COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS

ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE DIPLOMA PROGRAM

• What is an International Baccalaureate Diploma Program?
  The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program is a rigorous pre-university course of study leading to examinations, that meets the needs of highly motivated secondary school students. The IB Diploma Program is designed as a comprehensive two-year curriculum (grades 11 and 12) that allows its graduates to demonstrate through objective and universal examinations that their education and academic preparation is the equal of any offered in the world.
• What is the difference between the IB Diploma Program and the regular Banneker Program?
  In many ways both the IB Diploma Program and the Banneker Program are similar. Both require rigorous courses of study. Both require students to perform Community Service. Both include a challenging research project as a graduation requirement. The major difference between the two programs is that IB Diploma candidates must pass internationally standardized examinations that are assessed by examiners throughout the world. Each year more than 30,000 students are assessed by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) with 80% earning the IB Diploma.
• Why bring the IB Program to Banneker? Isn't Banneker already a fine school?
  Benjamin Banneker Academic High School is nationally recognized for its high standards and its outstanding graduates. We achieved this reputation by always trying to provide our students with the best educational opportunities we could. The International Baccalaureate Diploma program is a logical extension of our program. For many years the IB program was only available at private schools, like the Washington International School. In the past decade, many public school systems have recognized the advantages of offering an IB program to their students. Currently, the Montgomery County, MD and Fairfax County, VA school systems have fine IB programs in several of their schools. The District of Columbia Public Schools wants to offer its students the same opportunity as the suburban jurisdictions and are encouraging and assisting the development of IB in several of its schools. Since Banneker has always been a Model Academic school, we hope to be the model for IB programs in many District elementary, middle and high schools.
• What are the advantages in earning an IB Diploma?
  IB diploma holders gain admission to selective universities throughout the world. These include well-known European and American institutions as Oxford, Yale and the Sorbonne along with prestigious universities in Latin America and the Asia/Pacific region. Colleges and universities also offer advanced standing and course credit to students with strong examination results. As the worlds of business, communications, technology and law become more international in scope, the education that prepares a young person to enter these fields must also be more international in its scope.
• Do colleges and universities award credit and advanced standing to students who earn the International Baccalaureate Diploma?
  Many colleges and universities throughout both the United States and the world recognize the International Baccalaureate Diploma as the most prestigious credential a high school student can acquire. They are eager to include IB Diploma holders in their incoming classes. To that end, universities offer a variety of incentives to convince IB Diploma holders to matriculate at their institutions. Some offer up to a full year of credit, allowing the student to enter as a sophomore. Perhaps most importantly, earning an International Baccalaureate Diploma practically guarantees a student admission to the finest colleges and universities in the world.
• What are the admission requirements to the Banneker Preparatory IB Program and the proposed IB Diploma program?
  Benjamin Banneker Academic High School does a fine job in recruiting and selecting intelligent and promising students to its program. Because of this, the Banneker Preparatory IB Program (Pre-IB) is open to all Banneker students who complete the application and participate in the interview process. At the end of a Pre-IB student's sophomore year, the student will apply for admission into the IB Diploma program. If the student and his/her parents, teachers and counselors agree that the student has shown evidence of likely earning an IB Diploma, the student will begin the IB Diploma program in the junior year.
• What happens if I enter the Pre-IB program and then decide it is not for me? Can I leave the Pre-IB program and still graduate on time with my class?
  Students who enter the Pre-IB program in the 9th and 10th grade may elect to leave the program with parental permission. Exiting should occur at the end of a semester. If the student leaves the Pre-IB program, the student must make up any courses he/she has missed from the regular Banneker program. These courses should be able to be made up as electives in grades 11 and 12.
• What happens if I enter the IB Diploma program in the 11th grade and then decide to leave the program?
  Entering the IB Diploma program is a serious undertaking. A student should not agree to attempt to earn the IB Diploma unless the student has shown success in the Pre-IB program, discussed the responsibilities and advantages of the program thoroughly with his/her family and teachers and is willing to commit completely to the program. If a student elects to leave the IB Diploma program during or after the 11th grade, it may be difficult for the student to make up the course work missed from the regular Banneker program and graduate on time.
• What teachers are expected to participate in the Pre-IB program? Did the teachers receive special training?
  Banneker is a small school with a small faculty. As with every school program, all members of the faculty will participate in the Pre-IB program. During the past two years many teachers participated in IB training courses. Eventually all Banneker teachers will receive special IB training. Mr. Nickelson has been appointed the Coordinator of the IB program at Banneker. Mr. Nickelson will be working closely with all students and teachers who participate in the program.
• Do all Banneker students have to participate in the Pre-IB program?
  While all Banneker students are invited to participate in the Pre-IB program, it is not a requirement. The regular Banneker program of study, including Honors and AP courses, will be available to those who chose not to participate in the Pre-IB program.
• When will Banneker be able to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program?
  As of August 31, 2002, Banneker officially offered the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program.

  From our first IB graduating class of 2004, we are extremely pleased to announce that 14 of our 23 International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma candidates earned the IB Diploma! This is about two thirds of the 2004 IB candidates -- a remarkable accomplishment in the eyes of the IB Organization. Most schools garner very few diplomas in their first graduating class of candidates.