Next month, the Knox County Board of Education will consider a proposal to begin an International Baccalaureate program at Bearden Middle School. It would feed into an existing IB program at West High School.
The board discussed the plan at Wednesday night's meeting, but voted to delay the discussion until next month. Several members expressed concerns about funding.
Knox County Schools wants to add the IB Middle Years program. It would include all students at Bearden Middle and all 9th and 10th graders at West High School.
The international program includes a rigorous course of curriculum aimed at helping students be well-prepared for college and future careers.
"It really seeks to develop globally thinking individuals who understand that we are much greater than just our community, or our state or our country," said Katherine Banner, West High School principal.
West High School implemented an IB curriculum in 2011.
Students have two options to choose from: a certificate program where students take a couple of IB courses, or a diploma program, where students take a full spread of IB courses, including a foreign language all throughout high school.
Right now, there are 30 students in the diploma program and 212 in certificate classes at West.
West High School students had a 79 percent pass rate for its diploma program last year, the second highest in the state. That's almost double the state average of 37 percent.
The principal at West says the program is challenging, but well-rounded.
"Students will have opportunities to study a variety of different literature, but if you're looking at the science or math curriculum, they are studying calculus, they're studying chemistry, physics, many of the same courses that you would in a regular curriculum or you would in Advanced Placement. It's just in at a much higher level of rigor," said Banner.
Start-up costs for the program are estimated at more than $780,000 next year. That includes training for current teachers and hiring six more.
If the school board approves the IB program at Bearden Middle, students who aren't currently zoned to the school would be able to transfer to join the program.
We'll let you know what the board decides next month.
