Towards a continuum of international education published September 2008, page 8)

Programme structuresWhile there are significant differences in the structures of the PYP, MYP and DP, there are also key principles that connect them.

In all three programmes, the student is at the centre of the curriculum, as expressed through the IB learner profile.

While each academic discipline has its own methodology, body of knowledge and nuances, students learn better when meaningful connections are made between the disciplines.

There is a gradual transition from the transdisciplinary approach of the PYP to specifically identified disciplines in the MYP and DP, supported by approaches that foster connections.

PYP MYP DPProgramme of inquiry, including scope and sequence documents for six subject areas

Eight subject areas with aims and objectives and assessment criteria

Six groups of subjects with detailed syllabus and assessment guides

Teaching through six transdisciplinary themes

Teaching through eight subject areas connected through five areas of interaction

Teaching through six subject groups connected by theory of knowledge

Units of inquiry within each transdisciplinary theme, incorporating the learning of language, mathematics, social studies, science, the arts and personal, social and physical education

Units of work in each subject area, with some interdisciplinary units of work, focused on the areas of interaction

Course outlines for each subject including theory of knowledge, extended essay and creativity, action, service

Scope and sequence documents for:LanguageSocial studiesScienceMathematicsDramaMusicPhysical educationPersonal and social education

Subject guides in:Language ALanguage BHumanitiesSciencesMathematicsArtsPhysical educationTechnology

Subject guides in:Language A1Second languageIndividuals and societiesExperimental sciencesMathematics and computer scienceThe arts

Prescribed planner to support inquiry

Recommended planner for units of work

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(Towards a continuum of international education published September 2008, pages 39-40)

Programme evaluation

Programme evaluation in the PYP, the MYP and the DP is both a requirement of and a service provided by the IB for all IB World Schools. The main purposes of programme evaluation are:

to assess the implementation of the programmes in each school to assist the school in developing and maintaining dynamic programmes that reflect

the philosophy and the programme standards and practices of the IB.

Programme evaluation is not a re-authorization of the school (Ed: emphasis added). It allows the regional office to work closely with the school in its ongoing development of the programmes; it is also an opportunity for the IB to ensure on a regular basis that the standards and practices of the programmes are being maintained.

The three IB programmes are not static systems. They are essentially evolutionary, requiring adjustment and development in the light of experience. The IB supports schools in all stages of development of the PYP, the MYP and the DP by providing documentation, information seminars and professional development events. For the PYP and the MYP, there are organized visits by IB staff and/or nominated, experienced practitioners.

Programme evaluation does not seek to appraise or assess individual teachers or students. It will be successful in achieving its aims only if a multiplicity of stakeholders is included: teachers, programme coordinators, administrators, students, parents, board members.

Programme evaluation occurs between three and five years after official authorization to offer the programme, and every five years thereafter. It involves three important stages.

The self-study (PYP, MYP and DP)The important process of self-study, guided by a questionnaire, involves the whole school in its own assessment of its delivery of the programmes. The responses to the self-study should be the outcomes of discussions and of reflections on the evidence gathered in the process. For the PYP and the MYP, the self-study precedes and contributes to the programme evaluation visit.

There is no mandatory on-site evaluation visit for the DP, but in addition to the self-study, where necessary, the regional office may seek further information or organize a visit.

The school visit (PYP and MYP, DP possible)The programme evaluation visit is mandatory for all IB World Schools that offer the PYP and/or the MYP. It ensures the quality of programmes, while offering feedback to each school. The programme evaluation visit aims to be diagnostic and constructively critical, and is intended to:

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support the school’s self-evaluation processes inform the school’s curriculum development activities assist effective management and allocation of resources.

The evaluation report (PYP, MYP and DP)The regional office will respond formally to the school—upon receipt of the completed self-study questionnaire in the case of the DP, and after the programme evaluation visit for the PYP and the MYP—with commendations, recommendations and, where appropriate, matters to be addressed by the school.

Evaluation of the programme continuumSchools that offer more than one consecutive IB programme may request a cross-programme evaluation. This would mean all programmes in the school, including the DP, undertaking the process of self-study, completing the Programme evaluation self-study questionnaire and receiving a joint evaluation visit simultaneously. Schools may choose to opt for this process as a means of reflecting on whole-school development, and planning for whole-school improvement. Each programme will be as carefully and thoroughly evaluated as it would be under a single programme evaluation and the teams will also address the articulation of the programmes. This process is not available for schools that offer only the PYP and the DP.

For a cross-programme evaluation the guiding principles remain the same as for the single programme evaluations, except that the DP will also receive a visit.

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The IB Learner Profile

The aim of all IB programmes is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world.

IB learners strive to be:

Inquirers They develop their natural curiosity. They acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research and show independence in learning. They actively enjoy learning and this love of learning will be sustained throughout their lives.

Knowledgeable They explore concepts, ideas and issues that have local and global significance. In so doing, they acquire in-depth knowledge and develop understanding across a broad and balanced range of disciplines.

Thinkers They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions.

Communicators They understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes of communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others.

Principled They act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups and communities. They take responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompany them.

Open-minded They understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories, and are open to the perspectives, values and traditions of other individuals and communities. They are accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view, and are willing to grow from the experience.

Caring They show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. They have a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment.

Risk-takers They approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs.

Balanced They understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others.

Reflective They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development.

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IB learner profile for school leaders

Since it was published and made applicable to all IB programmes, the IB learner profile has be used and made applicable to many situations. This abridged table of learner profile attributes, responsibilities and indicators for school leaders is taken from The Diploma Programme: from principles to practice (2009).

Attributes Responsibilities IndicatorsInquirers Pedagogical leadership

Demonstrate lifelong learningPassionate about research into effective schooling, teaching and learning, management of changeConstantly evaluating with a view to improving practice

Knowledgeable Understand IB principles and practicesUnderstand cultural and local contexts

Understands local context as well as being globally aware and concerned

Thinkers Enhance the collective intelligence of the organization Backs up decisions with clear, reasoned evidence of how conclusions were reachedThinks creatively

Communicators TransparencyCollaboration

All agendas are openDecision-making is collaborativeCommunicates in several languages

Principled Accept responsibility for their actions and do not blame others

Decisions are based on ethical groundsLeadership is based on integrity, honesty, fairness and compassion

Open-minded Value the perspectives of others that might be different from their own

Encourages an open, critical debate of issuesReacts positively to criticism from others

Caring Sensitive to school climateCompassionate behaviourSupport staff development

Good of the school comes before self-interestModels ethical behaviourSupportive of staff as well as students

Risk-takers Visionary leadershipPrepared to delegate leadership to othersCourageous

Open to new and different ideas to improve the quality of the programme and the learning environment

Balanced Development of the whole child emphasizedSupport Diploma Programme core

Looks for evidence of growth and development in all areas of school life

Reflective Constructively self-criticalStriving to improve

Encourages and facilitates evaluative feedback from the whole school community (students, teachers, as well as board)

Question for the workshop If you created a table of attributes, responsibilities and indicators for programme evaluation what would it look like?

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Programme Evaluation Workshop: Core Documents

Programme standards, practices, rules and regulations

All IB World Schools are joined through the pursuit of the IB’s mission.

The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.

These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

The IB Programme standards and practices are the sign posts by which both schools and the IB know that an individual programme is on the right path. A school’s programme(s) should be organized around individual practices that provide evidence the standards are being upheld. The entire school community is the intended audience for the standards and practices.

The IB Rules for authorized schools set forth the responsibilities of the IB and the responsibilities of schools and is a legal agreement that is in force upon a school’s application to the IB. Each programme has separate, albeit similar, rules for authorization. Differences in the rules for each programme occur in the reference to programme-specific responsibilities and documents. For example, the Diploma Programme rules have an additional article regarding university recognition that does not pertain to the other programmes. The intended audience for the programme rules is the school administration and governing body.

The IB General Regulations for each programme are another legal agreement between the IB and schools specific to the requirements of a programme. The regulations outline the IB’s, schools’ and students’ responsibilities in delivering and completing programme requirements. The PYP regulations are the shortest and the DP regulations are the longest. Each school should be well familiar with its own programme(s) regulations. The intended audience for the general regulations is parents / guardians, students, and the school community.

The programme standards, practices and excerpts from the rules and regulations are located in the back of the workbook in the section entitled: Core Documents.

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Sample parent signature form for general rules and regulations

Rules for authorized schools and General regulations (16/05/2007 from OCC)

New versions of the Rules for authorized schools and General regulations documents are due to be published in August 2007.

In May 2006, the International Baccalaureate Organization (IB Organization) published revised Rules for authorized schools and revised General regulations documents for the Diploma Programme. It also published, for the first time, Rules for authorized schools and General regulations documents for both the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Middle Years Programme (MYP).

The Rules for authorized schools documents set out the relationship between the IB Organization and IB World Schools. The General regulations documents define the relationship between the IB Organization and its students, together with their legal guardians.

Further to the letter of 31 January 2007 from the director general to all heads of schools, we would like to take this opportunity to remind all schools that when students enroll in the Diploma Programme or enter the PYP or MYP, schools have a duty to supply all legal guardians with a copy of the relevant General regulations document. This is important because it is a means of better ensuring that students and legal guardians are informed of the conditions governing the students’ participation in the programme and of the separate role of the IB Organization. It also helps to prevent misunderstandings.

In May 2006, the IB Organization asked schools to ensure that legal guardians sign to say they had received and accepted the General regulations document. From 2007, with the publication of a revised set of documents, a signature will no longer be required. The IB Organization will monitor compliance with the above requirement as part of the initial authorization of a school and during subsequent periodic evaluations.

New versions of the Rules for authorized schools and General regulations documents are due to be published in August 2007. They will come into force as follows.

1 September 2007

Diploma Programme (May session schools): all students enrolling in the Diploma Programme from August/September 2007

MYP (June session schools): all students

PYP (school year beginning in August/September): all students

1 January 2008

Diploma Programme (November session schools): all students enrolling in the Diploma Programme from January/February 2008

MYP (December session schools): all students

PYP (school year beginning in January/February): all students

If you have any queries about any of these documents, please contact your regional office.

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My signature below indicates that I have received, read, understood and accepted the general guidelines.

I have also noted and understand the rules on copyright relating to students’ materials submitted to IB as provided under article 3 of the general guidelines.

___________________________________name of student

___________________________________signature

___________________________________signature of parent/guardian

___________________________date

Please return to Cynthia Ballheim by October 19th, 2006

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IB programme standards and practices

The IB’s programme evaluation is focused on identifying an individual school’s programme strengths and areas that need to be strengthened based upon the programme standards. For your reference the new seven programme standards are listed below.

Activity: With your partner or group write down two current practices or pieces of evidence your school(s) has that demonstrate support for each of the IB programme standards.

Reflecting upon your answers, what are some of the relative strengths at your school? What are areas that need strengthening?

PhilosophyStandard A:The school’s educational beliefs and values reflect IB philosophy.

OrganizationStandard B1: Leadership and structure:The school’s leadership and administrative structures ensure the implementation of the IB programme(s).

Standard B2: Resources and supportThe school’s resources and support structures ensure the implementation of the IB programme(s).

CurriculumStandard C1 Collaborative planningCollaborative planning and reflection supports the implementation of the IB programme(s).

Standard C2: Written curriculumThe school’s written curriculum reflects IB philosophy.

Standard C3 Teaching and learningTeaching and learning reflects IB philosophy.

Standard C4 AssessmentAssessment at the school reflects IB assessment philosophy.

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IB vocabulary from the programme evaluation and standards

A glossary was included at the end of the IB programme standards and practices (2010) document to provide specific definitions for key terms used in the document. The glossary may come in handy for you and your team as you determine levels / degrees of implementation for each of the programme practices during your self-study. Read through the definitions below to see which ones surprise you or which ones may take more time for you to explain to your colleagues or school community members.

Concurrency of learning A principle promoted in the Middle Years Programme and the Diploma Programme. Students deal with a balanced curriculum each year in which the required subjects are studied simultaneously.

Curriculum All aspects of the teaching and learning process for students in the programme, namely its design, implementation, assessment and review.

Evidence The observation or documentation that verifies a practice. It demonstrates that a practice is in place at the school.

Governing body The duly constituted individual or group that has the ultimate legal authority to make decisions on behalf of the school.

Head of school (director/principal in some systems) The person who leads and supervises the daily operations of the school, ensuring that the policies of the governing body are put into practice.

IB philosophy The IB’s set of beliefs and values that guides the development and delivery of its educational programmes. It is reflected in the mission statement, the IB learner profile and the programme-specific documents that describe and explain each individual programme (for example, Making the PYP happen: A curriculum framework for international primary education (January 2007), MYP: From principles into practice (August 2008), The Diploma Programme: From principles into practice) (April 2009).

IB-recognized professional development Activities listed on the IB events calendar on the IB public website (http://www.ibo.org) or in-school professional development activities organized by the relevant IB office.

Language learning A generic term in this document that may or may not include the ideas of language development and acquisition, depending on context.

Pedagogical leadership The effective management of resources, systems or structures to ensure that teaching and learning at the school addresses the overarching mission of the school and the IB programme standards; or those responsible for its management.

Practices Further definitions of standards. Implementing a practice will result in an outcome that can be identified with evidence. Practices will be implemented to varying degrees over time as a result of the growth and development of an IB programme at the school.

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Programme(s) The three educational programmes offered by the IB (the Primary Years Programme, the Middle Years Programme and the Diploma Programme). A school may have authorization to offer one or more.

Programme requirements These provide programme-specific detail on some common practices. Both the requirements and practices are necessary for the successful implementation of the respective IB programme.

Resources This can include people, time, materials and money.

School community All stakeholders of the school—students, parents, school staff, school managers and the governing body. The IB anticipates its educational programme(s) will have a positive influence upon the entire school community.

Staff All school personnel involved in the programme(s), including those with managerial roles, those with academic roles (teachers/faculty) and those with support roles.

Standards The general requisites established for schools to implement any IB programme. They indicate what schools must have in place to implement the Primary Years Programme, the Middle Years Programme and the Diploma Programme. The standards must be met at the point of authorization and at each programme evaluation. Programme standards are what schools demonstrate in order to maintain authorization; they can be reached by implementing the practices identified for each standard.

Teaching hours The number of clock hours of contact time with students.

The school A holistic term referring to the entity established for implementing the programme(s), the decision makers and its stakeholders.

Written curriculum The documentation identifying in detail what is to be taught, such as planners, units, outlines, lesson plans and syllabuses.

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Programme standards and practices 2005 and 2010: What was lost. What was gained.

The IB programme standards and practices were revised to “streamline and reorganize for more effective application”. Key standards and practices were retained and edited for greater concision and less redundancy. Programme specific requirements are included for each programme to help clarify what schools must do or have in place at the time of authorization and what schools and the IB will be reviewing for the IB programme evaluations and school self-study.

Section A: Philosophy

There is one standard in A in the 2010 version. This was consolidated from the 33 practices in standards A1 and A2 in the 2005 version. It was considered that the perspective of international mindedness is embedded in the philosophy of the three programmes as well as other philosophical perspectives and a separate standard is not needed.

Standard B: Organization

There are two standards in B in the 2010 version reflecting the main areas of school organization. These standards categorize and consolidate the 31 practices from the 2005 version.

B1: Leadership and structureB2: Resources and support

Standard C: Curriculum

This standard maintains the 4 standards in the 2005 version and consolidates the practices. Even though they are similar to the current ones, the order reflects better the cycle of curriculum design in a school.

C1: Collaborative planning. This is a standard that has been strengthened to support the implementation of all programmes and has been identified as the first standard in this section.C2: Written curriculumC3: Teaching and learningC4: Assessment

Standards D1 and 2: The studentThese two standards from the 2005 version have been integrated and threaded throughout Standards A, B and C in the 2010 version as the whole document has the student as its focus.

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The IB programme evaluation process and forms

Who is the audience for your programme evaluation?

Okay, okay, I understand that programme evaluation is not re-authorization. Then, why am I doing all of this work? Who is it really for? Who really cares?

Activity: Consider the following audiences from your school. What do they want to know about your programme? Write a concise statement about what should they learn if anything from your programme evaluation?

The IB What they really want to know is . . .

The school’s boardWhat they really want to know is . . .

The school’s administrationWhat they really want to know is . . .

The school’s programme coordinatorWhat they really want to know is . . .

The school’s teachersWhat they really want to know is . . .

The school’s support staffWhat they really want to know is . . .

The school’s parentsWhat they really want to know is . . .

The school’s studentsWhat they really want to know is . . .

The school’s community membersWhat they really want to know is . . .

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Outline of the self-study questionnaires (2010)

The IB programme evaluation self-study questionnaire that you submit will follow the general outline below. The electronic version of each programme’s Evaluation guide and self-study questions template can be accessed on the IB Americas site at: http://www.ibo.org/iba/schools/

School presentation

1. General information (name, school type, number of students, etc.)2. Questions about the school and community and changes since prior authorization or

evaluationSection A: philosophy

Names of individuals that participated in review of this section. Questions related to school philosophy and perception of parents and students Standard and practice implementation rating for each standard Conclusions for each standard (achievements, progress on prior recommendations,

practices in need of further development or improvement)Section B: organization

Names of individuals that participated in review of each standard. Questions related to organization, policies, participation and resources Standard and practice implementation rating for each standard Conclusions for each standard (achievements, progress on prior recommendations,

practices in need of further development or improvement)Section C: curriculum

Names of individuals that participated in review of this section.* Standard and practice implementation rating for each standard Question about practice(s) that produced more diverse answers in the group for each

standard. Conclusions for each standard (achievements, progress on prior recommendations,

practices in need of further development or improvement)*See directions in document regarding how MYP and DP complete subject specific and summary versions

Conclusions

Signatures Additional supporting documentation

Programme specific charts

PYP has 5 charts, MYP has 6 charts, and DP has 7 charts Last chart for each programme is the school’s action plan organized by standard.

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Supporting documentation crosswalk

The table below provides an overview of the additional documents schools are required to submit along with the self-study questionnaire. The complete programme evaluation is a combination of the self-study questionnaire and the documents required for each programme as indicated below.

In the table of required supporting documents below you can mark whether or not your school has this document (and where it is located) or if your school will need to create this document. In some cases, you may need to create the document from scratch. In other cases, your school will have ample copies of the required documentation.

Additional required documents PYP MYP DP Have (where)

Create

School PresentationA description of the self-study process implemented in the school, including

timeline means used to gather feedback from the

different stakeholders meeting schedule for the self study the school-developed descriptors for

assessing the practices

X X X

Section A: philosophySchool brochure that includes information about the implementation of the programme. X X

School brochure and promotional literature produced by the school concerning the implementation of the MYP and information about the school’s MYP curriculum.

X

Section B: organizationSchool organization chart showing the programme’s pedagogical leadership team situation (including the programme coordinator) and reporting lines

X X X

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Create

Job description of the programme coordinator, including all additional responsibilities besides the programme coordination. Indicate the percentage of the coordinator’s weekly schedule that is devoted to complying with the coordination responsibilities.

X X

Not required

but might as

well

Job description of the primary school principal X

Language policy X X X

Assessment policy X X X

Academic honesty policy X X

Special education needs policy X X X

Sample class schedules (include one per year/grade level)* X

Full MYP class schedules. Include one per MYP year, with clear identification of subjects and duration of class periods. X

Sample of student’s schedule for year 1 and year 2 of the Diploma Programme. If the school offers different combinations of subjects, include more samples of students’ schedules showing those options. (Identify the Diploma Programme subjects with their IB name and include other subjects that the student will take according to other requirements, if applicable.)*

X

Calendar of school deadlines for student submission of internal and external assessment components: it is expected to reflect different dates from the IB deadlines as they are for internal use of teachers and students.

X

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Create

Description of the process of the supervision of extended essays that includes timelines, how students choose their extended essay supervisors and how many students each supervisor is normally responsible for.

X

For partnerships only: Description of the structures and meetings that have been created/implemented across the partner schools and across all years of the programme to ensure thecontinuity of the curriculum and the consolidation of the MYP as one programme across the schools.

X

Section C: curriculumPYP programme of inquiry X

Three completed unit planners (stages 1–9) for each year/grade level X

Examples of school reports to parents from three different grade levels X

A description of how the exhibition is organized and managed in the school, to include:

the structure in place to ensure coordination of the exhibition

a description of how students and mentors are briefed

the process for assessment a description of the previous year’s

exhibition, indicating the type of projects involved

X

Subject-specific vertical planner for each subject. This should:

demonstrate how the school has aligned the subject content with the MYP objectives

identify the content that is taught in each year of the programme in order to meet the MYP objectives (approximately two pages per subject).

X

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Create

Student learning expectations for each area of interaction to show progression through the MYP years X

Horizontal planning of approaches to learning (ATL) X

One unit of work for each subject according to the MYP unit planning process, preferably from different year levels X

One unit of work derived from interdisciplinary planning X

Report card formats used by the school X

A description of how the personal project is organized and managed in the school, including:

the structures in place to ensure coordination of the project

a description of how students and supervisors are briefed

the process for standardization of assessment

the time line for completion of the personal project

a list of the current or previous year’s personal projects, indicating the type of projects involved.

X

MYP Schools NB:For schools not requesting moderation of assessment and validation of grades by the IB: Samples of assessed student work in at least one subject for each subject group and the personal project, organized according to the guidelines provided in the MYP coordinator’s handbook, should have been submitted to IBCA within the last two years, and at least eight months before the visit.

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Documentation to be available at the school at the time of the evaluation visit

PYP MYP DP Have (where)

Create

Samples of work completed by students (this should be student work that indicates the process of/progress in learning, includes teacher feedback and student reflection and self assessment, and reflects learning within and outside of the transdisciplinary programme)

X

A current version of the school’s programme of inquiry X

Updated and newly developed planners for all transdisciplinary units of inquiry for each year/grade level, including planners for the current unit of inquiry at each year/grade level

X

Unit planners for each year/grade level from outside of the programme of inquiry X

Subject-specific scope and sequence documents X

Samples of completed report cards from each year/grade level X

Any policies/essential agreements regarding the implementation of the programme the school may have adopted or developed, if appropriate

X

Samples of exhibition portfolios (four samples is sufficient) X

Samples of student-assessed work covering the MYP criteria for each subject, preferably fromdifferent year levels (four samples per subject should normally be sufficient)

X

Further samples of unit plans for each subject from different year levels (three samples per subject is sufficient) X

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Documentation to be available at the school at the time of the evaluation visit

PYP MYP DP Have (where)

Create

Samples of developmental workbooks for the arts (four samples that include different years of the programme is sufficient) X

Samples of student reflection on service involvement (four samples that include different years of the programme is sufficient) X

Samples of personal projects, if applicable (four samples is sufficient) X

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Summary of the programme evaluation procedures for the PYP and the MYP

The table below is copied from the Guide to programme evaluation (2005). The new guides do not contain a similar table but the timelines for PYP and MYP schools are the same generally speaking.

Who Action Time1. Regional office notifies the school of the

forthcoming visit and how to access the Programme evaluation self-study questionnaire*

at least 12 months before the programme evaluation visit

2. School (MYP only) submits samples of student work for moderation or monitoring of assessment

no earlier than 2 years but no later than 8 months before the visit

3. Regional office submits the names of the evaluators to the school

3 months before the visit

4. School submits the required number of copies of the self-study questionnaire and supporting documentation to the regional office, in the required format


5. School proposes a draft agenda for the visit


6. School finalizes the agenda 1 month before the visit7. Liaison between the regional office and the school

PROGRAMME EVALUATION VISIT

8. IB evaluators send the first draft of the evaluation report to the regional office

1 month after the visit

9. Regional director sends the final evaluation report to the head of school, with a list of the commendations, recommendation and matters to be addressed, if relevant

2½ months after the visit

10. School sends an action plan to the regional office on the recommendations and matters to be addressed, if relevant

as specified in the programme evaluation report

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Summary of the programme evaluation procedures for the Diploma Programme

The table below is copied from the Guide to programme evaluation (2005). The new guides do not contain a similar table but the timelines for DP schools are the same generally speaking.

Who Action Time1. Regional office notifies the school of the

forthcoming programme evaluation and how to access the Programme evaluation self-study questionnaire*

at least 10–12 months before the submission of the Programme evaluation self-study questionnaire

2. Regional office provides a summary table of the numbers of diploma students and their examination results for the last 5 years

at least 10 months before the submission of the Programme evaluation self-study questionnaire

3. School submits the required number of copies of the self-study questionnaire and supporting documentation to the regional office, in the required format

at least 10–12 months after notification of evaluation

4. IB evaluators send the evaluation report to the regional office

approximately 2 months after the school’s submission of the Programme evaluation self-study questionnaire

5. Regional director sends the final report to the head of school, with a list of the commendations, recommendations and matters to be addressed, if relevant

approximately 3 months after the school’s submission of the Programme evaluation self-study questionnaire

6. School sends an action plan to the regional office on the recommendations and matters to be addressed, if relevant

as specified in the programme evaluation report

FROM DECEMBER 2010 ONWARDS: POSSIBLE SCHOOL VISIT

Once the school has submitted the self-study questionnaire and its supporting documents, an IB visiting team may conduct a visit to the school.

The IB reserves the right to visit a school, at the school’s expense, as part of the evaluation process. The school will be given sufficient time to organize such a visit.

The purpose of the visit is to verify the school’s assessment of its implementation of the programme in order to ensure that the standards and practices on which the IB programme is founded are maintained and furthered.

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A sample checklist for completing the programme evaluation self-study

This checklist was created in response to requests for a comprehensive “how-to” process for programme evaluation. It is a tool that may help you organize and make sense of the programme evaluation process. The actual process at your school may have fewer or more steps. Schools need to adopt a process that fits their own culture and timeline.

Order Item With whom? By when? Done?Receive notification of programme evaluation(10 – 12 months in advance of report due date or visit)Collect programme evaluation documents for your programme specific Programme evaluation guide and self-study questionnaire (2010) from IB web site or OCCReview the programme evaluation requirementsIdentify how partner schools will complete the programme evaluation self-study (if applicable)Inform staff of programme evaluation Form a programme evaluation teamIdentify programme evaluation team roles and responsibilities based on requirements and required documentationCreate a timeline for completion of the programme evaluationDecide on the support that the team members will receive in order to carry out the programme evaluation activities (financial resources, clerical/technical support, and so on).

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Order Item With whom? By when? Done?Review previous programme evaluation and report or authorization visit reportReview IB action plan from initial authorization or previous programme evaluationSubmit samples of student work for moderation or monitoring of assessment (MYP only at least 8 months prior to visit but no earlier than 2 years)Come to agreement on descriptors for degrees / levels of implementation for the practices in sections A, B and C.Make preliminary “hunches” of programme strengths and areas that need to be strengthenedCollect data / evidence for each programme standard with an eye on completing the self-study appendices or charts and collecting the required supporting documents (surveys, brochures, focus groups, interviews, classroom observations, assessment data, school budget, school bell schedule, meeting minutes, teacher professional development plans, student handbooks, etc.)Review data for each standard and compare against “hunches” to identify strengths and weaknessesComplete the self-study questionnaire degrees / levels of implementation for the practices in sections A & B

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Order Item With whom? By when? Done?Subject specific groups complete the self-study questionnaire degrees / levels of implementation for the practices in section C (MYP and DP only)Complete the self-study questionnaire degrees / levels of implementation for the practices in section CShare findings with larger group

Revisit findings after sharing with larger group to collect more evidence (if needed)Celebrate achievements

Complete school presentation section of self-study questionnaireComplete the questions, tables summary ratings and conclusions for standard(s) in section A: philosophyComplete the questions, tables summary ratings and conclusions for standard(s) in section B: organization Complete the questions, tables summary ratings and conclusions for standard(s) in section C: curriculumIndividual subject areas complete the questions, tables summary ratings and conclusions for standard(s) in section C: curriculum (MYP and DP only)Review the conclusions for sections A, B, C

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Order Item With whom? By when? Done?Complete all charts using data collected from previous findings (DP only: CAS Review is now a chart, #6, and part of the programme evaluation review)Complete action plan in the required IB template using objectives drawn from the conclusions of the self-study; it is the last chart of the template for each programCelebrate achievements

Collect all required supporting documentation for the self-study and put into electronic formReview the submission guidelines from the regional officeOrganize all documents electronically and give them obvious filenames.Upload all of the documents, including the self-study questionnaire and additional documents, to the IB document administration site (www.ib.ecampuspro.com) by the deadline, which is at least 2 months before visit for PYP and MYP schoolsCelebrate achievements

Propose a visit agenda to site visit team lead (PYP and MYP only - 2 months prior to visit)Finalize visit agenda (PYP and MYP only – 1 month prior to visit)Complete visit (PYP and MYP only)Celebrate achievements

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Order Item With whom? By when? Done?Wait for report and implement action plan to continue strengths and address areas of weaknessWork with regional office to organize an evaluation visit AFTER submission of the school’s self-study but PRIOR to the receipt of a report from the IB regional office (DP only)Submit required documents and action plan based on matters to be address in report (if needed)Celebrate achievements

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A suggested rubric for completing the programme evaluation self-studyCompleting the IB programme evaluation self-study will take time, patience and planning on the part of a number of school staff members. One of the required elements of the self-study guide, in the school presentation section, is “a description of the timeline and the process for completing the self-study questionnaire from the head of school, including how parents/students/teachers were involved.” Below you will find a suggested rubric for assessing your own process.

Poor Better Good BestWHO Alone or without

communication to all stakeholders.

With a sample of stakeholders opinions but without communication to all stakeholders.

With input from all stakeholders and communicated to all stakeholders.

With input from all stakeholders, communicated to all stakeholders, and with changes made based on feedback from all stakeholders.

WHEN In a very short period of time such as a week or weekend.

In two or three months.

Over the course of a semester with time for input from all stakeholders, and time for reflection.

Over the course of an academic year to allow time for input from all stakeholders, time for reflection, and time for revision.

HOW Haphazardly without planning.

With a timeline of key events and deadlines.

With a focused action plan, that includes key events, deadlines, and persons responsible.

With a focused action plan, that includes key events, deadlines, persons responsible, and communication plan.

WHAT Information copied from other school’s reports or gathered from a single source (e.g., the memory of the programme coordinator).

Survey information based on the IB programme practices collected from teachers currently involved in the programme and other data that is easily obtainable.

A variety of information collected from all members of the administration and teaching staff involved in the programme, as well as students and parents. The information reflects a broad view of the programme within the school.

A variety of information collected throughout the year from all members of the administration, teaching and non-teaching staff, students and parents involved in the programme. The information reflects a broad view of the programme within the school and fits with other school self-evaluations.

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The New IB Action Plan

Reflection for the workshop: Does your school have an action plan or similar document required by a regional accreditation, by a national, state or provincial government, or by a local education authority? How might what your school has already created mesh with the IB’s new emphasis (and requirement) for authorized schools to have an ‘action plan’ as part of the authorization and evaluation processes?

Overview of the evaluation processSchools should consider programme evaluation as an ongoing process of action and reflection that aims to enhance the implementation of the programme. This process is supported by the school’s ongoing action plan, which is based on the Programme standards and practices. The IB evaluation process should be considered as a verification of this ongoing process in the school. This is shown in the diagram below.

* If the report includes matters to be addressed, the school will be asked to respond to these matters as mentioned below.

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The role of the school’s action planWhilst completing the applications for candidacy and authorization, the school was asked to submit an action plan based on objectives drawn from the Programme standards and practices. Once the school is authorized, the IB expects the school to continue developing the programme at the school, refining and further developing its practices in order to achieve the standards, in accordance with the Programme standards and practices. To this end, the school is expected to continue updating the action plan in line with the priorities set out by the school, which should include the IB recommendations from previous evaluation or authorization processes.At the time of evaluation, the school is expected to incorporate the results of its self study into the action plan. This plan is submitted as part of the supporting documentation.After evaluation, the school is expected to incorporate the IB recommendations from the evaluation report into the action plan for the new five-year cycle. However, responses to matters to be addressed will be required within a time frame set by the relevant IB office. This will be separate from the action plan.The action plan will help the school to define its objectives and to monitor its progress towards achieving these. It will also help to ensure that a culture of ongoing reflection and improvement permeates the school.

(Programme evaluation guide and self-study questionnaire, page 2)

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Programme evaluation submission guidelines

Programme evaluation submission guidelines for all IB World Schools in IB Americas

All self-studies are read by people like you. Schools must submit electronic versions of the questionnaire. The completed questionnaire should help make the school’s practices come “to life” in the mind of the reader. The completed self-study questionnaire and supporting documents should help readers / understand how your programme operates. Concise, explicit, comprehensible, complete, and accurate are adjectives you can use to help guide yourself and others when completing sections of the self-study.

For all three programmes, the IB programme evaluation documents must be uploaded to the IB Americas document administration system (http://www.ib.ecampuspro.com), an online repository for all of the documents required for the self-study. The system eliminates the need to mail any documentation, in the form of compact discs or otherwise.

To begin, complete the self-study form and gather electronic copies of all required supporting documentation as listed in the official guide, which is available on the IB website for your region and the OCC. Then, follow the instructions below on how to access the system and how to upload your application and supporting documents. Once in the system, you will find a list of all of the documents necessary to complete the self-study and the option to upload them.

If you have not received access details to the IB Americas document administration system, please contact the IB Americas Support Desk at [email protected] or +1 301 202 3000 (in Bethesda) and +54 11 4766 3900 or [email protected] (in Buenos Aires).

Instructions to Access the System: Enter the following URL Address in your web browser: www.ib.ecampuspro.com

(We encourage you to bookmark this page.) Select your preferred language using the drop-down menu on the bottom right and

select enter. Enter your username and password. They are initially provided to your school by the

IB Americas office. You must change this password the first time you access the system by going to “My data” on the left-hand side of the screen.

Instructions to Upload your Application and Supporting Documents: Select “browse” on the right of the list of documents. Locate the document in the file upload window and select “open” Your document should be listed in the browse field. All documents must have a .doc

or .pdf extension (i.e. Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat files). Select “publish” to confirm and save your upload, the document will appear in the

“file” column. Once you have uploaded the application and all supporting documents, click “Finish.”

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Naming your DocumentsPlease be specific when naming your documents so that the programme evaluation reviewers will know what it is based on its title. Here are some examples:

ABC School – Self-study questionnaire.docABC School – Coordinato_job description.pdf

NB: Only one element may be uploaded per section (not bigger than 16Mb). You can always zip several documents and upload them as one element or use the “Additional documents” box at the bottom of the page. If you need to make changes, you can delete documents you have uploaded and upload the new version. However, you will not be able to make changes to your school’s uploaded documents after the deadline for your school (2 months prior to the visit for PYP and MYP schools and June 1 for Diploma Programme schools).

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How will we know when we have met the standard?

Day Two (three sessions)

Session one topics: Review of Day One notes and questions Checking for understanding via metaphors Preparing yourself for the work of the self-study (selected short readings) Timeline for the work Tips and tricks to use during the process

Session two topics: Identifying strengths and practices in need of strengthening Reviewing sample school questionnaires. Are the criteria all relative or are there absolutes? Sharing ideas on how to identify which are strengths and which are not

Session three topics:PYP and MYP participants Programme specific questions with the on-site field representativeDP participants The IB self-evaluation review for DP schools Review of best practices and further research from IB Americas’s

Diploma Programme reviews.All participants The IB evaluation site visit for PYP, MYP and some DP schools What to expect from an evaluation visit and the self-evaluation report How it is similar or different from the previous self-evaluations and from

the authorization visit What to expect from the self-evaluation report Matters to be addressed and how to address them Possible pitfalls in the process

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How to organize the work of the self-study

Some steps to programme evaluation / needs assessment

Part 1: Build support within the school / programme Create an evaluation team and support structures (people, time, space, materials,

collaborative process, decision-making process) Expand ownership by creating opportunities for participation Communicate what you are doing with all stakeholders Build enthusiasm and proceed

Part 2: Plan, gather and go Set the scope (depth, breadth and upon whom it touches) Identify sources of information (data files, records, people, past evaluations) Make a plan (meeting times, deadlines, responsibilities, data collection tools,

summarizing, analyzing and reporting) Collect and organize data Identify and fill the data gaps Analyze and summarize the data Share the initial results Gather more data and revise analysis if necessary

Part 3: Set goals, make an action plan and act Review the team (make changes if needed to membership and decision making) Review the findings Identify main obstacles (one obstacle may be cause of many symptoms) Develop goals for improvement Brainstorm ideas for solutions Share your ideas Develop a plan (including professional development and accountability) Follow through and monitor

Adapted from:Sylvie Hale. (2000). Comprehensive School Reform: A Guidebook on School-Wide Improvement San Francisco, CA: WestEd.

What to share with the group:What is important to know from this page? Is something missing in your opinions?What problems might this information help a school avoid when completing its programme evaluation? How?

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Programme Evaluation: don't do it alone

Completing the programme evaluation self-study questionnaire should be a team effort. Some may think that the programme evaluation is the programme coordinator's job. The programme coordinator may be part of the programme evaluation team; but it should not be a team of one. Selecting the right people for the team at the beginning (or even in the middle if circumstances require) will help make the process more manageable along the way.

There are many individuals at your school who could be on the programme evaluation team. When selecting team members it is best to make sure they have the time and willingness to engage in the work and to share responsibility for data collection and analysis. It also helps when all team members have a clear and common understanding of the task at hand and how the work will be divided or shared. Begin with the end in mind. You want to have a team that can help deliver a completed programme evaluation questionnaire AND a plan of action, next steps, timeline and responsibilities to make the improvements suggested in the evaluation.

Here are some suggestions for how to set up the programme evaluation team.

Your team should be composed of 6 to 8 members. Each member should be selected for the knowledge, skill or background they will bring. To keep the team smaller, try to double-up on the areas of representation listed below by having team members who can effectively represent more than one area:

Areas of representationHead of school or division headProgramme coordinatorUnion representative (state-sponsored schools)Lower grades representativeUpper grades representativeArts, language and humanities representativeMath, science and technology representativeStudent or parent representative or bothDistrict representative (state-sponsored schools)Board representative (private schools)Non-teaching staff representative

Why so many areas of representation? Each area represents a potentially different perspective. Also, representatives from each area will be able to share or report back information to various stakeholders of your programme.


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Making decisions about decision-making

Before a group progresses too far, it is important to clarify and make explicit how decisions will be made. Not all decisions have to be made the same way. However, all group members should understand, if not agree to, the decision making process in advance of making decisions.

Arbitrary decisions are generally made quickly with little input from others and with little explanation available as to why a decision was made. These decisions are rarely appropriate for groups.

Autocratic decisions are made by one person, or a small group, who is generally in a position of authority. The authority may or may not seek input from others and may or may not provide an explanation as to why a decision was made. These decisions can be made quickly and are more appropriate when there is a need for the leadership to make a choice.

Majority vote decisions are made by a majority of individuals within a group in which each member may cast one vote in favor of their choice of action. The choice with the most votes represents the final decision, even if it is 99 votes to 98 votes. Group members empowered to vote may or may not seek input from others and may or may not provide an explanation as to why they cast their vote for a particular decision. The vote can be open or by confidential ballot. These decisions can be made quickly and are more appropriate for “low stakes” group decisions that will not unduly harm the minority.

Consensus decisions are made by the entire group after all members of the group voice their opinion about the decision choices. Consensus is reached when all members agree not to block the final decision made by the group. Consensus does not mean everyone in the group agrees with the decision. However, every group member’s input must be taken into consideration and considered valid. A benefit of consensus is that there is generally a clear explanation as to why a decision was made. These decisions are not made quickly and are more appropriate for “high stakes” group decisions for which everyone’s cooperation is necessary to move forward.

Groups can and should use a mix of decision making processes fitting the most appropriate process to the situation at hand.


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Sample descriptions of the time line and the process for completing the self-study questionnaire

Guiding questions: What confirmations, surprises or questions do you have based on the excerpts shown below? What might your school do differently from the excerpts?

Excerpt 1: MYP school self-studyTimeline and process for completing the self-study questionnaireThe IBO was in contact with the school as early as November 2005 to schedule this evaluation event. The visit was initially proposed for November 2006. Our school asked for an extension as our MYP coordinator was going on leave from January to June 2006 to pursue his PhD. The extension was given, and the visit scheduled for March 2007. However, nothing was done until the beginning of this school year to begin the needed internal evaluation of the programme as there was no interim IB coordinator in the school the second half of the year.

When the previous IB coordinator asked to extend the leave during the 2006-2007 school year, a new MYP coordinator was appointed and steps put in place to begin an internal evaluation of the program and to address problem areas. The coordinator did an initial review of what needed to be done to meet the expectations outlined in the Guide to Programme Evaluation. A document was developed called “Let’s Get Started” which was distributed to teachers on the opening ped days of the 2006-2007 school year. It outlined what needed to be done on the basis of what was missing in our programme structures and practices. A copy of the plan is attached. Items in italics indicated the coordinator’s assessment of areas which needed a major push. The self-study questionnaire was discussed at that time, and its procedure and purpose explained.

The staff meeting to complete the self-study questionnaire was held Dec. 12. The questionnaire was distributed a week prior to the meeting and teachers completed Sections A, B and D ahead of time. During the meeting the teachers met in subject groups to discuss and complete section C. The Steering Committee members who come from each subject area, chaired the group discussions and ensured the results reflected the views of the subject teachers. At the end of the meeting the coordinator collected the individual questionnaires and the subject group reports. She later tabulated the results.

The coordinator and principal, when available, met with students and parents to get their input on the successes and limitations of our delivery of the MYP program. The topics of sections A, B, C, D were covered but we did not use the questionnaire as its language was not appropriate for an untrained audience. Five students from each grade level participated in the student discussions on the program. A separate 50 minute meeting was held with each grade level. We spoke to about ten parents to get their input in a more formal way, but also relied on informal data gathered over the years by teachers, administrators, the coordinator, and guidance counselor as they interacted with parents.

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Excerpt 2: DP school self-studyTimeline and process for completing the self-study questionnaire

OverviewThe self-study questionnaire, supporting documentation, and appendices will be completed through the cooperation of the following people and committees:

The IB Advisory Board Discipline-specific teacher committees (groups 1-6 and TOK) A cross-discipline committee The IB Coordinator The Principal An assisting teacher

The IB Advisory Board, originally designed to be our Steering Committee during our application and affiliation phases, consisted of a cross-section of stake-holders in the program and is charged with the responsibility of providing guidance and advice regarding the on-going implementation of our IB Program. Serving as one of the mechanisms of our internal evaluation scheme, each member (consisting of students, teachers, parents, a guidance counselor, and our principal) provides a voice from their segment of the IB community. The Advisory Board provides an excellent model for stake-holder involvement, and as such has been expanded to include greater representation, including a School Board member who also has children in the program.

The IB Advisory Board will be responsible for sections A, B and D of the self-study questionnaire. Members will be asked to consider specific standards and practices for each scheduled meeting, to discuss the practices with other members of their stake-holder group, and to email the IB Coordinator with their “ratings” on a scale of 1-4. The IB Coordinator will collate these initial ratings and share them with the group during the meetings. Though the discussion during each meeting may be prompted by any of the practices, priority will be given to those practices which were rated inconsistently by members of the board and those practices that were consistently rated as low. The rating to be recorded on the questionnaire will be the consensus decision of the board.

An IB teacher (the “assistant teacher” noted above) has been provided with release time to assist in the completion of the Program Evaluation. One of our social science teachers and that department’s chairperson who is very knowledgeable about the IB Program’s philosophy and expectations. In addition to serving on the Group 3 (Social Sciences) Curriculum Committee, his responsibilities will be to provide guidance to the other curriculum groups and to assist in the collection of supporting documentation.

Timeline

October Organizational structures

o Increase IB Advisory Group to include more representatives from different stake-holder groups.

o Establish curriculum groups.o Provide time for curriculum groups to meet.

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November IB Advisory Board begins to meet.

o Meetings scheduled to address standards in sections A, B and D of self-study questionnaire, following the procedure outlined above.

Curriculum groups begin to meet to complete section C. Each group may design its own meeting structure and data collection mechanisms as long as they are consistent with the goals and requirements of the program evaluation.

IB Coordinator and the assisting teacher begin to collect and/or create the supporting documentation.

IB Coordinator begins the process of completing the appendices to the questionnaire.

December-January IB Advisory Board continues to meet to address sections A, B and D. Curriculum groups continue to meet. They will submit their completed

questionnaires electronically in January, accompanied by comments, explanations, and elaborations in a separate Word document.

IB Coordinator and assisting teacher continue to collect supporting documentation.

IB Coordinator continues to complete the appendices to the questionnaire.

February Cross-disciplinary team is formed to address section C. IB Coordinator collates responses to each practice from each curriculum

questionnaire and presents them to the cross-disciplinary team for review. Discussion will be initiated by responses that vary greatly or are consistently rated as low. The team will record a consensus rating based on the discussion of the input provided from the original 7 discipline-specific questionnaires.

IB Coordinator and assisting teacher continue to collect supporting documentation

IB Coordinator continues to complete the appendices to the questionnaire.

March-April Cross-disciplinary team continues to meet and work as outlined above. IB Coordinator and assisting teacher continue to collect supporting

documentation. IB Coordinator continues to complete the appendices to the questionnaire.

May-June Preparation of final document (sections A, B, C and D) for review by principal. Completion of supporting documentation. Principal completes Summary of Main Conclusions. Preparation of final Program Evaluation document for submission to IBNA.

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Steps to the programme evaluation process

If you have 12 months to complete the self-study, during which months would you complete the work in the columns represented above? What if you only had 4 months?

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Creating your own timeline for the IB programme evaluation self-study

Having an established timeline may help your school complete the self-study process with more input, less stress and still be able to send the review to the regional office by the deadline. Create a timeline that your school might follow based on the real amount of time that you have to complete the programme evaluation questionnaire. Identify your deadline and work backwards or forwards.

Write down the months in which you want to schedule or complete certain evaluation activities (e.g., creating your team, collecting a parent survey, writing initial drafts). Remember to note when school is in session or is not in session (e.g., summer and winter break) and when there are specific school events (e.g., spring music production, school-wide professional development). You do not need to use all of the months. Select a timeline and number of months that fits your school and community. For the purpose of the workshop think about what a 3 month timeline would look like compared to an 18 month timeline. What choices might you be forced to make in each case?

Month ActivitiesJuly

August

September

October

November

December

January

February

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Month ActivitiesMarch

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

January

February

March

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Tips and tricks to use along the way

1) Include the resistors (they often have the best ideas and learn the most)

2) Include the power sources (unions, influential staff or parents, administration, board member)

3) Clarify roles and how decisions will be made (know who will do what to whom and how)

4) Be realistic about time, both how much it will take and how much you have to give (don’t you already have a full-time job?)

5) Work for “good enough” (perfectionism is often the education hero’s tragic flaw)

6) Remember who you’re talking to (change your delivery to fit the audience, but keep the message consistent)

7) Remember that all data is personal (it can cause discomfort when it’s about you or someone else in the room or someone else not in the room)

8) All ideas are draft (suggestions are more readily accepted than commands)

9) Bring snacks (the four food groups: crunchy, water, chocolate, salty)

10) Stick to the facts (don’t jump to solutions until you reach conclusion)

11) Change is a journey not an event

12) Change culture by changing daily practice

13) Look forward to it as a learning experience (and look back to see where you have been)

14) Remember “balance” (look for the positive not just the areas that need strengthening)

15) If you don’t know ask.

16) Create a draft agenda in advance and avoid creating one that cannot be modified without destroying the whole thing

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17) Be forward looking and budget for the visit (currently about $2,000 USD). Avoid trying to “fake” what you are doing during the visit

18) Determine key ideas when developing or defining “descriptors for levels of implementation of practices” for the ranking low to high of individual programme practices or requirements.

Keep them simple Make clear delineations or breaks between each Make them concrete

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Identifying strengths and practices in need of strengthening

“The IB is aware that for each school, the implementation of an IB programme is a journey, and that the school will meet these standards and practices to varying degrees along the way.” IB Programme Standards and Practices (2010)

When completing the IB programme evaluation, schools should celebrate their major achievements and cite their strengths. Go ahead. Boast a little. Schools should also realize that “you don’t have to be sick to get better.” Be honest about what could be better. Everyone can stand a little change.

What does your programme do well? What could your programme do better? What happens in your programme that makes it special? What happens in your programme that keeps it from reaching its potential? These are the questions that you should ask yourself when deciding what you mark as your programme’s strengths or major achievements and your programme’s areas that need strengthening or further development.

The strengths or achievements and areas that need strengthening or further development should leap out at you from the data you have collected. If nothing stands out, perhaps you have not collected enough data or have been looking in the wrong place. The adults and students at your school know best what they are most proud of in your programme and what your programme needs to do better. Make sure you have included a broad range of opinions during your data collection and analysis.

Do not select a strength or achievement just to make someone happy. Do not select an area that needs strengthening or further development just to pursue a personal agenda. Select the ones that the data reveal. As they say in television series CSI, “Go where the evidence leads you.”

For strengths or major achievements, look for:

Consistently high marks in the levels or degrees of implementation for a standard. Things that you might highlight in promotional material. Hallmarks of the way your school implements the programme that distinguishes your

school and attracts students and teachers.

For areas that need strengthening look for:

Consistently low marks in the levels or degrees of implementation for a standard. Things most frequently cited as “that’s something we are working on” or “Someday, I

wish we would.” Hallmarks of the way your school implements the programme that reinforce the status

quo and limit access, quality or infrastructure.

If you are having trouble finding a strength or an area that needs strengthening, lower the bar. There must be something that is more than or less than average. If you having trouble fitting all of your major achievements or all of your areas for further development on one sheet of paper, raise the bar. Stick to the ones that are the most important. Three to six of each for each section is plenty. It is possible that you may not have one or the other for a particular standard. In some cases you may simply be ordinary.

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Excerpt 1: MYP schools responseThe standards and practices (2005 example)Please select the appropriate box.

Standard B1Requires

significant attention

Shows satisfactor

y developme

nt

The school demonstrates ongoing commitment to, and provides support for, the programme through appropriate administrative structures and systems, staffing and resources.

11 39

Practices Degree of implementation

Low High

Common:

1. The governing body is explicitly supportive of the programme, and has allocated sufficient funding for the effective implementation and ongoing development of the programme.

3 11 19 16

2. Senior management regularly informs the governing body about the ongoing implementation and development of the programme.

4 12 21 10

3. The school has systems for implementing and monitoring the programme with input from all constituencies, including students.

5 10 29 5

4. The school’s goals, strategies, time lines and accountabilities are available in written form to all members of the school community.

3 8 28 11

5. The school builds an understanding of, and support for, the programme throughout the school community.

2 8 28 12

6. The head of school/the school principal, programme coordinator, teaching staff and non-teaching professionals demonstrate an understanding of, and commitment to, the programme.

1 14 26 9

7. The school has appointed a programme coordinator with sufficient support and resources to carry out the responsibilities of the position.

1 3 24 22

8. The head of school/the school principal and programme coordinator have a good understanding of the principles of the

1 4 29 15

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Low High

programme and demonstrate pedagogical leadership.

9. There is a process for monitoring the work of the programme coordinator in accordance with the programme coordinator’s job description.

7 8 13 9

10. The programme coordinator ensures that questionnaires and other requests for information sought by IB working groups and committees are completed by the appropriate members of staff.

1 2 15 30

11. The school provides staff who are appropriately qualified and trained to teach the programme.

7 12 20 11

12. The school contributes to the ongoing development of the programme by encouraging teachers to participate in appropriate IB activities (for example, applying to be members of IB working groups/committees, responding to requests for samples of student work).

2 4 22 20

13. Time for collaborative planning and reflection is built into all teachers’ schedules.

34 10 3 2

14. The school has systems in place to ensure the continuity of the programme; this includes an induction system for new staff and ongoing staff professional development.

8 21 17 3

15. The school provides professional development opportunities for the head/principal, programme coordinator and teaching staff, including attendance at appropriate IB conferences, meetings and/or workshops, and access to the online curriculum centre (OCC).

2 5 26 16

16. The school provides learning environments and opportunities for learning that support the pedagogy of the programme.

2 10 27 10

17. The school allocates appropriate print and electronic resources to support the teaching of the programme.

4 11 18 15

18. The school recognizes and promotes the role of the library/media centre in the implementation of the programme.

4 14 20 10

19. The school provides specialist equipment (for example, scientific, technological) where needed to implement the programme safely and effectively.

4 16 19 9

20. The school has a written language policy (including its provision for second-language teaching and mother-tongue language support) that meets the needs of the students and reflects the principles of the programme.

4 4 25 12

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Low High

21. The school provides effective support for students with learning and/or physical disabilities, as well as support for the professional development of their teachers.

5 10 27 5

22. The school has systems in place to guide and counsel students whenever the need arises.

3 4 34 9

PYP:

23. The school offers a language, in addition to the language of instruction, to students from the age of seven. (Bilingual/dual language schools are not required to offer a third language to their students.)

MYP:

24. The school provides the necessary structures to ensure the effective implementation of the areas of interaction and the personal project.

1 7 26 12

25. The school allocates adequate time for each subject group according to MYP requirements and the needs of the students.

5 8 22 13

26. The school puts in place an organizational structure allowing coordination of the curriculum within MYP subject groups.

6 15 17 8

27. Where there are partner schools, the MYP coordinator ensures that communication and common planning between individual members of the partnership are regularly maintained.

N/A

28. The MYP coordinator facilitates meaningful interdisciplinary initiatives.

10 14 16 5

Diploma Programme:

29. The school provides an appropriate number of hours for all higher level (HL) courses, standard level (SL) courses and the theory of knowledge (TOK) course.

30. The school provides appropriate resources and staff to support the delivery of creativity, action, service (CAS).

31. The school provides appropriate and adequate space, supervision and security arrangements for examinations.

For the workshop: Based on the information above summarize the strengths and the areas in need of strengthening? Think what your school’s summaries might look like.

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Excerpt 2: A DP school responseThe standards and practices (2005 example)Please select the appropriate box.

Standard B1 Requires significant attention

Shows satisfactor

y developme

nt


X


Low High

Common:


X


X


X


X


X


X


X

8. The head of school/the school principal and programme coordinator have a good understanding of the principles of the programme and demonstrate pedagogical leadership.

X

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Low High


X


X


X


X


X


X


X


X


X


X


X


X

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Low High


X


X

MYP:

23. The school provides the necessary structures to ensure the effective implementation of the areas of interaction and the personal project.

24. The school allocates adequate time for each subject group according to MYP requirements and the needs of the students.

25. The school puts in place an organizational structure allowing coordination of the curriculum within MYP subject groups.

26. Where there are partner schools, the MYP coordinator ensures that communication and common planning between individual members of the partnership are regularly maintained.

27. The MYP coordinator facilitates meaningful interdisciplinary initiatives.

Diploma Programme:

32. The school provides an appropriate number of hours for all higher level (HL) courses, standard level (SL) courses and the theory of knowledge (TOK) course.

X

33. The school provides appropriate resources and staff to support the delivery of creativity, action, service (CAS).

X

34. The school provides appropriate and adequate space, supervision and security arrangements for examinations.

X

For the workshop: Based on the information above summarize the strengths and the areas in need of strengthening? How is this school’s summary different from the one above? Is that either good or bad?

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Excerpt 3: PYP school responseThe standards and practices (2005 example)Please select the appropriate box.

Standard B1 Requires significant attention

Shows satisfactor

y developme

nt


X


Low High

Common:


X


X


X


X


X


X


X

8. The head of school/the school principal and programme coordinator have a good understanding of the principles of the programme and demonstrate pedagogical leadership.

X

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Low High


X


X


X


X


X


X


X


X


X


X


X


X

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Low High


X


X

PYP:

23. The school offers a language, in addition to the language of instruction, to students from the age of seven. (Bilingual/dual language schools are not required to offer a third language to their students.)

X

For the workshop: Based on the information above summarize the strengths and the areas in need of strengthening? How is this school’s summary different from the other two? Is that either good or bad?

Many schools have difficulty with establishing time for collaborative planning. How does this challenge develop or occur? What must be addressed to overcome this challenge? Who has the power or influence to create solutions to the challenge?

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The IB visit or self-evaluation review

Sample evaluation visit agendas

Example 1: MYP School Evaluation Visit

DAY 1: WEDNESDAY 26TH APRIL 2006TIME: MEETING: ATTENDING: VENUE:

13.00 – 14.00 Head of School Head of School Head’s Office14.00 – 14.45 MYP Coordinator MYP Coordinator Team Room14.45 – 15.00 Break Team Room15.00 – 15.45 Tour of the School

CampusStudent Representatives Team Room

15.50 – 16.50 Areas of Interaction Self-Study Leaders:SEN / Learning Support Specialist – ATLScience Teacher – C&SArt Teacher (MYP Coordinator) – Homo FaberHumanities Teacher – EnvironmentScience Teacher – Health & Social Ed.

Team Room

16.50 – 17.20 Board of Regents Representatives from the Board’s Education Committee:

Team Room

DAY 2: THURSDAY 27TH APRIL 2006TIME: MEETING: ATTENDING: VENUE:

8.15 – 8.30 Full MYP Faculty MYPC and all MYP Teachers

Common Room

8.30 – 9.15 Personal Project MYPC, Science Teacher, 2 Language A Teachers

Team Room

9.15 – 9.45 Arts Department MYPC, 4 other Art Teachers Team Room9.45 – 10.00 Break Team Room10.00 – 10.45 Meeting with

Students3 students from 6th Grade3 students from 7th Grade3 students from 8th Grade3 students from 9th Grade3 students from 10th Grade

The students will be divided into three separate groups. Rooms will be allocated on the day.

10.45 – 12.00 Independent Class Visits (tba)

12.00 – 12.30 Science Department 4 Science Teachers Team Room12.30 – 1.30 LUNCH Cafeteria / Team

Room

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13.30 – 14.00 Language A Department

3 Language A Teachers Team Room

14.00 – 14.30 Mathematics Department

4 Mathematics Teachers Team Room

14.30 – 15.00 Language B Department

7 Language B Teachers Team Room

15.00 – 15.15 Break Team Room15.15 – 15.45 ESL Department 3 ESL Teachers Team Room15.45 – 16.15 Diploma Coordinator

and MYP Coordinator

DP Coordinator, MYP Coordinator

Team Room

16.15 – 17.00 Meeting with Parents Common RoomDAY 3: FRIDAY 28TH APRIL 2006

TIME: MEETING: ATTENDING: VENUE:08.30 – 09.00 Humanities

Department3 Humanities Teachers Team Room

09.00 – 09.30 Independent Class Visits (tba)

09.30 – 10.00 Technology Department

3 Technology Teachers Team Room

10.00 – 10.30 Physical Education Department

2 Physical Education Teachers Team Room

10.30 – 10.45 Break Team Room10.45 – 11.15 Librarian 1 Librarian Team Room11.15 – 11.45 SEN/Learning

Support Department1 SEN / Learning Specialist Learning Resource

Centre11.45 – 12.15 Independent Class

Visits12.15 – 13.15 LUNCH Dining Room13.15 – 13.45 Any other meeting

requested by the visiting team

Team Room

13.45 – 14.45 Visiting Team meet to prepare conclusions

Team Room

14.45 – 15.45 Conclusion meeting with Head of School and MYPC

Head’s Office

The visiting team will be assigned a Team Room upon arrival and it is hoped that most of the interviews/meetings will take place here. For the purposes of this agenda the Team Room has been designated as Room 19 but this is subject to change.

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Example 2: MYP School Evaluation Visit

MORNING DAY 1: MYP Years 4 and 5 High SchoolTime Event Location8:00-8:30 Continental breakfast to meet with Principals, MYP

Coordinators of partnership schools, Board of Education and Superintendent representatives

Seminar room

8:30-9:15 Campus tour including library technology, arts, P.E. (include meeting with librarian)

Campus

9:15-9:45 Meet with Principal, Assistant Principal, and MYP Coordinator

Principal’s Conference Room

9:45-10:15 Meet with non-academic and counseling staff Principal’s Conference Room

10:15-10:30 Break Principal’s Conference Room

10:30-11-30 Meet with MYP students and visit classes in session Campus & Gallery11:30-12:00 (Travel time to Partner Middle School #1)AFTERNOON DAY 1: Partner Middle School #1Time Event Location12:00-1:00 Lunch with parents and community people Room 2301:00-1:30 Meet with Exploratory team Room 2301:30-2:00 Campus tour including library, technology, arts, P.E.

(include meeting with librarian)Campus

2:00-2:10 Break Room 2302:10–2:40 Meet with level 2 team & non-academic staff Room 2302:50-3:10 Meet with level 3 team Room 2303:15-3:40 Meet with level 1 team Room 2303:40-4:00 Meet with MYP Advisory Committee & others Room 230DAY 2: Partner Middle School #2Time Event Location8:00-8:45 Meet with Heads of Schools and MYP Coordinators Media Classrooms8:45-9:25 Meet with Team Leaders and Department Chairs Media Classrooms9:25-9:50 Classroom Visitation Campus9:50-10:25 Campus Tour Campus10:25-10:40 Break Teachers Lounge10:40- 11:10 Meet with Student Leaders and Classroom Visitations Media Classrooms11:10-11:35 Meet with AOI Leaders and Librarian Media Classrooms11:35-12:00 Meet with Counselors and Nurse Media Classrooms12:00-1:00 Lunch Conference Room1:00 Exit interview with principals and MYP Coordinators

from all Partnership schoolsMedia Classrooms

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Example 3: PYP School Evaluation Visit

Day OneTime Event Location7:30 a.m. Pick-Up Visiting Team Hotel7:45 a.m.- 8:00a.m. Staff Meet & Greet Media Center

8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Meeting with Principal, Asst. Principal, PYP Coordinator Admin Office

9:00 a.m. -10:30 a.m. Classroom Visits Campus10:30a.m. – 11:15 a.m. Meeting with Fifth Grade Team Conference Room

11:15 a.m.-12:00 p.m.Meeting with Specialist Teachers(Art, Music, World Language, Media, Physical Education, Technology)

Media Center

12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. Lunch Meeting with Parents Conference Room1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. Classroom Visits Campus2:00 p.m.-2:45 p.m. Meeting with First Grade Team Conference Room2:45 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Pre-K/Kindergarten Team Meeting Conference Room

3:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Meeting with Superintendent / District Personnel Conference Room

4:00 p.m. Visiting Team Departs

Day TwoTime Event Location7:30 a.m. – 7:45 a.m. Pick Up Visiting Team Hotel7:45 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. Meeting with Third Grade Team Conference Room8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Classroom Visits Campus9:30 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Meeting with Second Grade Team Conference Room10:15 a.m. –11:00 a.m. Meeting with Resource/Support Staff Conference Room11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. Break11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Meeting with Fourth Grade Team Conference Room12:00 p.m.-12:30 p.m. Lunch Conference Room12:30 p.m.-1:00 p.m. Classroom Visits Campus1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m. Visiting Team Meeting Conference Room

2:30 p.m.-3:00 p.m. Exit interview with Principal, Asst. Principal, PYP Coordinator Admin Office

3:00 p.m.-3:15 p.m. Visiting Team

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IB Americas Site Visitor Profile

When the IB published Standards and Practices in November 2005, the IB Americas office thought it would be a good idea to write a “Site Visitor Profile” as a way to help those who are named and will be part of a site visit. From now on and if possible, all Authorization and Evaluation site visits will be made up of 3 trained site visitors.

The role of a site visitor is of invaluable importance. When a school visit is held, the site visitor’s presence, interventions and non-verbal language have a profound impact on the outcome of that particular visit. The following statements and remarks have been put forward to describe and illustrate the importance of the site visitor’s task. IB Americas hopes this will help out those who go on site visits anywhere in the Americas.

The site visitors represent the IB. They thus have to reflect the philosophy and values of the organization. There should never be a contradiction between the site visitors’ behaviour and the standards of the IB programmes;

When site visitors give advice regarding the implementation or development of an IB programme, they must always give advice in accordance with the official IB documents printed at IBCA;

The site visitors must not be involved in political discussions or internal administrative affairs. They have been named to evaluate the implementation or development of a programme and not to evaluate a school or the teaching staff;

The site visitors act as counsellors. They are there to help the school visited and share their experience;

The site visitors have to know the school’s environment and day to day concerns before giving advice;

Before intervening, the site visitors take the school’s context into account; The site visitors have to act with diplomacy; If the site visitors want to help the school, they must first be good listeners; If the site visitors share their experience, they must also remember that IB

programmes may be implemented in many different ways; The site visitors can ask guiding questions that allow for more creative answers from

the school’s staff; The site visitors are open-minded and receptive; The site visitors have to take into account the number of years of the programme’s

implementation. It is important to acknowledge the positive efforts of the school and not always focus on mistakes or shortcomings;

The site visitors are part of a team. The team leader is in charge of writing the report. During the interviews, the team leader can lead the discussions, but the two other site visitors can lend a hand at any time during the visit;

At the exit interview, the team leader gives an objective appreciation of the implementation or development of the IB programme;

The site visitors have to be humble at all times for they know that their role as an IB volunteer is a privilege and a way to help out the organization.

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Recent Best Practices from Diploma Programme Self-Study Questionnaires

Below are some best practices identified from Diploma Programme schools in IB North America. Discuss with fellow Diploma Programme schools how these practices reflect or do not reflect what is happening in your school and why they might be considered best practices.

IB learner profile is integrated into the daily life of the school.

The Online Curriculum Centre (OCC) is used frequently by all IB teachers – for dialogue, consultations, to access resources, and to download IB materials.

There is a detailed language policy that tailors the ideal language study for all of its students.

Partnerships with local universities provide access to resources that the students would not otherwise have – participation at events sponsored by the University’s Center of International Studies, borrowing privileges at the library, speakers for classroom activities, etc.

After implementing the Diploma Program and experiencing several graduating classes, the school investigated different types of schedules and adopted a master schedule that they feel is more flexible and meets the needs of both teachers and students. Collaboration time for teachers is built into the school day.

The culminating project (EE) is celebrated at an annual Extended Essay event featuring food, awards, and focused readings. A scholarship is awarded in an Extended Essay competition.

The IB Curriculum is developed through a collaborative effort that includes the Diploma teachers, teachers from grade 9 & 10, and the teachers in the district’s two Middle schools.

Teachers are working at integrating TOK across the curriculum. Sample TOK questions are incorporated into each discipline &subject area teachers are used as guest speakers in TOK seminars.

Internationalism goes beyond food, festivals, and flags. There is a deliberate attempt to reach out to the constituencies of the school and to embrace other cultures and increase understanding.

Staff is becoming involved as volunteers in the IB community – through committees, site visits, workshops, etc.

There is a process in place whereby staff analyze examination results each year with an aim to improving instruction.

Teachers have time within their day to plan collaboratively – during common planning periods, delayed starts, early dismissals, pd days, etc. Blogs and wikkis add to their communication.

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The IB evaluation report (PYP, MYP, Diploma Programme)

After all of the hard work you and your school have completed to compile, analyze and summarize how well your school is implementing its IB programme, celebrate your accomplishment. However, do not look to the IB or the evaluation report to contribute to your party mood. Rest assured, the IB regional office is proud of your accomplishments, too. But, the language used and agreed upon by all regional offices is not as inherently ebullient as you might like to hear. Like the IB programme guides, the language in the evaluation report will be factual and the tone will often be flat: non-judgmental and non-prescriptive.

The regional office will respond formally to the school—upon receipt of the completed self-study questionnaire in the case of the Diploma Programme, and after the programme evaluation visit for the PYP and the MYP—with commendations, recommendations and, where appropriate, matters to be addressed by the school.

The matters to be addressed are areas within a school’s practice in an IB programme, which cause serious concern and which, if not addressed with some urgency, would endanger the school’s standing as an IB World School.(Guide to programme evaluation. IB. 2005. page 1.)

After analysis of the self-study questionnaire, the supporting documents and the findings of the school visit, if applicable, the IB will send a final report to the head of school, which will reflect on the self study submitted by the school, including the process and the conclusions that the school reached. (Programme evaluation guide and self-study questionnaire, IB 2010, page 5)

All programme evaluation reports are based on a straightforward template that will be filled out by the visiting team (PYP and MYP) or by the regional office staff and committee (DP). The report provides a brief description of the school and indicates, based on the reviewers’ observations and findings, which standards show “satisfactory development” and which require “significant attention.” That’s it. The evidence provided by the school in their self-study (PYP, MYP, and DP) and during the visit (PYP and MYP only) form the basis for the ratings and for the commendations, recommendations and matters to be addressed by the school within the time specified by the regional office. No additional advice, congratulations or suggestions are offered.

Satisfactory development: rating given for a standard when the evidence of practice provided by your school ranges from mediocre and good enough to outstanding and exemplary

Significant attention: rating given for a standard when the evidence of practice provided by your school fall below mediocre and good enough.

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Commendations: statements indicating when the evidence for particular practices show the school goes beyond the expected or has an approach that could be shared with others; for better or for worse they are given more sparingly in the evaluation reports compared to the application reports.

Sample commendationThe school exceeds the expectations of the Diploma Programme in regard to:

Community, action and service by including parents in outdoor activities and inviting local leaders in community and service projects

Recommendations: statements indicating that the evidence of practice is weak for a particular standard; for better or worse no recommendation or specific ideas on how to correct the problem will be given.

Sample recommendationThe school would benefit from:

regularly scheduled collaborative planning and reflection that is built into all teacher’s schedules

Matters to be addressed: as mentioned above, statements indicating that the evidence of practice for a particular standard is weak and of serious concern; for better or worse the matters need to be given immediate attention by the school and will trigger follow-up visits or correspondence by the regional office.

Sample matter to be addressed The same Language B is not being offered in a sustained and articulated delivery

across the five years of the programme. The school must deliver at least one language b and require that students remain in that same language for the duration of the programme.

What happens next?

The evaluation report is sent to the head of school and to the DP, MYP or PYP coordinator along with an official letter signed by the director of the regional office. The letter will outline any matters to be addressed. The letter will also specify a date by which the school is expected to send the regional office an action plan in response to the recommendations and matters to be addressed contained in the report. The head of school is required to share the contents of report with the school community. How, the head shares the report is up to his/her discretion (e.g., timing, format, audience). Depending on the recommendations and matters to be addressed, the school will send the regional office progress reports as required.

If there are no matters to be addressed or recommendations to which the school must respond, you’re done for now. However, it is likely that the self-study process uncovered some areas of practice the school could improve that are listed in your action plan. Once the celebration of completing the self-study is over, use your findings and new knowledge of the

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school to set goals and priorities for taking your school and IB programme to the next level of practice: widening access, improving quality, or strengthening infrastructure.

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Sample evaluation report template

International Baccalaureate Americas

Middle Years Programme Evaluation Report

School name

Date of visit

VISITING TEAM

List the names of team members

INTRODUCTION

Narrative

Date of authorization and previous evaluationse

DESCRIPTION OF THE SCHOOL & VISIT

Visit description

General description of school and the visit

STANDARDS

The visiting team agrees that the following standards show satisfactory development.

List the appropriate standards

The visiting team agrees that the following standards require significant attention.

List the appropriate standards

SECTION A: PHILOSOPHY

Observations and findings

Narrative with evidence to support commendations, recommendations and matters to be addressed

Commendations

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RecommendationsMatters to be addressed

SECTION B: ORGANIZATION



CommendationsRecommendationsMatters to be addressed

SECTION C: CURRICULUM




SECTION D: THE STUDENT



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CONCLUDING REMARKS

Narrative

School name should submit a written report regarding the Matters to be addressed by date.

Summary of Commendations (Copy and paste exactly all commendations from the report)

Summary of Recommendations (Copy and paste exactly all recommendations from the report)

Summary of Matters to be addressed (Copy and paste exactly all matters to be addressed from the report)

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Sample matters to be addressed

Having matters to be addressed in your report can sound ominous. After a school has completed its review it is likely it already knows what matters it needs to address. Here are a few abridged sample matters to be addressed that could be found in PYP, MYP and DP schools. Matters to be addressed are areas within a school’s practice in an IB programme, which cause serious concern and which, if not addressed with some urgency, would endanger the school’s standing as an IB World School. Generally a concern rises to the level of a matter to be addressed if the school does not meet the programme standard or does not submit required documentation for the self-study questionnaire. Schools are asked to submit evidence that the matter to be addressed has been resolved.

Guiding questions: For each matter to be addressed, what might a school need to submit as evidence that the matter has been resolved?

What is a likely matter to be addressed that exists in your school? How should the school go about addressing it?

Standard A1The mission statement of the school was not submitted and no other evidence exists that there are clear and close connections between the school’s published statements of mission and philosophy, and the beliefs and values of the programme.

The school’s schedule does not promote the concurrency of learning for each student as evidenced by its description of the schedule for the Theory of Knowledge, Creativity Action and Service, Extended Essay, English HL, and Math Studies SL.

Standard A2The school does not provide students with many opportunities for learning about issues that have national or global significance, nor do units of inquiry promote the use of resources that offer access to different cultures, perspectives and languages.

Standard B1The school’s schedule indicates that it does not allocate adequate time for each subject group according to programme requirements and the needs of the students.

The school does not have a job description the programme coordinator that reflects the current duties and requirements for the position.

The school does not provide sufficient professional development opportunities to staff to ensure the continuity of the programme. Only a few members of the current staff teaching the program have attended training in the programme, as reported on Appendix 3.

Standard C1Not all of the responses to standard C1-C4 were submitted. In addition, in those that were submitted, boxes were simply ticked. No statement of conclusion was given.

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A comprehensive, coherent, written curriculum, based on the requirements of the programme and developed by the school, is not available to all sections of the school community. No documents exist to inform parents about the curriculum and what is taught in the programme.

Standard C2There is no a system in place through which all teachers plan and reflect in collaborative teams. Only teachers from a two grade levels have common planning time preventing most teachers from collaborating on units, discussing teaching strategies, reviewing assessment, or gaining an overview of the students’ whole learning experience.

Standard C3The school did not supply the required statements describing policies regarding the placement and promotion of students in instructional groups.

Standard C4The recording and reporting of assessment data do not reflect the practices and requirements of the programme. Assessment does not address all of the essential elements of the programme nor is there evidence that teachers within the same grade level consistently address a common scope and sequences for each subject group in their assessment.

Standard D1Community and service is not part of all students’ MYP experience in every year of the programme and there is no coordination of community and service activities through every year of the programme to ensure a progression of learning.

Standard D2There are no written guidelines for students about the culminating project. Teachers, students and parents report confusion about the timeline and requirements for the project.

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Possible pitfalls in the process

Wow. My brain hurts. We have covered a lot of ground in just two short days. Here is a summary of things you will want to remember when you return home.

Once you receive notification Get started on it right away. Don’t put it off. Spend a considerable amount of time reading and gathering all of the documents

before you begin. Don’t consider this to be an easy exercise that can be done effectively with only a minimal amount of work.

Involve the administration from the start. Don’t count on them understanding the magnitude of the job until you explain it to them.

Ensure that you have adequate secretarial support, if available, or a buddy to help you. Don’t try to put the self study document together on your own.

Develop a calendar within the time frame that you have. Don’t assume that everything will get done without some planning.

When you are completing the self-study Delegate responsibility to a committee for different parts of the self study. Don’t

attempt to do everything on your own. Answer every question related to your programme. Don’t skip sections, appendices

or supporting documents meant for your programme. You will be asked to submit all missing parts when you get your feedback.

Be truthful. Don’t try to invent things that aren’t there. If you do not have a school language policy or an assessment policy, say so. Better yet, write about the plans that you have in place to develop one. Some things might not be done on time, but you should demonstrate you are aware of it and not “sweep it under the carpet” or pretend to be surprised later.

Be open to the findings your school discovers. Don’t treat this as an exercise that must be endured. Instead, treat it as an opportunity to grow the program in your school and make it the best that it can be.

Before you submit the self-study Read the document, in its entirety, before you submit it. Don’t think that the

document doesn’t get read. The entire document is read and inconsistencies can sometimes become matters to be addressed.

Put it together in a way that is easy for the reader to understand your responses to all of the questions, in an orderly fashion. Don’t embed answers in text where it is difficult to determine whether or not something has been answered. Try to avoid asking the reader to hunt for something in another section. Address questions in the order given to avoid misunderstandings.

Put together what is needed. Emphasize quality over quantity. Don’t think that ten samples will necessarily explain something better than one.

Be sure to keep a copy of everything that is submitted. Don’t assume that materials will not be lost.

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After you submit the self-study Be sure to check with your principal and coordinator periodically to determine when

the final report is sent back. Don’t count on your principal or coordinator coming to you with the report in hand.

Begin addressing the areas that need strengthening you know exist or that were mentioned during your visit. You don’t have to wait for the report to begin correcting obvious needs or to start acting on the things you included in your action plan.

After you receive the evaluation report Address the Matters to be Addressed (if you have any) with appropriate support.

Don’t think that you, alone, are responsible for any necessary further reporting. Don’t put off responding to these matters by the due date selected by the regional office.

Take the recommendations seriously and evaluate how they might improve your program. Don’t think that the recommendations are not important. You are not required to act on them like the matters to be addressed but they are there to help you think about ways to strengthen your programme.

Celebrate the commendations. Don’t forget to thank folks and praise those who have done a good job.

Start working on the next program review even as this one is finishing. Continued growth is the plan. Don’t forget to learn from your experience and establish continuity within your school community.

Update your action plan as you reach the objectives you made for yourself or when you need to adjust the timelines if you realize that what you originally thought is taking much longer than expected. You are going to have to come back to it again in five years time. Don’t let it just sit there for one thousand eight hundred and twenty-five days without giving it a regular check-up.

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1

What will we do if we do (or do not) reach our goals?

Day Three (two sessions)

Session one topics: Review of Day Two notes and questions Determining next steps for your programme’s further development

o Setting priorities and goalso Analyzing the data for trends and causeso Identifying obstacles without jumping to solutionso Writing it down and following-up

Sample strengths, areas in need of strengthening and proposed solutions from PYP, MYP and DP schools

o Standard C2: collaborative planningo Standard C4: assessmento Standard A2: international-mindedness

Required policies for IB World Schoolso Language policyo Assessment policyo Special education needs policyo Academic honesty policy

Session two topics:Possible selections from many Burning questions still burning in my heart Sharing data without fear or revolt Concerns based adoption model Celebrations and quick wins Dealing with resistors Connecting solutions with other required school plans

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1 Programme Evaluation Workshop: Day 3

Determining next steps for your programme’s further development

Setting prioritiesOnce you discover what the problems are with your programme, the next step is to develop solutions to improve your programme. If you find your programme has many problems, don’t panic. Prioritize and determine what to work on first. If you find your programme doesn’t have any problems, don’t stand still. Prioritize and determine what to work on next.

There are many ways to prioritize what to work on next for your programme’s further development. Frequently schools set priorities through a mix of:

1) Alignment considerations How does it fit with overall school plan and goals? Is it something we are supposed to be doing already?

2) Chronological considerations Where are we in the school year? How much time do we have?

3) Developmental considerations We can’t do that until we know how to do this.

4) Resource considerations We only have so much time, money, people, physical space.

5) Efficacy and efficiency considerationsI know we can do this. I know we can do this quickly.

6) Overlap considerationsBy working on this we will also be working on that.

Once you have come to agreement on what the priorities are, set some goals to provide your schools with direction and focus.

Setting goalsAs the old adage says, “If you don’t know where you are going, any path will do.” Don’t go wondering in the IB programme wilderness for five more years. Set SMART goals. The frequently used acronym stands for:

Specific – has enough detail to clearly show what should happen and how. Measurable – indicates a specific method by which progress will be measured. Achievable – sets high expectations but is attainable in the given time-frame. Relevant – relates to a clear, agreed upon need. Time-bound – set a time by which the goal should be reached.

Your goals should relate to your programme standards and the people connected to your programme. They should also be within the setting of your school’s control, have a plot that is tangible, include characters from your school, and set in the not-too-distant future. When you have set your goals, you are ready to determine solutions that will help you reach the goals.

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Determining solutions and writing down objectivesBefore you determine a solution, be sure you have clearly identified the problem. Don’t jump to solutions before you understand the obstacle. For example, do community members not know about your programme because they don’t read the information you send them or don’t receive the information you send them. The solution for “non-readers” is completely different than that for “non-receivers.” Identifying the root of the problem is key to implementing better solutions and will help prevent wasted time and resources.

Look at all of your findings again to identify problems that may be common across the school, grade levels or departments. Seek solutions that allow you to “release two birds with one hand” or allow you tackle two problems with a common solution. Return to your “unpacking” exercise to remind yourself of the professional development and accountabilities you would expect for the areas you want to address.

Once you determine a solution that should become your “objective” in the school’s IB action plan. (Hint: the solutions and objectives should match required practices for your programme based on the IB’s programme standards and practices.) Double check to make sure the objective will help you reach your measurable goals and aligns with your school’s overall plan. Also, talk to the voices of experience in your school to see if the solution has been tried before, what the results were and what made the solution a success or a failure. Don’t continue to doom educators to repeating the mistakes of the past.

Writing it down and following-upOnce your school has agreed upon what the solutions to the problems are, make sure you write it down. If you don’t have a template for writing it down, the IB has created one for you: the school’s action plan. The IB template is organized standard-by-standard. You plan should include specific action steps the school needs to take towards implementing the solution. Each action step should have a time by which it should be completed and a person or group responsible for completing it. The group responsible should have an understanding of the resources available for completing the action (e.g., time, money, materials, people). These resources should also be written in the plan. Lucky for you, the IB template has all of these details as well as a column for you to identify the evidence you can collect that will signal to you that your programme is making progress towards implementing the solution you identified or the objective you set.

Finally, the plan should also include a few points in time when the school will check on the progress of the action steps. There is not a column in the IB action plan template for this step, but it is an important one. Without regular follow-up, clear assigned action steps, and the resources to implement the action steps, the solutions might never advance beyond an idea that everyone seemed to like. Soon the action plan becomes an inaction plan and five years later you wind up in the same place.

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Sample Summaries from Standard C2 (collaborative planning) 2005

Guiding questions: What confirmations, surprises or questions do you have based on the excerpts shown below? If this was your school what would you do differently? How do the excerpts compare in style and length?

Excerpt 1: PYP school self-study

Strengths:1. Meetings

Planning / reflection meetings are held approximately every six weeks at the beginning and end of units

Two grade teachers, specialist teachers, librarian, IT teacher, PYP co-coordinator, Head of Junior School attend the meetings

Improved communication regarding the timing of meetings which allows for consultation with other members of the collaborative team

Information regarding the unit(s) to be discussed is sent by email in advance of the meeting to allow for “thinking time”

Division meetings are held every two weeks Grade teams have planning time together (some back to back periods) during the

school day or week2. Changes that allow for more meeting times

1. Division meetings have been changed from every week to every 2 weeks which gives more time for planning/reflection meetings2. Reduced number of faculty and staff meetings3. More communication via email to reduce information sharing at meetings. This includes weekly “Friday Notes” for faculty, an electronic calendar and online conferences for posting information.

3. Special Wednesdays - all faculty must be available from 3:45 – 4:45 pm for:a. Planning/reflection meetingsb. Staff meetingsc. Professional Development

4. Primary and Junior Collaboration Afternoonsa. On Monday afternoons after Assembly, no Primary classes have Specialist classes booked (from 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.) This allows for team teaching and collaboration between classroom teachers and Specialists. On Thursday afternoons, the Junior Division has the same.b. The PYP Coordinator works with the teachers in Grade Level Unit of Inquiry meetings to facilitate collaboration projects and then adds them to the calendar.

Practices in need of strengthening:1. Continue to work on time issues especially amount of meeting time for subject

specialist teachers.2. Determine a way to move students from class to class during back to back planning

times for homeroom teachers so that they are not interrupted.

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3. Monitor the amount of Professional Learning occurring during West Side Wednesdays to allow for sufficient opportunities for collaborative planning and reflection.

4. Continue to look at the amount of time faculty must commit to co-curriculars after school and within the school day. Too large a load has the potential to deplete the collaborative planning time.

Proposals for improvement:1. Reduce number of required co-curriculars to one for all full-time faculty.2. Organize co-curriculars so that grade team partners have their co-curricular activity

on the same night.3. Provide release time to allow staff members to visit other local IB schools and

classes.4. Continue to focus on use of backward design in developing assessment for units.5. Commit a minimum of one West Side Wednesday per month to IB planning and work

towards two per month.6. Proposed scheduling of IB planning times:Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Division Meeting IB Planning Time Division Meeting

IB Planning Time IB Planning Time


IB Planning Time IB Planning Time


Excerpt 2: DP school self-study (cross-subject summary)

Strengths: Examination and college admission data are objective indicators of a successful

program, the result of careful and meticulous planning on the part of an extremely dedicated and competent faculty.

Despite the lack of scheduled, common planning time, our teachers coordinate efforts to provide interdisciplinary links and to support students in monitoring their workload and expectations, though these efforts are not consistent throughout the program.

Planning does not take place in a vacuum. Our students’ individual and collective needs – both academic and otherwise – inform decisions regarding planning and assessment.

Our teachers are very much aware of the individual learning needs, strengths, and weaknesses of our students.

Practices in need of strengthening:Though several mechanisms are in place to mitigate against the lack of common planning time, scheduling formal opportunities for collaborative planning would be beneficial.

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Proposals for improvement:Starting in 2007-2008, there will be a formal collaboration opportunity built into the master IB schedule. This time will be used to plan collaboratively, to address the needs of individual students, to address assessment issues, to discuss ways of continuing to integrate the Learner Profile in our curriculum, and to discuss ways to enhance international-mindedness.

Excerpt 3: DP school self-study (individual subject summaries from same school)

Strengths:Group 1: Overall view of the program from the coodinators’ point of view is strong.Group 2: All IB teachers are provided with proper documentation and sufficient preparation for activities.Group 3: Accommodating learning styles, coordinating assignments.Group 4: Motivate students to perform at the highest levels, coherent faculty goes above and beyond to keep each other informed (often through the IB coordinator).Group 5: We continually receive updates on IB publications through our Programme Coordinator. These allow us to alter our instruction as necessary to provide students with the best learning experience and means for success in the Programme. Students are responsible for keeping an Assessment Calendar with allows for the collaborative planning of appropriately timed assessments throughout the school year.Group 6: The school is committed and has implemented a system through which all teachers have adequate time to plan and reflect in collaborative teams.TOK: A credit to our IB faculty, teachers engage in some collaborative planning though no specific time is provided for such planning in our schedule. There are mechanisms in place to mitigate against the lack of common planning time (i.e., the assessment calendar).

Practices in need of strengthening:

Group 1: Teachers “in trenches” only see limited view of whole program. There is lack of collaboration with teachers of IB.

Group 2: Strengthen sequencing.

Group 3: Collaboration among teachers.

Group 4: Knowledge of others courses’ material, supporting the lowest struggling students, explicit interdisciplinary planning.

Group 5: Collaboration time is needed for all teachers within the school day. This would enable all teachers to gain an overview of the students’ whole learning experience throughout the year and provide for strategies necessary to optimize the students’ learning

Group 6: No suggestions at this time.TOK: Lack of common planning / collaboration time for IB teachers.

Proposals for improvement:

Group 1: IB/AP collaboration time needed next year for vertical teaming (rather than horizontal collaboration).

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Group 2: None.

Group 3: Arrange for collaboration.

Group 4: More opportunity for communication, common planning (collaboration) time.

Group 5: Scheduling time in next year’s curriculum for all teachers to meet at the same time and to meet with students in need of supplemental learning strategies.

Group 6: The school needs to implement a similar system for non IB courses which seems at times to be neglected so that the needs of the IB can be met and exceeded.

TOK: Provide common planning / collaboration time for IB teachers.

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Sample Summaries from Standard C4 (assessment) 2005Guiding questions: What confirmations, surprises or questions do you have based on the excerpts? If this was your school what would you do differently? How do the excerpts compare in style and length?

Excerpt 1: PYP school self-studyStrengths1. There is a school-wide Assessment Policy in place from JK through Grade 12 (IB2).2. There has been significant professional development focused on assessment. One example of professional development that all staff members have taken part in is meeting with assessment experts from the local university.3. Teachers have developed inquiry feedback forms that focus on “highlights” and “next steps” and include areas for student reflection and parent comments.4. Most teachers feel that assessment criteria are clear to and understood by students.5. Most teachers feel that the assessment criteria are outlined carefully to parents. Some parents, however, still struggle with understanding levels of achievement. Examples of this are:

At the end of a math unit, parents receive a detailed checklist that identifies skill areas of strength and skill areas that require strengthening. Occasionally, parents will go through the assessment and attempt to figure out a “percent” mark.

While our levels of achievement clearly reflect the importance of independence in achieving skills, some parents still assist students significantly in completing their projects – showing that they do not understand the importance we place on the “process” of learning, not simply the product.

6. Grade level teams meet regularly at the end of units of inquiry to review the formative and summative assessment criteria and strategies.7. Most teachers feel that they use a balanced range of strategies that may include: performance tasks, end of unit questionnaires, student reflections, rubrics, checklists. Formative assessment takes place throughout units of inquiry. With a school focus on Critical Thinking, grade level teams work toward developing summative assessments that involve higher level thinking skills (often involving a performance task).8. All students in our Lower School maintain a portfolio. Over the past few years, we have worked toward moving away from “collection” portfolios and toward “growth” portfolios. Student self-assessment and reflection is stressed in all areas of our Program of Inquiry. All students are required to complete self-assessment tools at the end of units of inquiry and study.9. At the beginning of each unit of inquiry, teachers complete charts noting what students already know and what they would like to know. Student questions are an integral part to the development of all units of inquiry and guide the teaching. Assessing current knowledge in stand alone, subject-specific areas, does not

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appear to take place regularly as teachers are clear with what skills have been previously taught (e.g. the consistency of our French program, the format of our Everyday Mathematics program) and where their students stand in terms of mastering these skill sets.10. Teachers are well aware of the importance of prompt feedback. Classroom teachers in the Junior Division find that the marking and detailed written feedback required within units of inquiry can be overwhelming, at times. Teachers are looking to “scale back” the detail given in student feedback and want to move away from the big “end of unit project” assessments so that it becomes less overwhelming. We are moving towards breaking down projects into smaller chunks so that providing feedback is more manageable, efficient and consistent.11. All teachers provide consistent oral feedback to students as they learn within the classroom.12. All teachers provide students with consistent opportunities for self-reflection on their learning.13. All students maintain growth portfolios. Some teachers are experimenting with student-led conferences.14. One of our goals, as a school, is to move toward an assessment model that includes the participation of all students in student-led conferences. Student-led Conferences will be implemented in 2006-2007 from JK to Grade 6.15. As a school, we provide parents formal feedback four times during the school year. This includes two parent-teacher conferences and two written report cards. Our report cards focus on “levels of achievement”, “commitment to learning” (rather than “effort – a new shift in 2005/2006) and the “learner profile”. Individualized written comments are included on each page of the report card, for each subject area. An area is included for both student and parent reflections.16. In between reporting, teachers prepare end of unit assessments that go home and are signed by both parents and students.17. Recording data on student learning has moved away from keeping a daybook of “grades”. Rather, it is a collection of anecdotal comments, checklists, rubrics and student self-reflections that are used to communicate student learning. Samples of this are gathered in student “growth portfolios”.Whenever possible, teachers incorporate the learner profile as a part of documenting student growth.18. NOTE: Classrooms teachers in the Junior Division would not use the word “efficient” to describe the recording of student learning. Providing written feedback during units of inquiry, both formative and summative, can be daunting and extremely time consuming.19. In between reporting, teachers prepare end of unit assessments that are signed by both parents and students (with a space for parent and student reflections)20. Performance tasks are often used to assess how students are able to apply and transfer their skills. In many of our assessments, both students and parents

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are asked to include reflections and comments on achievement to assist with “next steps” or goal setting.21. Many teachers in the school have now taken part in Dr. Mel Levine’s School’s Attuned program, focusing on the different learning styles of students. As part of our Special Wednesdays, many teachers have participated in sessions on differentiated instruction, led by our Learning Strategies Coordinator. As a result, teachers are well aware of assessing different learning styles/needs and have concrete strategies that can be applied to address these.22. Lower School teachers consistently analyze information from their assessments to modify teaching and learning strategies. One strategy that many teachers use is “extra help” sessions. These are small group sessions where students receive individualized instruction to help them catch up on work missed or to help consolidate their skills. These “extra helps” take place both throughout units of inquiry (when formative assessments identify an area of need) and at the end of units of inquiry (when summative assessments identify an area of need).23. All students at the school maintain a growth portfolio.24. All student report cards are stored on a shared drive that can be accessed by the Lower School faculty. This allows teachers to reflect on report cards from past years, while allowing for all teachers to share grades throughout the school year. These can be accessed, within minutes, from any school computer.25. Hard copies of Provincial Records are maintained for each student at the school, as required by Provincial Law.

Practices in need of strengthening:1. Continue to develop and refine the approach to student-led conferencing.2. Continue to educate our parent community about assessment practices and the essential elements of the PYP.3. Review and refine our approach growth portfolios and address systems to share information between grades through diagnostic internal files.4. Review the Lower School report card in 2007-2008 to address its content, design and generation (software application).

Proposals for improvement1. Further develop faculty understanding of and implementation of our school’s written assessment policy.2. Continue to educate parents regarding levels of academic achievement and the development of skills and attitudes through the Learner Profile.3. Consider more opportunities for peer-assessment opportunities within the classroom and school.4. Find strategies for managing the amount of assessment and feedback required during units of inquiry, thus allowing teachers to provide students with more prompt feedback on larger projects.5. Find ways to make our growth portfolios more consistent among the grade levels.6. Establish a committee for 2007-2008 to review the report card.

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Excerpt 2: MYP / DP school self-studyStrengthsParents are informed of the curriculum and of the evaluation methods and marking practices on Orientation Night in mid-Sept. Each teacher presents this information to parents both orally and in writing as parents follow a shortened version of their child’s schedule for an evening (15 minutes classes). This information is kept on file at the school as well. Teachers also share this info with students as the year begins.

Particularly in the Personal Project area we have an effective standardization process, spending a day together doing anchor papers before the assessment team evaluates the projects. A similar process is followed before the evaluation of the graduation exam in English Language Arts.

Assignments are returned to students in a timely fashion to ensure students will have the feedback necessary to improve.

Practices in need of strengthening:There should be greater attention paid to peer and self-evaluation and reflection.

Proposals for improvementAsk teachers to include an opportunity for peer and self-reflection in the new units they develop.

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Sample Summaries from Standard A2 (international-mindedness) 2005All schools are asked in the self-study how they promote and practice international-mindedness. What is international-mindedness? How do you define it in words or practice?

Guiding questions: What confirmations, surprises or questions do you have based on the excerpts? If this was your school what would you do differently? How do the excerpts compare in style and length?

Excerpt 1: PYP school self-studyBy what means does the school promote international-mindedness throughout the school community?The Learner Profile is viewed as the lens for international-mindedness within the entire school community. The following provide opportunities to explore and highlight elements of the Learner Profile in action:

1. Assemblies2. Units of inquiry3. Professional Learning:

A World of Possibilities Conference – November 2004 Global Education Summer Institute – August 2005 Internationalism Workshop – November 2005 Level 3, IB Critical Thinking – June 2006

4. The Triangle of Hope program which involves a partnership between our school another local school and a school in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

5. Community service initiatives including actions which evolve from units of inquiry

6. Learner Profile displays in classrooms and common areas.

StrengthsInternational-mindedness is a focus within the Junior School. Students are given opportunities to learn about other cultures and perspectives through their units of inquiry, assemblies, guest speakers, special programs and field trips. Some recent and/or ongoing examples include:

Assemblies – using the diversity of local families Field trips e.g., International Market, Little India, Chinatown, sacred places of

worship Guest speakers - authors, artists, activists, leaders from religious community

e.g., henna artist, masks Musical presentations e.g. French Week, drumming workshops, Chinese Opera Empathy week e.g. guests who are disabled, MS Readathon, Special Olympics Acknowledgement of a variety of holidays and celebrations and respect

cultural and religious holiday traditions e.g. art masks – relationship between self and another culture

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Practices in need of strengthening:1. Circulate appropriate second language books to the students. This will be

enhanced when we have appropriate materials in larger numbers as the Resource Centre collection grows.

2. Continue to reach out into the community to enhance opportunities for students to explore their ideas and assumptions about international-mindedness. This will and should include field trips, guest speakers and special events and assemblies.

Excerpt 2: DP school self-studyBy what means does the school promote international-mindedness throughout the school community?The school promotes international-mindedness in the following ways:

Curriculum – The district has made a concerted effort to include the contributions of people from different lands and cultures in our curriculum at all levels and in all disciplines. The authorization to deliver the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme has furthered this goal. IB curricula, by their very nature, promote international-mindedness.

Music Performance – The school’s band, orchestra, jazz band, choir, and chorus perform musical selections from an array of cultural sources during public performances.

Global Link – The result of a CAS project completed by our IB students who graduated in 2005, Global Link was designed to engage IB students in different countries in cooperative CAS endeavors to raise funds to benefit a humanitarian organization in one of the participating countries. Global Link’s focus and direction have changed somewhat and the attention paid by our current students to the endeavor has varied. A core group of students is currently attempting to re-energize Global Link.

Building with Books – A co-curricular activity that is available to all students and serves as a CAS activity for IB students, Building with Books engages students in fundraising activities that contribute to the building of schools in developing countries. The national organization provides instructional materials (videos, speakers) that facilitate the exploration of the cultures of developing nations. Representatives of different Building with Books chapters throughout the country travel to the building sites to help in the construction process.

HACIA Democracy – A university organizes and runs a model Organization of American States, engaging students in the preparation and defense of proposals designed to assist the developing countries of the Americas. Some of our students participate in HACIA as part of the CAS program. The experience culminates with a conference held in Latin America.

World Affairs Council – Another CAS opportunity for our students, our World Affairs Council is a chapter in the larger state and national organization. Students participate in programs that explore issues of local, national, and international importance through a variety of activities including interacting with guests and participating in mock United Nations programs.

Save Darfur – An ad hoc committee of the World Affairs Council and a CAS endeavor, Save Darfur is designed to raise awareness, provide information, raise funds, and promote political action to remedy the situation in Darfur.

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ESL Events – The school district’s ESL program sponsors a variety of events that bring together the families of students who are receiving ESL services (i.e., families from countries in which English is not the primary language), to which faculty and staff are invited.

International Travel – Prior to the events of September 11, 2001 the Spanish and French departments organized and directed programs of international travel including home stays, immersion experiences, cultural travel and coursework. Though our efforts in this regard have been thwarted in recent years, there is a concerted effort to revise this program.

Strengths Attention to international-mindedness is inherently present in all IB curricula, and the

attention paid to his matter in our IB classes is a strength. The general climate of our school is one of understanding and support, demonstrated

by the actions of student and adults alike. When students act contrary to this principle, appropriate measure are taken to rectify the situation and to assure that the incident becomes a learning experience for the student(s) involved.

The World Languages department of the school offers a wide array of language for a relatively small high school. We offer classes in Spanish, French, Latin and Japanese. Our district is considering the addition of Chinese to our course offerings.

Students who are not native speakers of English complete the Group 1 (first language) requirement through a self-taught Language A1 SL course option. Native speakers of other languages who have acquired native or near-native proficiency in English have been encouraged to purse their native language on a self-taught basis, according to IB regulations, even though they are able to fulfill the group 1 requirement in English. The IB coordinator, with the help of the students’ families, has constructed self-taught curricula in German A1, French A1, and Chinese A1.

There is a willingness among teachers to engage students in internationally-conducted surveys, studies, etc. For example, our IB Psychology teacher engaged our students in a Freedom and Religion survey conducted by an IB school in the Middle East. Unfortunately, the data gathered by our students became confused and therefore, unusable, so they were not submitted. The desire to participate, however, was evident, and our psychology teacher will engage our students in the is and/or similar experiences in the future as opportunities arise.

Global Link is the result of ambitious vision from previous IB students. Though the current student leadership of this organization has faltered, it remains in theory a strong opportunity for student to engage in international community service.

We have had some success in inviting local community members to engage our students in discussions that promote international mindedness. A retired US ambassador in Latin America, who lives in our community, met with our IB juniors and seniors this year.

Practices in need of strengthening:1. Though our promotion of international-mindedness as an outgrowth of the curriculum

is relatively strong, it is not consistently strong in all disciplines. Additionally, more overt discussion and related experiences would be a benefit to our students an a positive enhancement of our program.

2. The international network of IB schools offers substantial opportunities for students to engage in communication and activities that cross geographic borders, easily facilitated by ICT. Though the coordinator makes such opportunities available to

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teachers, opportunities are not seized due to time constraints, etc. Suggestions have included coordinating with collection of data from different parts of the world for a Group 4 (science) Project, connecting with students in Spanish and French speaking countries through our Language B (second language) classes, and connecting our History of the Americas students to students elsewhere in the Americas.

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Required schoolwide policies for IB World Schools

Language policyFor all three programmes, the IB requires schools to “develop a language policy that is consistent with IB expectations” with their self-study.

WHAT IS IT?A school’s language policy describes the beliefs and practices in place at the school to support language learning. The development of your school's language policy is important but may not need to be such a difficult task, especially if you have clear policies already written or understood regarding how the school provides for instruction and support to students in:

The language of instruction. The language of instruction is the language in which most of the curriculum is taught. In some schools, there may be two or more equal languages of instruction. Language of instruction support should be a key focus point in the language policy, particularly for those whose mother tongue is not the language of instruction.

The school’s additional language(s) (a.k.a., language B in the MYP or the subjects in group 2 in the DP). The additional language refers in this document to the language that the school offers in addition to the language of instruction. The teaching of an additional language is a requirement of all programmes, unless in the PYP a school has two or more equal languages of instruction.

Support for the students’ mother-tongue languages. The complexities of a student’s language profile may make the process of determining a mother tongue difficult. The mother tongue describes the language most frequently spoken at home, but there may, of course, be more than one language that a child uses comfortably at home.

The written policy should simply describe a school's agreed upon practice. If there is no agreement then it might be a more daunting task. Don’t forget to check to see if your governing board already has specific policy language for the instruction and support of second language speakers (e.g., English learners, heritage speakers).

NEED MORE INFORMATION?The IB's Guidelines for developing a school language policy (2006) can help you devise a process for creating a language policy if you need help in how to go about the process. It may also be a simple matter of pulling together and reviewing existing policies. The IB has also developed documents specific to language learning, such as Learning in a language other than mother tongue in IB programmes (2008)

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MYP site visitor training (Draft October 2011)New self-study requirements (December 2011 onwards)

DP evaluation reader guidelines (June 2011)Prior self-study requirements (up to December 2011)

Language policyThe documented language policy includes (as applicable):

o the school language philosophy

o school language profileo support for mother tongueso support for students who are

not proficient in the language of instruction

o learning of the host country or regional language and culture

o reflection of needs of students in language A and B course offerings

o strategies to support all teachers in their contribution to the language development of students.

Language policyThe language policy submitted by the school includes…

o the school’s language philosophy;o the school’s language profile;o the current language situations and practices;o discussions that support the teaching of second

languages;o the teaching of mother-tongue languages different

from the language of instruction of the school;o the active development and maintenance of the

mother-tongue for all learners;o the description of practices that recognize that all

teachers are, in practice, language teachers with responsibilities in facilitating communication;

o explicit links to other working documents such as assessment, admissions, and special educational needs (SEN) policies;

o the roles and responsibilities for the evaluation of the effectiveness of the language policy as a working document;

o the committee that participated in the development of the documents;

o how the policy will be periodically revised;o a description on how the document is

communicated to the whole school community.

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MYP site visitor training (Draft October 2011)New self-study requirements (December 2011 onwards)

DP evaluation reader guidelines (June 2011)Prior self-study requirements (up to December 2011)

Assessment policy Documented assessment policy

that includes:o a philosophy of assessment

that supports student learningo common practices in using the

MYP assessment criteria and determining achievement levels

o common practices in recording and reporting MYP assessment

o frequency of formative and summative assessment

o how the school will combine MYP assessment with national requirements (where applicable).

Assessment policyThe school’s assessment document submitted includes…

o a statement of the philosophy and principles that underpin all assessment practice;

o a definition of the purposes of assessment and indicators of effective assessment and assessment practice;

o a description that shows it complies with IB requirements;o and national (or district) requirements or the existence of

other programmes and a description on how they impact the IB programme;

o formative and summative assessment practices including:• grading/marking• recording• reporting• homework;

o explicit articulation with other school policies (such academic honesty, special education needs, language, admissions);

o the roles and responsibilities for the implementation, evaluation and review of this policy;

o a description of the committee that participated in the development of this document;

o a description of how the policy will be periodically reviewed;o a description of how the document is communicated to the

whole school community.

Special Education Needs Policy Documented policy on the

support given to special educational needs within the school student body.

The special educational needs policy includes services provided, staff responsible, entry identification procedures and exit support structures.

There are resources to support the policy (special needs teacher, training, etc.).

N/A

Academic honesty Documented policy on academic

honesty. Policy includes monitoring

processes. There are resources to support

the policy (software to check plagiarism, student guides, specific training, etc.).

N/A

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Special Education Needs Policy Documented policy on the

support given to special educational needs within the school student body.

The special educational needs policy includes services provided, staff responsible, entry identification procedures and exit support structures.

There are resources to support the policy (special needs teacher, training, etc.).

N/A

Academic honesty Documented policy on academic

honesty. Policy includes monitoring

processes. There are resources to support

the policy (software to check plagiarism, student guides, specific training, etc.).

N/A

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Excerpts from school’s self-studies: language policies (2005)

Excerpt 1: PYP school self-studyPractices in need of strengthening:1. Work towards developing and implementing a school-wide language policy Junior Kindergarten through Grade 12 prior to Evaluation.

Proposals for improvement:Practice 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08

Language Policy

Complete policy in draft (April 2006)

Implement Mandarin mother tongue classes for JS students after school

Develop the French language collection in JS Resource Centre (Library)

Implement policy (JK –Grade 12)

Expand mother tongue language offerings to JS students

Continue to develop multiple language resources in the JS Resource Centre

Refine policy (JK to Grade 12)

Expand mother tongue language offerings to JS students

Continue to develop multiple language resources in the JS Resource Centre

Excerpt 2: MYP school self-studyNeither the school nor school board has a language policy as such. However, we are subject to Bill 101, a provincial piece of legislation designed to ensure the survival of the French language and culture in Quebec. It outlines that only students who receive a Certificate of Eligibility will be able to attend English schools. This certificate is dependent on a parent having gone to an English school in Canada. What this means is that all students who come to our school have an English background, and speak some English. Some exceptions are possible, as for example with exchange students. We do not offer English as a second language.

Additionally it is important to recognize that the vast majority of our students (whether MYP or not) are the products of an immersion programme in their elementary school years.

At our school we offer three types of programming at each grade level: One group/class of regular student where all subjects, except the actual French

language course, are taken in English; Two groups/classes of Immersion students where some academic courses are taken in

French, in addition to a French language course; Five groups/classes of MYP where some academic classes are taken in French, in

addition to language courses in Spanish and French.

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Assessment policyFor all three programmes, the IB requires schools to “develop an assessment policy that is consistent with IB expectations” with their self-study.

WHAT IS IT?A school’s assessment policy describes the beliefs and practices in place at the school regarding the purpose and use of assessment. The development of your school's assessment policy is important but may not need to be such a difficult task, especially if you have clear policies already written or understood regarding the assessment process and how the particular requirements of the IB programme either shape or fit with practices in the school. The policy should cover:

Purpose. An assessment policy’s statement of purpose is the answer to the question: “What do we assess and why?” The agreed upon purpose of assessment in the school should drive all of its assessment practices.

Strategies. Assessment strategies are the collection of common practices and tools used by people in the school to achieve the defined purpose of assessment. Some strategies may be formal with strict rules and standardized administration requirement; others may be informal, such as “checking for understanding” or student reflections. The description of assessment strategies in a assessment policy answers the question: “How do we assess?”

Recording and reporting. The recording and reporting of student assessment generally comes with an established procedure and a specific vocabulary for relaying results to students, parents and to individuals or parties that need to be informed of student learning. A description of a school’s recording and reporting of assessment will likely include the means and frequency of official reports (e.g., transcripts, marks or progress updates) and the audience for the documents. A description of the school’s assessment vocabulary will include the words or symbols used to convey information about student learning and progress (e.g., letter grades, percentages, criteria, descriptors, mark bands). This may be IB vocabulary or local vocabulary.

Responsibilities. The assessment responsibilities in the policy define who is responsible for what in the assessment process from development to administration and reporting. It can include both formal and informal and may include some student responsibilities.

Programme requirements: All authorized schools must follow the assessment requirements specific to each IB programme (e.g., reporting on the Learner Profile in the PYP, using subject specific criteria in each year in the MYP, and internal assessment requirements in the DP). Each programme also has a culminating project and the policy should demonstrate the school follows the IB requirements for it.

Review: The IB also wants to know how the school periodically reviews its assessment policy or policies.

The written policy should simply describe a school's agreed upon practice. It does not need to be an instruction manual or a lengthy treaty. If there is no agreement then it might be a more daunting task. Don’t forget to check to see if your governing board already has specific

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policy language regarding the use of assessment and grading practices. Even more important, don’t forget the IB has nine specific practices under standard C4: Assessment as well as programme-specific requirements that should be reflected in you policy, if they are not already.

NEED MORE INFORMATION?The IB philosophy on assessment is included in many official documents including:

From Principles into Practice: Diploma Programme From Principles into Practice: Middle Years Programme Making the PYP Happen Programme standards and practices Guidelines for developing a school assessment policy in the Diploma Programme

Some of these documents explicitly address how to create an assessment policy and may be particularly helpful if you are starting from scratch. They can also be helpful in identifying where your current policies need to be augmented or strengthened.

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Special educational needs policyStarting in December 2010, the IB will require all schools to submit a special education needs policy with their self-study.

WHAT IS IT?A school’s special educational needs policy describes the beliefs and practices in place at the school regarding the instruction and support of students within the IB programme with special educational needs. The development of your school's special needs policy is important but may not need to be such a difficult task, especially if you have clear policies already written or understood regarding how special education needs are defined, identified, and supported. In North America, many of these are mandated by law. The policy should cover:

Definition. The definition of special education needs in the policy indicates what special educational needs are recognized and how students are identified as having them. Who or what qualifies as special educational needs is not universally agreed upon.

Responsibilities. The special educational needs responsibilities in the policy define who is responsible for identifying and supporting students with special needs. It will shed more light on the process of identification and support of special needs students.

Differentiated support. The policy should provide information on how teaching approaches and supports are differentiated to match students’ needs. According to the IB, “differentiation should be visible and transparent in policy documents in order to meet IB expectations for authorization and evaluation.”

Accommodations for assessment. The policy should include information on how accommodations are made in the assessment process for students with special educational needs. For Diploma Programme schools, the accommodations should match those that are allowed by the IB.

The written policy should simply describe a school's agreed upon practice. If there is no agreement then it might be a more daunting task. For most state sponsored schools, most of the work is already done since it is often regulated by state, provincial or national laws and departments or ministries of education. Don’t forget to check to see if your governing board already has specific policy language regarding the identification and support of students with special educational needs.

NEED MORE INFORMATION?The IB has made a commitment to providing more information and suggestions for schools about the field of special education needs. There is a special section of the OCC where you can find the following documents.

Special educational needs within the International Baccalaureate programmes (2010) Diploma Programme: Candidates with special assessment needs (2009) Teaching students with particular special educational and learning needs (2004) Middle Years Programme: From principles into practice (2008)

These documents will be useful references to see if your school’s approach to supporting students with special educational needs matches the IB’s recommentations.

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Academic honesty policyStarting in December 2010, the IB will require Middle Years Programme and Diploma Programme schools to submit an academic honesty policy with their self-study.

WHAT IS IT?A school’s academic honesty policy describes the beliefs and practices in place at the school regarding the development of student skills, knowledge and attitudes towards what academic honesty is and how breaches of academic honesty are handled by the school and by the IB. The development of your school's academic honesty policy is important but may not need to be such a difficult task, especially if you have clear policies already written or understood regarding how academic honesty is defined, supported and enforced. A school’s academic honesty policy should include:

Definition. The definition of academic honesty in the policy sets the boundaries and expectations for students. It outlines what is and is not acceptable behavior on the part of students and makes reference to the IB’s regulations on academic malpractice.

Responsibilities. The academic honesty responsibilities outline teachers’ and students’ roles in developing and furthering students’ understanding of academic honesty; providing ongoing support for the development of skills and behavior to reinforce academic honesty; and holding students’ accountable for violations.

Accountability. The policy should indicate the procedures and consequences for students when dishonesty is discovered. The policy should note both the procedures and consequences of the school and those of the IB when it relates to programme-specific assessment components.

The written policy should simply describe a school's agreed upon practice. If there is no agreement then it might be a more daunting task. Many secondary schools talk about the need for academic honesty and the consequences for cheating in their student or parent handbooks. Don’t forget to check to see if your governing board already has a specific policy language regarding the use of assessment and grading practices.

NEED MORE INFORMATION?The IB's Handbook of procedures and General regulations for the MYP and the DP provide clear definitions of what constitutes malpractice (i.e., breaches of academic honesty) and what the formal IB procedures are in the context of IB awarded grades. For the Diploma Programme, IB has published an Academic honesty (2009) document and has a ethical practices poster on the OCC in a special academic honesty section.

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1

Workbook extras

Ideas from research and experience in school change and school improvement

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1 Programme Evaluation Workshop: Workbook Extras

Ideas from research and experience in school change and school improvement

In the appendices you will find suggestions on the following topics that may help your school work together as a team through the changes you will make to improve.

Differentiation Adult learning needs Concerns-based adoption model Changing people’s minds about change

Differentiation and adult learners

Differentiation is a teaching concept in which the classroom teacher plans for the diverse needs of students [including adults]. The teacher [or professional development planner] must consider such differences as the students’:

Learning styles, skill levels, and rates Learning difficulties

Language proficiency Background experiences and knowledge

Interests Motivation Ability to attend

Social and emotional development Various intelligences

Levels of abstraction Physical needs

Four Ways to differentiate instruction: Differentiating the content/topic Differentiating the process/activities Differentiating the product Differentiating by manipulating the environment or through accommodating

individual learning styles

Source: Tomlinson, Carol Ann. “Differentiation of Instruction in the Elementary Grades.” ERIC Digest. Downloaded at: http://www.ericdigests.org/2001-2/elementary.html

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Adult learning needs Meets their personal and professional needs. Adults will commit to learning when

the goals and objectives are realistic and considered important to them. Give participants some control over the what, who, how, why, when, and where.

Adults want to be the origin of their own learning and will resist learning activities they believe are an attack on their competence.

Is related and relevant to their day-to-day activities. Adult learners need to see that the professional development learning will be useful.

Provides direct, concrete experiences. Adult learners need to see that the professional development learning will be applicable in real work.

Structured to provide support from peers. Adult learning has ego involved and professional development must reduce the fear of judgment during learning.

Allow the learner to practice the learning and receive structured, helpful feedback. Adults need to receive feedback on how they are doing and the results of their efforts.

Provide an opportunity to share, reflect, and generalize their learning experiences. Adults need to participate in small-group activities during the learning to move them beyond understanding to application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.

Accommodate for diversity. Adult learners come to learning with a wide range of previous experiences, knowledge, self-direction, interests, and competencies.

Help transfer learning into daily practice so that it is sustained. Adult learners do not transfer learning automatically; it must be facilitated through coaching and other kinds of follow-up support

Source: Speck, M. (1996, Spring). “Best practice in professional development for sustained educational change.” ERS Spectrum, 33-41.

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Fist to Five

Purpose: This process is a convenient way to determine the degree of support within a group for a given proposal.

Once a team, task force, or committee has indicated that they are moving in a clear direction, the facilitator states the proposal or direction as they perceive it. They then ask every member of the group to indicate how they feel about the direction based on a scale of fist to five.

Fist: “That is a no good idea and I am going to block you if you try to implement it” (In other words a no vote.)

One finger: “I do not agree, but I promise not to block it.”

Two fingers: “I do not agree, but I will work for it.”

Three fingers: “I am neutral.”

Four fingers: “It is a good idea and I will work for it.”

Five fingers: “It is a great idea and I will be one of the leaders in implementing it.”

In other words, the Fist to Five is simply a scale from a “no” vote to a “yes” vote with varying degrees in between.

Once every member in the group has indicated how they feel, the leader should turn to any blocker and ask, “What part of our current proposal do you object to?” The reason for doing this is two-fold. One reason for having input into decision making is that often one individual can see a particular problem with the current decision that the rest of the group has not seen. If the person holds up a fist, it is possible for the rest of the group to “see the light” and to compromise. Secondly, input is helpful because it places the responsibility or accountability where it rightfully belongs, with the person who has an objection. This forces that person to state openly to the rest of their colleagues exactly what they object to and why. This reduces the possibility that the individual will object simply because they don’t feel well that day or because they do not like the person who proposed the idea.

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Data Intersections: Using multiple measures of data

Victoria Bernhardt talks about data, excerpts from“Taking Measure: Pause to look at the intersections in the data.” Journal of Staff Development

I think that to make good improvement decisions, educators should look at four categories of data: demographic data, student learning data, perceptual data, and school process data.

Demographic data provide descriptive information on items such as enrollment, attendance, grade level, ethnicity, gender, home background, and language proficiency. Student learning data describe an educational system in terms of standardized test results, grade point averages, standard assessments, and other formal assessments.

Perceptual data help us understand what students, parents, teachers, and others think about the learning environment. Perceptions are important since people act based on what they believe. School process data define programs, instructional strategies, and classroom practices. This measure seems to be hardest to describe, yet it is the one type of data that's most readily available to document.

School processes, meaning the instructional and assessment strategies we use and programs we offer, are critical for understanding how we get the results we are getting. Schools have these data, but they often are not coded in their data analyses that way. Or sometimes it is hard to describe how reading is taught, for instance, because there is no systematic approach.

When we ‘intersect’ data, we are looking at two or more types of data at the same time. This may or may not be the same as disaggregating data, where we break a whole into parts. When we intersect data, we look for the overlapping, the commonalities, or the relationship of two or more types of data.

If I were going to evaluate a professional development program, I would compare teachers in the population with those enrolled in the professional development program (intersecting program information with demographics). I would be able to learn if my program reached those I wanted to reach. Next, I would ask questions about the impact of the professional development in the teachers' classrooms and study the results by what they teach (perceptions by school processes). This intersection would help me know if the program had more of an impact on lower grade-level teachers versus upper grade-level teachers, for example.”

Bernhardt, V. quoted in Champion, R. (2005). “Taking Measure: Pause to look at the intersections in the data.” Journal of Staff Development, Vol. 26, No. 2. Oxford, OH: National Staff Development Council

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Demographics: enrollment, attendance, dropout rate, ethnicity, gender, grade level*Over time demographic data indicate changes in the context of the school

Student learning: standardized tests, norm / criterion-referenced tests, teacher observation of abilities, authentic assessments*Over time, student learning data give information about student performance on different measures.

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Tells Us:The impact of student

perceptions of the learning environment on student learning

Tells Us:The impact of the program on

student learning based upon the perceptions of the program and

the processes used

Tells Us:If a program is making a difference in student

learning results

Tells Us:What

processes / programs work

best for different groups

of students in terms of student

learning

Tells Us:The impact of demographic factors and

attitudes about the learning

environment on student learning

Tells Us:What processes /

programs different groups of students

liked best

Tells Us:Student participation in different programs

and processes

Tells Us:If groups of students

are “experiencing school” differently

Perceptions: perception of learning environm

ent, values and beliefs, attitudes, observations.*O

ver time, perceptions can tell us about

environmental im

provements.

Allows the prediction of actions, processes, programs, that best meet the learning

needs of all students

Source: Bernhardt, V. 2004. Data Analysis for Continuous School Improvement, 2nd ed. Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education

WHAT THE DATA INTERSECTIONS TELL US


Concerns-based adoption model

The concerns-based adoption model helps us understand what individual’s concerns might be and how to address them when schools implement change. Hord and Hall theorize that when confronted with change individuals generally fall into one of seven stages, each one reflecting a higher level of interest or engagement with the change. Below are the levels and suggestions on how to work with individuals at each stage.

Stage 0: Awareness (Aware changes are being introduced but not interested or concerned.) If possible, involve teachers in discussions and decisions about the innovation and its

implementation. Share enough information to arouse interest, but not so much it overwhelms. Acknowledge that a lack of awareness is expected and reasonable and that there are no foolish

questions.Stage 1: Informational (Interested in some information about the change.)

Provide clear and accurate information about the innovation. Use several ways to share information — verbally, in writing, and through available media.

Communicate with large and small groups and individuals. Help teachers see how the innovation relates to their current practices — the similarities and the

differences.Stage 2: Personal (Wants to know the personal impact of the change.)

Legitimize the existence and expression of personal concerns. Use personal notes and conversations to provide encouragement and reinforce personal

adequacy. Connect these teachers with others whose personal concerns have diminished and who will be

supportive.Stage 3: Management (Concerned about how the change will be managed in practice.)

Clarify the steps and components of the innovation. Provide answers that address the small specific “how-to” issues. Demonstrate exact and practical solutions to the logistical problems that contribute to these

concerns.Stage 4: Consequence (Interested on the impact on students or the school.)

Provide individuals with opportunities to visit other settings where the innovation is in use and to attend conferences on the topic.

Make sure these teachers are not overlooked. Give positive feedback and needed support. Find opportunities for these teachers to share their skills with others.

Stage 5: Collaboration (Interested in working with colleagues to make the changes effective.) Provide opportunities to develop skills for working collaboratively. Bring together, from inside and outside the school, those who are interested in working

collaboratively. Use these teachers to assist others.

Stage 6 Refocusing (Beings refining the innovation to improve results.) Respect and encourage the interest these individuals have for finding a better way. Help these teachers channel their ideas and energies productively. Help these teachers access the resources they need to refine their ideas and put them into

practice.

Source: Taking Charge of Change, by Shirley Hord, William Rutherford, Leslie Huling-Austin, and Gene Hall, ASCD, 1987.

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Understanding the order and magnitude of change

In sum, it is important for school leadership teams to employ systems-wide thinking while, at the same time, staying focused on making improvements one step at a time. Eventually, successful school improvement efforts do address the entire school system, but in a systematic manner. Put another way, effective schools understand the big picture while taking deliberate action on their way to changing the whole system.

What are the implications of proposed changes for stakeholders? As noted in Asking the Right Questions: A Leader’s Guide to Systems Thinking about School Improvement (McREL, 2000), another key part of the art of school improvement is understanding that changes can have complex ripple effects across the system. For example, even a seemingly simple change, like creating study groups to help teachers learn new instructional strategies, could alter their schedules and diminish their autonomy. Thus, some teachers may resist or seek to undermine this effort.

In McREL’s publication, School Leadership that Works (2005), we note that school leaders who are successful in guiding school improvement efforts understand the concept of “magnitude of change.” Magnitude of change refers not to the size of the change, but rather to the implications the change has for those who are expected to implement it or will be affected by it. Changes can have either “first-order” or “second-order” implications for stakeholders. It is important to note that the magnitude of change lies in the eye of the beholder and that the same change may have different implications for different stakeholders. Our research suggests that leaders need to understand whether changes are first– or second-order for staff members and differentiate their leadership styles accordingly.

First order change Second order changeAn extension of the past A break with the pastConsistent with prevailing organizational norms

Inconsistent with prevailing organizational norms

Congruent with personal values Incongruent with personal valuesEasily learned using existing knowledge and skills

Requires new knowledge and skills

Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning. (2005). Success in Sight: A comprehensive approach to school improvement. Aurora, CO:McREL

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Factors that cause resistance

There are six basic reasons people resist change (they are not listed in any particular order).

IntegrityPeople don’t believe the proposed change is for the best, even after they have considered the change with an open mind. Their integrity tells them this change should be resisted.

ORThe individual(s) presenting the change has a personal lack of integrity. Past behaviors cause people to resist any change that leader proposes as he/she doesn’t seem to have credibility.

FearPeople can feel threatened by the change. They can fear the unknown, failure, and the loss of control, position, or power. Some might even fear success. The fear may be real or imagined. In either case, the fear is real to the perceiver.

CommunicationPeople may lack information regarding the change. They may not be informed about the reasons for the change. (Some leadersmay choose to leave people in the dark and only give people information on an as-needed basis.) If people don’t have accurate and timely information, the void will become filled with speculation, rumor, or gossip.

PaceSome people may think the proposed change is happening too fast. “We can’t keep up with this pace. It is just too fast!” On the other hand, some may think the pace is too slow. “Why can’t we make a decision and move forward? We have been discussing this forever! Please, do something!”

HistoryPeople may resist the proposed change because of how things were done in the past. Because past change was handled poorly, any change being proposed will most likely meet with resistance. This is especially true if the current change proposal is being led by the people who led the prior attempts poorly.

StressSome may resist change because they don’t think they can handle any additional items at the present. They are already stressed, spinning too many plates, when somebody wants to give them still another plate in the form of more change.

Source: Motivational interviewing: preparing people for change. William R. Miller, Stephen Rollick and Kelly Conforti.

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Changing people’s minds about change

Howard Gardner has identified seven factors that can help change people’s minds. School change leaders who use Gardner’s information along with Miller, Rollick and Conforti’s six basic reasons people resist change can better identify the approach they may want to take in overcoming resistance to the changes that are being proposed or mandated.

Gardner \ Miller, Rollick and Conforti

Integrity Fear Communication

Pace History Stress

ReasonIdentify relevant factors, weighing each and making an overall assessmentResearchIdentify relevant cases and a judgment about whether they warrant a changeResonanceA view, idea or perspective resonates to the extent that it feels ‘right’Representational Re-descriptionsRe-describe or represent differently as with pictures or numbersResources and RewardsProvisional resources provided (limited return)Real World EventsAn event in broader society that leads to new policy or new understandingConfrontationA direct approach requiring compliance with the values, beliefs, needs of the group

Sources: William R. Miller, Stephen Rollick and Kelly Conforti. Motivational interviewing: preparing people for change.Howard Gardner. Changing Minds. (2006). Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

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Core documents

IB rules and regulations for authorized schools (samples)

IB programme standards and practices (2005 & 2010)

Programme evaluation references coordinators’ handbooks

List of primary and secondary core documents

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IB rules and regulations for authorized schools

[Each programme has separate, albeit similar, rules for authorization. The difference often occur in the reference to programme specific documents and additional points in Article 5: Responsiblities of Schools. The Diploma Programme rules also has an additional article regarding University Recognition that does not pertain to the other programmes.]

Rules for IB World Schools: PYP Schools sample

Article 1: ScopeThe International Baccalaureate Organization (hereinafter “the IB Organization”) is a foundation that has developed and offers three programmes of international education entitled the “Primary Years Programme” (PYP), the “Middle Years Programme” (MYP) and the “Diploma Programme”. It authorizes schools to offer one or more of these programmes to its students.

An IB World School is a school that has been authorized by the IB Organization to offer one or more of its programmes.

This document describes the rules that apply to those schools that have been authorized as IB World Schools to offer the PYP.

When used herein the term “legal guardians” encompasses parents and individuals with guardianship of any IB student enrolled in the PYP.

Article 2: Acceptance of IB Organization regulations and proceduresIB World Schools (hereinafter “school(s)”) agree to comply with the General regulations: Primary Years Programme and with the procedures as set out in the current PYP coordinator’s handbook that governs the administration of the PYP.

Article 3: Reference to the IB Organization’s function and its programmes3.1 The IB Organization is independent from schools. Schools must make it clear to the relevant authorities and legal guardians that:a. the sole responsibility for the implementation and quality of teaching of the PYP rests with the schoolb. the sole responsibility for any shortcomings in the implementation or quality of teaching of the PYP is borne by the school.3.2 \ A school is entitled to present itself as an IB World School and to use the “IB World School” logo only in connection with the IB programme(s) that it has been authorized to teach. This right lapses immediately if authorization is withdrawn.

Article 4: Responsibilities of the IB OrganizationThe IB Organization will allow IB World Schools to deliver the PYP and to use the related materials under the conditions provided in these Rules for IB World Schools: Primary Years Programme.

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Article 5: Responsibilities of schools5.1 Schools are responsible for ensuring that they can implement the PYP in conformity with the school’s obligations under local and national laws.5.2 Schools are responsible for the quality of teaching of the PYP, and they undertake to hold the IB Organization harmless with regard to any legal action taken by legal guardians as a result of any shortcomings.5.3 Schools must ensure that the PYP is properly funded, is effectively delivered and is administered according to the regulations and procedures of the IB Organization. Each school must appoint a PYP coordinator to administer the programme and give him or her the opportunity to attend training workshops that have been approved by the IB Organization.5.4 Schools must ensure that teachers of the PYP are knowledgeable about the curriculum framework and requirements, including the standards and practices for the implementation of the programme as set out in Making the PYP happen: A curriculum framework for international primary education, the current PYP coordinator’s handbook and all other PYP supporting materials. To this end, it is the school’s responsibility to obtain all relevant up-to-date PYP supporting materials from the IB Organization and to provide opportunities for teachers of the PYP to attend training workshops that have been approved by the IB Organization.5.5 Schools are responsible for ensuring that legal guardians are properly informed of the curriculum framework, assessment guidelines and requirements of the programme.5.6 When students enter the programme, schools have the duty to supply legal guardians with a copy of the General regulations: Primary Years Programme. Schools undertake to hold the IB Organization harmless with regard to any legal action taken by students or their legal guardians in which non-receipt of the General regulations: Primary Years Programme constitutes one of the grounds of such action.5.7 Upon students entering the PYP, schools must ask legal guardians for written permission to be able to submit their child’s work to the IB Organization if requested. This, in effect, grants the IB Organization a non-exclusive, charge-free, worldwide licence, for the duration of the statutory copyright protection, to reproduce submitted materials in any medium for educational, training and/or promotional purposes relating to the IB Organization’s activities, or to those related activities of which it approves. Schools must not submit a child’s work if such written permission is not given.5.8 Schools must ensure that all fees are paid in accordance with the scales of fees and timetable for payments currently set by the IB Organization.5.9 For use of the IB Organization’s secure online services, notably IBNET, IBIS and the online curriculum centre (OCC), schools must control the allocation and use of usernames and passwords and ensure that teachers are aware of the terms and conditions.

Article 6: Review and evaluation procedures6.1 Schools must be open to visits from representatives of the IB Organization for reviews of a school’s implementation of the PYP. These visits can be made at any time with reasonable advance notice.6.2 A general evaluation of a school’s implementation of the PYP, which includes a visit, normally occurs three years after the initial authorization and then at five-year intervals. Schools are expected to conduct a self-study in preparation for this evaluation process.6.3 Schools are expected to have a mechanism in place to respond to the recommendations and, where appropriate, matters to be addressed in the evaluation report.

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Article 7: Property and copyright of the IB Organization7.1 The content of the curriculum and its assessment for all of the IB Organization’s academic programmes (PYP, MYP and the Diploma Programme), as well as all materials produced by the IB Organization in any form relating thereto, remain the sole property of the IB Organization and are protected by copyright. Consequently, a school is not entitled to create any courses of its own, over and above the programme of inquiry within the framework of the PYP, that are derived from an IB curriculum and/or materials, no matter whether the courses are deemed by the school to be ancillary to or preparatory to an academic programme of the IB Organization.7.2 Furthermore, the IB Organization is the owner of internationally registered trademarks, including its logos and the word devices in its official languages of “International Baccalaureate”, “IB World School” and “IB” in various forms. Consequently, a school is not entitled to use the terms “International Baccalaureate” or “IB” (in any language) to identify its own courses and may only make reference to the “International Baccalaureate” or “IB” in relation to its own courses if the school clearly explains in its communications and marketing materials that such courses are not developed or endorsed by the IB Organization.7.3 A school’s authorization hereunder encompasses a non-exclusive right to teach the programme and to use the related materials supplied by the IB Organization within the limits and in the form defined in the Rules and policy for use of the IB’s intellectual property (hereinafter “IB Organization’s IP policy”), as updated from time to time. This right is limited to the delivery of the programme within that school alone.7.4 Subject to the conditions of the IB Organization’s IP policy, a school’s authorization to teach the PYP also encompasses a non-exclusive right to:a. use the “IB World School” logo on its school’s stationery, publications, website and non-commercial promotional material in connection with the IB programme it is authorized to offerb. request from the IB Organization and use the IB Organization’s graphic of the PYP modelc. make copies of official programme documentation in part, or whole, for use by their teachers; or post on the school’s access-restricted website for their school community the electronic file of such documentation if published by the IB Organization on IBNET, IBIS or the OCC for teaching or information purposesd. make copies of official programme documentation, as above, for use within the school community, including materials prepared by the IB Organization specifically for student use or to inform legal guardians.7.5 Schools must not otherwise reproduce any materials from the IB Organization or use its logos in any form (paper or electronic) without prior written consent from the IB Organization.7.6 All the rights granted in articles 7.3 and 7.4 are granted only for the period of validity of the school’s authorization and lapse automatically when the authorization ends.

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Article 8: Copyright in materials submitted to the IB Organization8.1 Students retain copyright in all material they produce that, subject to article 5.7, is sent in to the IB Organization from time to time. Schools will generally hold the copyright in lesson sheets, assessment tasks and other materials that have been created by teachers within the terms of their contract of employment.8.2 Where these materials are submitted to the IB Organization, the student and/or the school is thereby deemed to be granting a non-exclusive, charge-free, worldwide licence to the IB Organization, for the duration of the statutory copyright protection, to reproduce submitted materials in any medium for educational, training and / or promotional purposes relating to the IB Organization’s activities, or to those related activities of which it approves.8.3 Where materials submitted to the IB Organization contain third-party copyright material, information about the source should be included in the submission to enable the IB Organization, if necessary, to seek permission from the copyright holder to use the material.

Article 9: Withdrawal of authorization9.1 A school’s authorization to teach the PYP may be withdrawn if: a. a school has breached any of its duties under these rules b. the IB Organization is not satisfied that the school is implementing the programme according to the Programme standards and practices documentc. the school has failed to observe the requirements for administering the programme as described herein and in the relevant IB Organization documentationd. the school fails to take reasonable steps to protect the IB Organization’s intellectual property rights and to prevent any use that is contrary to the IB Organization’s IP policye. fees remain unpaid to the IB Organization despite reminders having been sentf. a school refuses to accept any standard amendment to these Rules for IB World Schools: Primary Years Programme, that is, any amendment that is decided by the IB Organization and is applicable to all schools.9.2 In all cases the school will receive written notice that it has six months to remedy the situation, failing which the authorization will be withdrawn.9.3 Any decision to withdraw authorization to teach the PYP is taken by the director general of the IB Organization. The director general’s decision is not subject to appeal and will take effect from the beginning of the school year following the decision.

Article 10: Termination by schoolsA school may terminate its authorization to teach the PYP by giving six months’ notice, to take effect from the beginning of the next school year. Fees remain payable to the IB Organization until the teaching has ended.

Article 11: Entry into force and durationThis version of the Rules for IB World Schools: Primary Years Programme shall enter into force on 1 September 2007for PYP schools whose school year begins in August/September or on 1 January 2008 for PYP schools whose school year begins in January/February, and shall remain applicable to all schools until amended.

Article 12: Governing lawSwiss law governs these Rules for IB World Schools: Primary Years Programme and all other documents relating to authorization to teach the PYP.

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Article 13: Arbitration of disputesAny dispute arising from or in connection with these Rules for IB World Schools: Primary Years Programme or any other document relating to the authorization to teach the PYP shall be finally settled by one arbitrator in accordance with the Swiss Rules of International Arbitration of the Swiss Chambers of Commerce. The seat of the arbitration shall be Geneva, Switzerland. The proceedings shall be confidential and the language of the arbitration shall be English.

Geneva, 1 August 2007

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General regulations for IB World Schools: MYP Schools sample

[Each programme has separate general regulations specific to the requirements of the programme. The PYP regulations are the shortest and the DP regulations are the longest. Each school should be well familiar with its own programme(s) regulations.]

I General

Article 1: ScopeThe International Baccalaureate Organization (hereinafter “the IB Organization”) is a foundation that has developed and offers three programmes of international education entitled the “Primary Years Programme” (PYP), the “Middle Years Programme” (MYP) and the “Diploma Programme”. It authorizes schools to offer one or more of these programmes to its students.

An IB World School is a school that has been authorized by the IB Organization to offer one or more of its programmes.

This document describes the regulations that apply to those schools that have been authorized as IB World Schools to offer the MYP.

When used herein the term “legal guardians” encompasses parents and individuals with guardianship of any IB student enrolled in the MYP.

Article 2: Role and responsibilities of schools2.1 The IB Organization has developed the MYP as an inclusive programme aimed at students in the 11–16 age group.2.2 The MYP is designed to give schools and students the option of registering to receive grades validated by the IB Organization through a process of external moderation. If this option is chosen, the MYP leads to the award of MYP certificates and issuance of MYP records of achievement.2.3 The IB Organization has established a curriculum framework and assessment requirements for each subject group in the MYP and the personal project, which cover the MYP in general and also define the requirements leading to the award of the MYP certificates and issuance of MYP records of achievement. The IB Organization is the sole organization entitled to award MYP certificates and to issue MYP records of achievement, where students have satisfied the assessment requirements in accordance with these General Regulations: Middle Years Programme (hereinafter “general regulations”). Administrative details relating to these general regulations are contained in the current MYP coordinator’s handbook, which is the procedures manual issued by the IB Organization for schools.2.4 Because the IB Organization is not a teaching institution and does not provide teaching services to students, the MYP is implemented and taught by IB World Schools (hereinafter “school(s)”). The schools are private or state entities, all of which are entirely independent from the IB Organization and solely responsible for the implementation and quality of teaching of the MYP.2.5 The schools are responsible for informing students and legal guardians regarding the general characteristics of the MYP and how the school implements it.

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2.6 The IB Organization cannot guarantee that a school will remain capable and willing to implement the MYP. Consequently, the schools bear sole responsibility to students and legal guardians if, for any reason, a school’s authorization to implement the MYP is withdrawn by the IB Organization or a school decides to terminate its authorization.

Article 3: Recognition of the MYP certificate and MYP record of achievementThe IB Organization attempts to ensure recognition of the MYP certificates and MYP records of achievement but does not guarantee their acceptance by other institutions, whether or not they are authorized by the IB Organization, or by the relevant educational authorities. Consequently, students and legal guardians bear the sole responsibility for verifying the position in this regard of all institutions in which a student is interested in enrolling, and for consulting the relevant legislation.

Article 4: Use of student materials submitted to the IB Organization4.1 Students completing assessment tasks produce materials in a variety of forms. These materials (hereinafter “the materials”) include all forms of written work, audio and visual materials, computer programs and data and, in certain cases, may contain images of the students.4.2 Students retain copyright in all materials submitted for assessment purposes, but by submitting those materials, and subject to article 4.5, students thereby grant the IB Organization a non-exclusive, charge-free, worldwide license, for the duration of the statutory copyright protection, to reproduce submitted materials in any medium for assessment, educational, training and/or promotional purposes relating to the IB Organization’s activities, or to those related activities of which it approves.4.3 Wherever the materials are held for moderation or monitoring of assessment purposes, for example, by the school, by an IB Organization moderator or at the International Baccalaureate Curriculum and Assessment Centre (hereinafter “IB Cardiff”), they are always held on behalf of the IB Organization.4.4 Where the IB Organization uses these materials for purposes other than assessment, it may modify, translate or otherwise change them to meet particular needs and, in order to protect the identity of the student and of the school, will anonymize them before publication in print or in electronic form.4.5 Under exceptional circumstances, a student may withdraw this licence for a specific piece of work, as provided in article 4.2. In such case the IB Organization must be notified in accordance with the procedure described in the current MYP coordinator’s handbook. The student must submit a written notification to the school’s MYP coordinator who has the duty to inform the IB Organization by the due date. In these cases, the IB Organization will use the material only for moderation or monitoring of assessment purposes.4.6 All materials submitted to the IB Organization for moderation or monitoring of assessment purposes become the property of the IB Organization, which, once the moderation or the monitoring of assessment is complete, is entitled to retain the materials for record-keeping purposes or to destroy them according to its needs.

Article 5: Implementation of the programme5.1 Students must use the school’s MYP coordinator as the intermediary for any communication with the IB Organization.

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5.2 The MYP is designed as a five-year programme where students are exposed to structured learning in eight subject groups each year. Where a five-year programme is not possible, schools may be authorized by the IB Organization to implement a shorter programme.5.3 Objectives and final assessment criteria are prescribed for all MYP subjects and the personal project. However, prescription regarding curriculum content is kept to a minimum to preserve the flexibility of the programme.5.4 To be eligible for the MYP certificate and MYP record of achievement students must satisfy the assessment requirements in all eight subject groups. An exception to this is that bilingual students may register for final assessment in two languages A instead of one language A and one language B.5.5 As an exception, the IB Organization may approve a course of study that does not include all eight subject groups in MYP years 4 and/or 5, provided that certain conditions are met.5.6 In addition to satisfying the assessment requirements of the eight subject groups, students must:a. submit a personal project—a significant body of work produced over an extended period in the final year of the programmeb. have met the expectations of community and service to the satisfaction of the school.

Article 6: Languages6.1 The MYP may be taught in any language or languages. However, to be eligible for the MYP certificate and MYP record of achievement, students must reach sufficient competency to ensure work sent for moderation is in one of the four languages of the MYP: English, French, Spanish or Chinese for all subject groups except languages A and B.6.2 For grades to be validated, some languages A and B may need approval from the IB Organization.6.3 The IB Organization may also approve language courses that are equivalent to MYP language A but not necessarily taught by the school. In this case, an explanatory statement is given in place of a language A grade on the MYP record of achievement.

II Assessment

Article 7: Assessment proceduresThe work of MYP students is internally assessed by teachers. The IB Organization does not provide examinations. When students reach the final year of the programme, schools have the option of registering students to receive grades validated by the IB Organization, through a process of external moderation of schools’ internal assessment.

Article 8: Eligibility for the MYP certificateOnly students who have participated in years 4 and 5 of the programme are eligible for the MYP certificate. Other students are eligible for the MYP record of achievement only.

Article 9: Registration process for grades validated by the IB OrganizationStudents who wish to have their grades validated by the IB Organization must be registered by the school and must take the requisite courses and complete assessments at the school. The school must complete such registrations and pay the related fees by the relevant deadlines. Only students whose grades have been validated by the IB

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Organization and have met specific assessment requirements are eligible to be awarded the MYP certificate and be issued with an MYP record of achievement.

Article 10: Notice of assessment requirementsIt is the responsibility of schools to ensure that students comply with all the assessment requirements of the MYP. It is also the responsibility of schools to submit samples of students’ work for moderation in line with IB Organization requirements and deadlines. Non-compliance with these requirements may mean that MYP certificates and MYPrecords of achievement cannot be awarded.

III Grades validated by the IB Organization

Article 11: Internal assessmentTo be eligible for the MYP certificate and MYP record of achievement, students must complete (as a minimum) the assessment tasks prescribed by the IB Organization for each subject group. These tasks are set by teachers, normally in the final year of the programme, and assessed internally according to IB Organization subject-specific assessment criteria that address the objectives in the appropriate group. Teachers must also supervise and assess the personal project in the same way.

Article 12: Determination of grades12.1 Teachers must assess each student’s work against IB Organization-prescribed criteria for each subject in which the student is registered. The personal project is also assessed by teachers against the IB Organization prescribed criteria. The levels achieved for each criterion are added together to give a criterion levels total for each student in each subject and the personal project.12.2 The final grade is determined by the IB Organization, following a process of external moderation, as outlined in article 13.12.3 Grades range from 1 (lowest) to 7 (highest). IB Organization grade descriptors are published, which indicate the standard achieved for each grade.

IV Moderation

Article 13: Moderation of students’ work13.1 Moderators appointed by the IB Organization review and assess samples of students’ work according to the same IB Organization subject-specific assessment criteria used by teachers.13.2 Validated grades are determined by the IB Organization by applying the grade boundaries to the moderated criterion levels totals. Students’ grades may or may not be adjusted depending on whether or not teachers’ assessments in their school meet predetermined standards for each subject and the personal project.

V Award of the MYP certificate and MYP record of achievement

Article 14: Conditions for the award of the MYP certificate and MYP record of achievement14.1 MYP certificates and MYP records of achievement will only be awarded to students whose grades have been validated by the IB Organization.

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14.2 The IB Organization will award an MYP certificate to each registered student who has participated in years 4 and 5 of the programme, and who has achieved an overall standard in all aspects of the MYP. The student must:a. have gained a grade total of at least 36 from the eight subject groups and personal project combined, out of a possible maximum of 63b. have gained at least a grade 2 in at least one subject from each subject groupc. have gained at least a grade 3 for the personal projectd. have met the expectations of community and service to the satisfaction of the school.If more than one subject has been entered in a given subject group, only the single best grade will count towards the MYP certificate.14.3 The IB Organization will issue an MYP record of achievement to each student indicating:a. the grade obtained for each subject in which the student has been registeredb. the grade obtained for the personal projectc. that community and service requirements have been met, unless the school notifies the IB Organization to the contrary.

VI Special cases

A: Special needsArticle 15: Definition of special needsA special need is any permanent or temporary diagnosed need that could put a student at a disadvantage and prevent him or her from being able to demonstrate skills and knowledge adequately.

Article 16: EligibilityStudents with diagnosed special needs are not prevented from following the MYP or from being eligible for the MYP certificate and MYP record of achievement. However, where a student’s special needs make assessment of some of the objectives impossible the student’s eligibility for the MYP certificate may be affected.

Article 17: Applicable procedure17.1 The IB Organization must be informed by no later than the end of the penultimate year (normally year 4) for the student(s) concerned, of any case where a diagnosed special need makes assessment of some of the course objectives impossible.17.2 In these cases, schools are expected to make every effort to accommodate the needs of the student. The IB Organization will consider any requests for special arrangements according to principles stated in the current MYP coordinator’s handbook.17.3 When the special needs of a student are such that an objective for a subject cannot be assessed, a grade for that subject cannot be awarded. However, the IB Organization may, in certain circumstances and under certain conditions, where a request from the school has been supported by all the necessary information and documentation, as well as evidence of work achieved, award the MYP certificate and MYP record of achievement to a student with special needs who has not met all the objectives for a particular subject, provided all other conditions for the award of the MYP certificate have been met.

B: Adverse circumstancesArticle 18: Definition of adverse circumstances

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Adverse circumstances are defined as those beyond the control of the student that might be detrimental to his or her performance, including severe stress, exceptionally difficult family circumstances, bereavement, or events that may threaten the health or safety of students during the final two years of the programme. Adverse circumstances do not include shortcomings on the part of the school at which a student is registered.

Article 19: Applicable procedureAny application for special consideration in cases of adverse circumstances must be submitted to IB Cardiff as soon as possible by the school’s MYP coordinator on behalf of the student(s).

C: MalpracticeArticle 20: Definition of malpractice20.1 The IB Organization defines malpractice as behaviour that results in, or may result in, the student or any other student gaining an unfair advantage in one or more assessments. Malpractice includes the following.a. Plagiarism: this is defined as the representation of the ideas or work of another person as the student’s own.b. Collusion: this is defined as supporting malpractice by another student, as in allowing one’s work to be copied or submitted for assessment by another.20.2 The IB Organization recognizes that work submitted by students for moderation of internal assessment may contravene the standard academic practice of clearly acknowledging all ideas and words of other persons. Where the school considers this is not a deliberate attempt by a student to gain an unfair advantage, the school should take action to ensure that the practice is not repeated. If plagiarism is found by a moderator, the piece of work is not moderated. The school is contacted by the IB Organization and asked to deal with the issue.

Article 21: Responsibilities of studentsStudents are required to act in a responsible and ethical manner throughout their participation in the MYP and assessments. In particular, students must avoid any form of malpractice.

Article 22: Applicable procedure22.1 It is the responsibility of each school to ensure that all work used for final assessment is the individual work of the student. If a school has any doubts about the authenticity of students’ work, results should be withheld by the school for those students until it resolves the matter.22.2 It is the responsibility of each school to submit to the IB Organization only authentic work and results for each student.

VII Final provisions

Article 23: Governing lawSwiss law governs these general regulations and all other procedures relating to the assessment requirements.

Article 24: Arbitration

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Any dispute arising from or in connection with these general regulations shall be finally settled by one arbitrator in accordance with the Swiss Rules of International Arbitration of the Swiss Chambers of Commerce. The seat of the arbitration shall be Geneva, Switzerland. The proceedings shall be confidential and the language of the arbitration shall be English.

Article 25: Entry into force and transitory rulesThis version shall come into force on 1 September 2007 for June session schools or 1 January 2008 for December session schools. The IB Organization may amend these general regulations from time to time. Each amended version applies to all students enrolling in the MYP after the date of entry into force of the amended version.

Geneva, 1 August 2007

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IB programme standards and practices

Section A: PhilosophyStandard A

The school’s educational beliefs and values reflect IB philosophy.

1. The school’s published statements of mission and philosophy align with those of the IB.

2. The governing body, administrative and pedagogical leadership and staff demonstrate understanding of IB philosophy.

3. The school community demonstrates an understanding of, and commitment to, the programme(s).

Requirements for the Primary Years Programme

a. The values of the Primary Years Programme as indicated in the curriculum documents have an explicit impact on the decision making and functioning of the school.

b. The school as a community of learners is committed to a collaborative approach to curriculum development.

c. The school is committed to a constructivist, inquiry-based approach to teaching and learning that promotes inquiry and the development of critical-thinking skills.

d. The school is committed to the Primary Years Programme as the framework for all planning, teaching and learning across the curriculum.

e. The school demonstrates a commitment to transdisciplinary learning.

Requirements for the Middle Years Programme

a. The school shows evidence of developing the fundamental concepts of the Middle Years Programme.

b. Teachers and students demonstrate an understanding and awareness of the areas of interaction.

c. The school ensures that all staff, students and parents understand the central importance of the personal project for students in year 5 of the programme.

4. The school develops and promotes international-mindedness and all attributes of the IB learner profile across the school community.

5. The school promotes responsible action within and beyond the school community.

6. The school promotes open communication based on understanding and respect.

7. The school places importance on language learning, including mother tongue, host country language and other languages.


a. The school makes provision for students to learn a language, in addition to the language of instruction, at least from the age of seven. Schools with two languages of instruction are not required to offer an additional language.

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b. The school supports mother tongue and host country language learning.

8. The school participates in the IB world community.

9. The school supports access for students to the IB programme(s) and philosophy.


a. The school implements the Primary Years Programme as an inclusive programme for all.


a. The school strongly encourages participation for all students.

Requirements for the Diploma Programme

a. The school provides for the full Diploma Programme and requires some of its student body to attempt the full diploma and not only individual subject certificates.

b. The school promotes access to the diploma and certificates for all students who can benefit from the educational experience they provide.

c. The school has strategies in place to encourage students to attempt the full diploma.

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Section B: OrganizationStandard B1: Leadership and structure

The school’s leadership and administrative structures ensure the implementation of the IB programme(s).

1. The school has developed systems to keep the governing body informed about the ongoing implementation and development of the programme(s).

2. The school has developed a governance and leadership structure that supports the implementation of the programme(s).


a. The responsibility for pedagogical leadership within the school is a shared responsibility, including at least the Primary Years Programme coordinator and the primary school principal.

b. The governing body places the responsibility for the implementation of the Primary Years Programme on the pedagogical leadership team.

3. The head of school/school principal and programme coordinator demonstrate pedagogical leadership aligned with the philosophy of the programme(s).

4. The school has appointed a programme coordinator with a job description, release time, support and resources to carry out the responsibilities of the position.


a. The Middle Years Programme coordinator is part of the school pedagogical leadership team.

5. The school develops and implements policies and procedures that support the programme(s).


a. The school has developed and implements a language policy that is consistent with IB expectations.

b. The school has developed and implements an assessment policy that is consistent with IB expectations.


a. The school has developed and implements a language policy that is consistent with IB expectations.

b. The school has developed and implements a special educational needs policy that is consistent with IB expectations and with the school’s admissions policy.

c. The school has developed and implements an assessment policy that is consistent with IB expectations.

d. The school has developed and implements an academic honesty policy that is consistent with IB expectations.

e. The school’s organizational structures support the implementation of all subject groups, of the areas of interaction and of the personal project.

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a. The school has an admissions policy that clarifies conditions for admission to the school and the Diploma Programme.

b. The school develops and implements a language policy that is consistent with IB expectations.

c. The school develops and implements a special educational needs policy that is consistent with IB expectations and with the school’s admissions policy.

d. The school develops and implements an assessment policy that is consistent with IB expectations.

e. The school has developed and implements an academic honesty policy that is consistent with IB expectations.

f. The school complies with the IB regulations and procedures related to the conduct of all forms of assessment for the Diploma Programme.

6. The school has systems in place for the continuity and ongoing development of the programme(s).

7. The school carries out programme evaluation involving all stakeholders.

Standard B2: Resources and support

The school’s resources and support structures ensure the implementation of the IB programme(s).

1. The governing body allocates funding for the implementation and ongoing development of the programme(s).


a. The allocation of funds includes adequate resources and supervision for the creativity, action, service (CAS) programme and the appointment of a CAS coordinator.

b. The allocation of funds includes adequate resources to implement the theory of knowledge course over two years.

2. The school provides qualified staff to implement the programme(s).

3. The school ensures that teachers and administrators receive IB-recognized professional development.


a. The school complies with the IB professional development requirement for the Primary Years Programme at authorization and at evaluation.


a. The school complies with the IB professional development requirement for the Middle Years Programme at authorization and at evaluation.

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a. The school complies with the IB professional development requirement for the Diploma Programme at authorization and at evaluation.

4. The school provides dedicated time for teachers’ collaborative planning and reflection.

5. The physical and virtual learning environments, facilities, resources and specialized equipment support the implementation of the programme(s).


a. The laboratories and studios needed for group 4 and group 6 subjects provide safe and effective learning environments.

b. There are appropriate information technology facilities to support the implementation of the programme.

c. The school provides a secure location for the storage of examination papers and examination stationery with controlled access restricted to senior staff.

6. The library/multimedia/resources play a central role in the implementation of the programme(s).


a. The library/media centre has enough appropriate materials to support the implementation of the Diploma Programme.

7. The school ensures access to information on global issues and diverse perspectives.

8. The school provides support for its students with learning and/or special educational needs and support for their teachers.

9. The school has systems in place to guide and counsel students through the programme(s).


a. The school provides guidance to students on post-secondary educational options.

10. The student schedule or timetable allows for the requirements of the programme(s) to be met.


a. The schedule or timetable allows for in-depth inquiry into the transdisciplinary and disciplinary dimensions of the curriculum.


a. The schedule or timetable provides a minimum requirement of 50 teaching hours per subject group per year.

b. The schedule or timetable provides a broad and balanced choice of subjects, including at least one subject from each of the eight subject groups, and promotes concurrency of learning.


a. The schedule provides for the recommended hours for each standard and higher level subject.

b. The schedule provides for the development of the theory of knowledge course over two years.

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c. The schedule respects concurrency of learning in the Diploma Programme.

11. The school utilizes the resources and expertise of the community to enhance learning within the programme(s).

12. The school allocates resources to implement the Primary Years Programme exhibition, the Middle Years Programme personal project and the Diploma Programme extended essay for all students, depending on the programme(s) offered.

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Section C: CurriculumStandard C1: Collaborative planning

Collaborative planning and reflection supports the implementation of the IB programme(s).

1. Collaborative planning and reflection addresses the requirements of the programme(s).


a. The programme of inquiry and all corresponding unit planners are the product of sustained collaborative work involving all the appropriate staff.

b. Planning at the school makes use of the Primary Years Programme planner and planning process across the curriculum and by all teachers.

c. Planning at the school addresses all the essential elements to strengthen the transdisciplinary nature of the programme.


a. The school has an approach to curriculum planning that involves all Middle Years Programme teachers.

b. The school follows the Middle Years Programme planning process.

c. Collaborative planning and reflection facilitates interdisciplinary learning to strengthen cross-curricular skills and the deepening of disciplinary understanding.


a. Collaborative planning and reflection includes the integration of theory of knowledge in each subject.

b. Collaborative planning and reflection explores connections and relations between subjects and reinforces knowledge, understanding and skills shared by the different disciplines.

2. Collaborative planning and reflection takes place regularly and systematically.

3. Collaborative planning and reflection addresses vertical and horizontal articulation.


a. There is a systematic approach to integration of the subject-specific scope and sequences and the programme of inquiry.

b. The school ensures balance and articulation between the transdisciplinary programme of inquiry and any additional single-subject teaching.

4. Collaborative planning and reflection ensures that all teachers have an overview of students’ learning experiences.


a. The school provides for easy access to completed Primary Years Programme planners.

b. The school ensures that Primary Years Programme planners are coherent records of student learning.

5. Collaborative planning and reflection is based on agreed expectations for student learning.

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6. Collaborative planning and reflection incorporates differentiation for students’ learning needs and styles.

7. Collaborative planning and reflection is informed by assessment of student work and learning.

8. Collaborative planning and reflection recognizes that all teachers are responsible for language development of students.

9. Collaborative planning and reflection addresses the IB learner profile attributes.

Note: “Collaborative planning and reflection” is used as a single concept as the two processes are interdependent.

Standard C2: Written curriculum

The school’s written curriculum reflects IB philosophy.

1. The written curriculum is comprehensive and aligns with the requirements of the programme(s).


a. The programme of inquiry consists of six units of inquiry—one for each transdisciplinary theme—at each year/grade level, with the exception of students who are 3–5 years, where the requirement is at least four units at each year/grade level, two of which must be under “Who we are” and “How we express ourselves”.

b. The school ensures that there is a coherent, horizontally and vertically articulated programme of inquiry.

c. The Primary Years Programme exhibition is one of the six transdisciplinary units of inquiry in the final year of the programme.

d. There is documented evidence that the curriculum developed addresses the five essential elements of the Primary Years Programme.


a. The curriculum fulfills the aims and objectives of each subject group and, where applicable, the personal project.

b. The school uses the prescribed Middle Years Programme objectives to develop and document interim subject-specific objectives.

c. The written curriculum includes the following: a subject-specific vertical planning document; vertical planning for the student learning expectations of each area of interaction; horizontal planning for approaches to learning.

d. The units of work are documented on unit planners and follow the Middle Years Programme unit planning process.

e. The curriculum develops the student learning expectations for the areas of interaction within and across subjects to foster disciplinary and interdisciplinary relationships.

f. The curriculum defines expectations for involvement in service in each year of the programme.

g. There is a system for the regular review of individual units of work, vertical and horizontal subject documentation and documentation of the areas of interaction.

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a. The curriculum fulfills the aims and objectives of each subject group and the core.

b. The curriculum facilitates concurrency of learning.

c. The curriculum is balanced so that students are provided with a reasonable choice of subjects.

d. The school develops its own courses of study for each subject on offer and for theory of knowledge.

2. The written curriculum is available to the school community.

3. The written curriculum builds on students’ previous learning experiences.

4. The written curriculum identifies the knowledge, concepts, skills and attitudes to be developed over time.


a. The school has scope and sequence documents that indicate the development of conceptual understanding, knowledge and skills for each Primary Years Programme subject area.

b. The overall expectations of student achievement in the school’s scope and sequence documents are aligned with those expressed in the Primary Years Programme scope and sequence documents.


a. The school documents the curriculum in terms of subject content, including conceptual understanding and skills that will allow students to reach the prescribed objectives.

5. The written curriculum allows for meaningful student action in response to students’ own needs and the needs of others.

6. The written curriculum incorporates relevant experiences for students.


a. The written curriculum provides opportunities for student learning that is significant, relevant, engaging and challenging.

7. The written curriculum promotes students’ awareness of individual, local, national and world issues.


a. The programme of inquiry includes the study of host or home country, the culture of individual students and the culture of others, including their belief systems.

8. The written curriculum provides opportunities for reflection on human commonality, diversity and multiple perspectives.

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9. The written curriculum is informed by current IB publications and is reviewed regularly to incorporate developments in the programme(s).


a. There is a system for regular review and refinement of the programme of inquiry, individual units of inquiry and the subject-specific scope and sequences.

10. The written curriculum integrates the policies developed by the school to support the programme(s).

11. The written curriculum fosters development of the IB learner profile attributes.

Standard C3: Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning reflects IB philosophy.

1. Teaching and learning aligns with the requirements of the programme(s).


a. The school ensures that students experience coherence in their learning supported by the five essential elements of the programme regardless of which teacher has responsibility for them at any point in time.

b. The classroom teacher takes responsibility at least for the language of instruction, mathematics, social studies and science, to support the Primary Years Programme model of transdisciplinary teaching and learning.

c. The school ensures that personal and social education is the responsibility of all teachers.


a. Teaching and learning at the school addresses the students’ learning expectations for each area of interaction.

b. Teaching and learning at the school uses the areas of interaction as contexts.

c. Teaching and learning allows students to meet the Middle Years Programme objectives in each subject group.

d. Teaching and learning creates opportunities for involvement in service in every year of the programme and ensures its qualitative monitoring.


a. Teaching and learning at the school addresses all of the aims and objectives of each subject.

2. Teaching and learning engages students as inquirers and thinkers.


a. The school ensures that inquiry is used across the curriculum and by all teachers.

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3. Teaching and learning builds on what students know and can do.


a. Teaching and learning addresses the competencies, experiences, learning needs and styles of students.

4. Teaching and learning promotes the understanding and practice of academic honesty.

5. Teaching and learning supports students to become actively responsible for their own learning.

6. Teaching and learning addresses human commonality, diversity and multiple perspectives.

7. Teaching and learning addresses the diversity of student language needs, including those for students learning in a language(s) other than mother tongue.

8. Teaching and learning demonstrates that all teachers are responsible for language development of students.

9. Teaching and learning uses a range and variety of strategies.

10. Teaching and learning differentiates instruction to meet students’ learning needs and styles.


a. The school provides for grouping and regrouping of students for a variety of learning purposes.

11. Teaching and learning incorporates a range of resources, including information technologies.

12. Teaching and learning develops student attitudes and skills that allow for meaningful student action in response to students’ own needs and the needs of others.

13. Teaching and learning engages students in reflecting on how, what and why they are learning.

14. Teaching and learning fosters a stimulating learning environment based on understanding and respect.


a. The school provides environments in which students work both independently and collaboratively.

b. Teaching and learning empowers students to take self-initiated action as a result of the learning.

15. Teaching and learning encourages students to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.

16. Teaching and learning develops the IB learner profile attributes.

Note: “Teaching and learning” is used as a single concept as the two processes are interdependent.

Standard C4: Assessment

Assessment at the school reflects IB assessment philosophy.

1. Assessment at the school aligns with the requirements of the programme(s).


a. Assessment at the school is integral with planning, teaching and learning.

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b. Assessment addresses all the essential elements of the programme.

c. The school provides evidence of student learning over time across the curriculum.


a. The school uses the prescribed assessment criteria for each subject group in year 5 of the programme.

b. The school implements a coherent framework of assessment criteria aligned with the school’s interim objectives.

c. Teachers standardize their understanding and application of criteria before deciding on achievement levels.

d. The school provides students with task-specific clarifications for assessment.


a. Assessment of student learning is based on the objectives and assessment criteria specific to each subject.

2. The school communicates its assessment philosophy, policy and procedures to the school community.

3. The school uses a range of strategies and tools to assess student learning.

4. The school provides students with feedback to inform and improve their learning.

5. The school has systems for recording student progress aligned with the assessment philosophy of the programme(s).

6. The school has systems for reporting student progress aligned with the assessment philosophy of the programme(s).


a. Student learning and development related to all attributes of the IB learner profile are assessed and reported.

7. The school analyses assessment data to inform teaching and learning.


a. The school ensures that students’ knowledge and understanding are assessed prior to new learning.

8. The school provides opportunities for students to participate in, and reflect on, the assessment of their work.

9. The school has systems in place to ensure that all students can demonstrate consolidation of their learning through the completion of the Primary Years Programme exhibition, the Middle Years Programme personal project and the Diploma Programme extended essay, depending on the programme(s) offered.

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Programme evaluation in the 2011 coordinators’ handbooks

Primary Years Programme

F1 Principles and aims of programme evaluationProgramme evaluation is both a requirement and a service provided by the IB Organization to IB World Schools. The aim is for the IB to ensure on a regular basis that the standards and practices of the programmes are being maintained.

The Programme standards and practices is the foundational document used by schools and the IB to ensure quality and fidelity in the implementation of its programmes in IB World Schools. The IB is aware that for each school the implementation of an IB programme is a journey and that the school will meet these standards and practices to varying degrees along the way. However, it is expected that the school will make a commitment towards meeting all the standards, practices and programme requirements.

This process allows the IB to work closely with schools in their ongoing development of the programmes. It does not seek to appraise or assess individual teachers or students. It is a process of formal reflection involving all stakeholders within the school community.

Programme evaluation normally occurs three years (following the old authorization process) or four years (following the new authorization process) after the date of authorization, and every five years thereafter. In the transition year 2011, some schools will be using the old process and others will be starting with the new process according to the table in section A1.2.3 above:

Old process: The Guide to programme evaluation and a Programme evaluation self-study questionnaire (both published in 2005) are available on the OCC.

New process: The Programme evaluation guide and self-study questionnaire: Primary Years Programme (2010) is available on the OCC.

These documents are aimed at helping the school conduct its own self-study and prepare for the evaluation visit. They must be used at least one year before the evaluation visit as tools for discussion and as opportunities to prepare the school curriculum documentation. In the case of schools offering the programme in a language other than English, French or Spanish, sufficient time and resources must be allocated to allow the translation of supporting documentation by the school into one of the IB working languages. We also remind schools that the IB requires that the PYP coordinator has proficiency in one of the working languages of the IB. The school is expected to provide an external interpreter during the visit, as appropriate.

The administrative costs of programme evaluation are covered within the annual fees. However, the costs associated with the team visit are not. Schools should consult the appropriate IB office about the costs involved in the evaluation visit.

F1.1 Professional development requirements at evaluationOver the period under review, the school must have a plan that will ensure its compliance with the following requirement related to IB-recognized professional development: all

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heads (or designees) and teachers hired during the period under review are required to participate in IB category 1 or category 2 workshops, as applicable.

In addition to the above-mentioned requirement, the IB expects the school to provide further opportunities for staff to attend IB-recognized professional development activities as evidence of its ongoing commitment to professional development and in support of the continuing implementation of the programme.

Coordinators must ensure that their teachers are registered for the appropriate workshop category.

F2 The programme evaluation self-study questionnaireThe school will embark on a process of self-study, to which all those involved in the organization and the implementation of the programme should contribute (board members, administrators, teaching and nonteaching staff, students, parents). This process involves looking at all aspects of school life that are affected by the programme.

F3 The evaluation visitThe relevant IB office provides information about timelines and procedures for submission of the self-study questionnaire and supporting documents, as well as the date of the evaluation visit. Once the school has submitted the self-study questionnaire and its supporting documents, an IB visiting team will conduct a visit to the school. Each visit normally lasts two to three days, but the IB may decide on extending the visit depending on the size of the school.

The visit will verify the school’s self-assessment as reflected in the self-study questionnaire.

For this purpose, the visiting team will: gather evidence and describe findings with regard to the progress of the

implementation of the programme in relation to the Programme standards and practices since the last evaluation process or since authorization

identify practices that are beyond the requirements and those whose further development will contribute to the effective implementation of the programme.

The aim of the visit is not to appraise or assess individual teachers or school administrators. It is an aspect of the evaluation process that seeks to ascertain the effectiveness of the programme implemented in the school, as described in the school’s self-study.

F3.1 Joint PYP/MYP evaluation visitsThe IB is piloting joint PYP/MYP evaluation visits. Schools may request to participate in this pilot scheme. A team of evaluators consisting of members with appropriate PYP and/or MYP experience will visit theschool. In addition to evaluating the implementation of each programme, the team will consider the transition from one programme to another.

In a school where all three IB programmes are offered, the joint visiting team will also respond to the school’s evaluation report on the DP and consider the transition between the MYP and DP.

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F3.2 PYP evaluation and CIS accreditation synchronized visitsThe IB and the Council of International Schools (CIS) have agreed to collaborate on a joint process of IB evaluation and CIS accreditation. IB World Schools offering IB programmes throughout the school and seeking accreditation or reaccreditation by CIS may apply to both organizations for a synchronized visit. Although schools always have the right to opt for separate evaluation procedures and visits, the synchronized process may present a number of advantages. Schools are requested to contact the appropriate IB office for guidance on the conditions and the procedures for this synchronized process. Please note that although the IB office will do its best to arrange synchronized visits, such visits are not always possible.

The procedures and documents to be used are revised in order to be in line with the current CIS Guide to school evaluation and accreditation.

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Middle Years Programme

E3 Programme evaluation

Programme evaluation is both a requirement and a service provided by the IB to IB World Schools. The aim is for the IB to ensure on a regular basis that the standards and practices of the programmes are being maintained.

TheProgramme standards and practices is the foundational document used by schools and the IB to ensure quality and fidelity in the implementation of its programmes in IB World Schools. The IB is aware that for each school the implementation of an IB programme is a journey and that the school will meet these standards and practices to varying degrees along the way. However, it is expected that the school will make a commitment towards meeting all the standards, practices and programme requirements.

This process allows the IB to work closely with schools in their ongoing development of the programmes. It does not seek to appraise or assess individual teachers or students. It is a process of formal reflection involving all stakeholders within the school community.

Programme evaluation normally occurs at regular, predetermined intervals, normally four years after the date of authorization (following the old authorization process) or five years after (following the new authorization process), and then every five years thereafter. In some cases, the IB may deem programme evaluation appropriate at times outside the predetermined intervals. In the transition year 2011, some schools will be using the old process and others will be starting with the new process according to the table in section E1.

Old process: The Guide to programme evaluation and the Programme evaluation self-study questionnaire (both published in 2005) are available for MYP coordinators in IB World Schools from the OCC (go to MYP home>Implementation of the programme>Cross-programme publications).

New process: The Programme evaluation guide and self-study questionnaire: Middle Years Programme (2010) is available for MYP coordinators in IB World Schools from the OCC (go to MYP home>Implementation of the programme>Middle Years Programme publications).

These documents are aimed at helping the school conduct its own self-study and prepare for the evaluation visit. They must be used at least one year before the evaluation visit as tools for discussion and as opportunities to prepare the school curriculum documentation. In the case of schools offering the programme in a language other than English, French or Spanish, sufficient time and resources must be allocated to allow the translation of supporting documentation by the school into one of the IB working languages. We also remind schools that the IB requires that one teacher per subject group and the MYP coordinator have proficiency in one of the working languages of the IB (see section D3.2).

The school is expected to provide an external interpreter during the visit as appropriate. Schools that have not requested IB-validated grades for their students in the final year of the programme, thereby not submitting to the process of moderation of assessment, must

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apply for monitoring of assessment in at least one subject for each subject group and the personal project within the two years prior to the evaluation visit, and must register at least 10 months prior to the visit. Where more than one subject is taught within a group, the school should rotate the subjects sent for monitoring of assessment, so that, for example, French B is sent for one visit and German B for the next. Failure to provide any sample at all for a particular subject group may lead to cancellation of the visit. Please refer to section F4 for details of this service, including deadlines for registering and submitting samples.

The administrative costs of programme evaluation are covered within the annual fees. However, the costs associated with the team visit are not. Schools should consult the appropriate IB office about the costs involved in the evaluation visit.

E3.1 Professional development requirements at evaluationFrom January 2014 onwards, at the time of programme evaluation schools will be expected to meet the following requirements related to IB-recognized professional development. Until that time, schools will be expected to demonstrate efforts they have undertaken in attempting to meet these requirements.

The head of school/principal (or designee), if appointed during the period under review, must participate in an appropriate IB workshop.

At least one teacher per revised subject group (since authorization or previous evaluation) must participate in an IB workshop designed for that purpose.

At all times, at least one teacher per subject group must have been trained in an IB category 1 or 2 workshop.

In addition to the above-mentioned requirements, the IB expects the school to provide further opportunities for staff to attend IB-recognized professional development activities as evidence of its ongoing commitment to professional development and in support of the continuing implementation of the programme.

Specifically, it is recommended that teachers and pedagogical leaders who have been hired during the period under review should participate in appropriate IB workshops.

Coordinators must ensure that their teachers are registered for the appropriate workshop category. It should be noted that for MYP partnerships, each school in the partnership must comply with the IB professional development requirements at the time of evaluation individually.

E3.2 IB evaluation and CIS accreditation synchronized visitsThe IB and the Council of International Schools (CIS) have agreed to collaborate on a joint process of IB evaluation and CIS accreditation. IB World Schools offering IB programmes throughout the school and seeking accreditation or reaccreditation by CIS may apply to both organizations for a synchronized visit. Although schools always have the right to opt for separate evaluation procedures and visits, the synchronized process may present a number of advantages. Schools are requested to contact the appropriate IB office for guidance on the conditions and the procedures for this joint process. Please note that although the IB office will do its best to arrange synchronized visits, such visits are not always possible.

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The procedures and documents are being revised in order to be in line with the current edition of the CIS Guide to school evaluation and accreditation.

E3.3 Joint programme evaluation visitsThe IB is piloting joint programme evaluation visits. Schools may request to participate in this pilot scheme. A team of evaluators consisting of members with appropriate PYP, MYP and/or DP experience will visit the school. In addition to evaluating the implementation of each programme, the team will consider the transition from one programme to the other.

In a school where all three IB programmes are offered, the joint visiting team will also respond to the school’s evaluation report on the DP and consider the transition between the MYP and the DP.

Diploma Programme

No specific information as of yet.

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List of primary and secondary core documents

All of the documents below can be found on the IB public web site or the OCC. The dates in parentheses indicate the date of publication. Some documents listed will be published later this year.

Primary documentsProgramme evaluation guide and self-study questionnaire (DP / MYP / PYP) (2010)Programme standards and practices (2010)IB general rules (DP / MYP / PYP) (2007)IB general regulations (DP / MYP / PYP) (2007)

Secondary documentsTowards a continuum of international education (2008)Coordinator’s handbook (DP / MYP / PYP) references to programme evaluation (current year)IB learner profile (2007)Guidelines for developing a language policy (2006)Guidelines for developing a school assessment policy in the Diploma Programme (2010)Making the PYP happen: A curriculum framework for international primary education (2007)Making the PYP happen: Pedagogical leadership in a PYP school (2007)From principles to practice (MYP) (2008)From principles to practice (DP) (2009)IB position paper: Holistic education—An interpretation for teachers in the IB programmes (2010)IB position paper: Concurrency of learning in the IB Diploma Programme and Middle Years Programme (2010)

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Bibliography of resources

Bernhardt, V. 2004. Data Analysis for Continuous School Improvement, 2nd ed. Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education

Gardner, Howard. Changing Minds. (2006). Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.

Garmston, Robert and Wellman, Bruce. (1999) The Adaptive School: A Sourcebook for Developing Collaborative Groups. Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon Publishers.

Hale, Sylvie. (2000). Comprehensive School Reform: A Guidebook on School-Wide Improvement San Francisco, CA: WestEd.

Hord, Shirley, Rutherford, William, Huling-Austin, Leslie, & Hall, Gene. (1987). Taking Charge of Change. Alexandria, VA:ASCD.

Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning. (2005). Success in Sight: A comprehensive approach to school improvement. Aurora, CO:McREL

Miller, William R., Rollick, Stephen & Conforti, Kelly. (2002). Motivational interviewing: preparing people for change, second edition. New York, NY: Guildford Press.

Tomlinson, Carol Ann. “Differentiation of Instruction in the Elementary Grades.” ERIC Digest. Downloaded at: http://www.ericdigests.org/2001-2/elementary.html

Speck, M. (1996, Spring). “Best practice in professional development for sustained educational change.” ERS Spectrum, 33-41.

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