Board Approves IB Magnet Changes
December 10, 2008 - After agreeing to reconsider the magnet status of Broughton High School, the Board of Education today voted to phase out the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years and Diploma Programmes at Broughton over the next five years.
The board voted to implement the IB Middle Years and Diploma Programmes at Millbrook High School to continue to serve IB elementary and middle school students.
The board action will impact the multi-year assignment proposal due to be presented to the board at its next meeting, Dec. 16. Assistant Superintendent for Growth and Planning Chuck Dulaney said the changes would reduce the number of students reassigned in the proposal for Broughton High, Leesville Road High and Sanderson High.
Broughton decision
The board opened its meeting by hearing from speakers supporting and opposing the change to Broughton’s magnet status. Parents and students filled the board room for the public hearing and the board’s debate on the school’s magnet status.
The board voted 5-4, with chair Rosa Gill casting the deciding vote to remove the magnet program from Broughton.
Later the board agreed to the five-year phase-out of the magnet program at Broughton, allowing current students to complete their time in the magnet program. In the draft phase-out proposal presented by the WCPSS Magnet Department, the school would end magnet recruiting in 2009-10; have its last class of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years students in 2010-11 and have its last class of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme students in 2012-13.
Millbrook decision
After discussing the merits of different schools, the board agreed with the staff recommendation to seek authorization for the Middle Years and Diploma Programmes at Millbrook High School.
The WCPSS Magnet Department presented a five-year draft phase-in proposal for establishing the International Baccalaureate Programme at Millbrook High. The school could enter the IB candidate phase, hire an IB coordinator and recruit magnet students in 2009-10. The first IB Middle Years students would begin 9th grade in 2010-11. The school would seek authorization from the International Baccalaureate Organization in 2011-12. The first IB Diploma Programme students would begin in 2012-13.
Board members noted that Millbrook High Principal Dana King has gone through the IB authorization process. She helped East Millbrook Middle earn authorization for the IB Middle Years Programme before taking the job as principal at Millbrook High.
International Baccalaureate
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme was developed as a course of study that would prepare students to enter universities around the world. It is being offered in a growing number of U.S. high schools as a course of study of college-level work during the junior and senior years of high school. Many U.S. colleges and universities grant college credit for passing scores on IB exams, just as they do for Advanced Placement (AP) exams.
In recent years, the International Baccalaureate Organization created the Primary Years Programme for elementary school-aged students and the Middle Years Programme for students in grades 6 to 10.
The Wake County Public School System offers the IB Primary Years Programme at Farmington Woods Elementary, Joyner Elementary and Millbrook Elementary. The Middle Years Programme is offered at East Garner Middle and Garner High, and East Millbrook Middle and Broughton High. The IB Diploma Programme is offered at Broughton High, Enloe High and Garner High.
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