Andover High principal seeks permission to explore International Baccalaureate Diploma programme, requests $30,000 to begin feasibility work

The principal of Andover High School asked the School Committee for permission to start the formal consideration of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme and requested an initial budget allocation of $30,000 to underwrite consideration and potential candidacy activities.

Speaking to the committee, the principal described the Diploma Programme as an internationally offered, academically rigorous two‑year program that combines disciplinary courses with three unifying elements — theory of knowledge, an extended essay and creativity‑action‑service — and said the district would be focused on whether IB aligns with district mission and local goals.

The presentation outlined the IB authorization process and the fees associated with candidacy and authorization: the consideration phase (no IB fee), a candidacy application fee ($4,000), a consultation/virtual support and two‑day consultant visit fee (first‑year consultation fee ~$9,500), and later an authorization verification visit with travel and accommodation costs. The principal said substantial teacher professional development and IB certification would also be required over multiple years and noted those costs would be similar to AP professional‑development budgeting but larger in scale for initial implementation.

The principal noted that while AP is common in U.S. high schools, the IB Diploma Programme is more internationally widespread; nationwide about 25% of IB diploma schools are in the United States, and in New England IB diploma schools are less common. He said only 17 Massachusetts schools offered the Diploma Programme at the time of his research, and that few — if any — public schools in Northeastern Massachusetts use it.

Committee members asked about staffing implications, course overlap with current AP offerings, equity and access, likely student interest and whether IB would displace AP sections. The principal said some IB courses align to current AP courses (for example, chemistry, biology or Spanish) and that schools often phase in two or three IB classes initially, then expand. He emphasized IB can be offered a la carte (individual IB courses) or as a full diploma pathway for juniors and seniors.

The principal requested permission to move into the IB consideration phase and to begin stakeholder engagement with staff, families and students. The $30,000 request is for exploratory work and would not be spent unless the district advanced to candidacy and the committee approved subsequent steps.

If the committee grants permission to consider IB, the principal said the earliest students could begin IB courses would be for the 2026–27 school year; full implementation could take longer depending on candidacy, professional development and budget decisions.

No formal vote to authorize candidacy or to commit funds beyond the requested consideration work was recorded in the transcript; committee members asked for follow‑up materials, modeling of class sizes and impacts on AP courses before advancing to the candidacy phase.