The UN is headquartered in NYC.
Methods differ.

The IB diploma program is offered at 762 high schools in the United States.1331 schools offer one of the three curriculum levels of IB in this country. IB courses are accepted by US colleges as commonly as AP courses. It is new to New Hampshire, but not new to the US. Also, I noticed how you quickly converted 2 dozen speakers at a local town meeting to 209 statewide house representatives as if there is some comparison to be made there. Interesting use of your math skills. Find me another single curriculum that exists in over 700 schools in this country and then talk to me about vetting.

Katie is right on when she says that it is sold on emotional hearsay. Mr. Dreyer thinks that just because IB is implemented in other schools it must be worth it......I challenge him to find me the numbers--find me a study that shows a change in student outcome due to IB....There is not one. There are no numbers or definitive studies that show IB is worth the trouble.
The question is: Does IB add value to the education product that you can not obtain from your own teachers and curriculum? The answer is NO. IB does not have a unique teaching method. They do not have a proprietary hold on the Inquiry Method. Nor do they have a unique and irreplaceable curriculum. NH teachers (American teachers) are quite capable (most of them have Masters Degrees!) of duplicating the methods and curricula. Tell them to! And be done with this silly discussion.

Mr. Dreyer,

The IB PYP and MYP are NOT curricula. They are nothing but very expensive "frameworks" consisting of 6 "themes" which envelope the state grade level standards. These "themes" revolve around the IB Learner Profile which consists of beliefs and values. Despite the fact that IB "mandates" the teaching of a second language at the elementary level, IB PYP schools often purchase the Rosetta Stone program in addition to IB because IB IS NOT A CURRICULUM.

At the DP level, over 16,000 U.S. public high schools offer AP (Advanced Placement) courses and exams. These courses are transparent and the syllabus is available online for FREE: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/subjects.html

I challenge you to provide readers with a similar free and transparent online resource for IB courses. You can't, because IB is proprietary.

I would like to correct another inaccurate statement of Mr. Dryer's:

" IB courses are accepted by US colleges as commonly as AP courses."

First of all, universities award college credit based on the results of AP or IB exams, not the courses. When it comes to AP, all AP exams are considered "college level" and the courses are one year in length. IB, on the other hand, mandates that a school offer SL (Standard Level) and HL (Higher Level) IB courses. MOST U.S. universities will only award college credit for a score of '5' or higher on IB HL exams. This is a fact. IB is particularly limiting for those students who wish to pursue engineering, science or medicine as it forces a student to remain in a singular advanced science for two years (ex: IB HL Biology vs. AP Chem, AP Bio & AP Physics) Furthermore, AP is more flexible as it can be offered to 9th & 10th Grade students while the IBDP is restricted to students age 16-19.

In addition AP is more flexible as it is a standard offering at high schools, public and private, throughout the US. Therefore if a student is taking AP and has to move in the middle of the year, they are more likely to find a similar class so that they can stay on track at their new high school than if they were taking IB. We are a much more transient population than ever and so this is a tremendous advantage. Again these are facts.

TIM, IB is a political program with some academics mixed in. Why are we opening our school to a special interest group to indoctrinate the kids? You can sell it all you want but if you go to the IB web site, it's pretty clear that this was developed to promote the UN's political agenda. Why the UN? Why not the NRA? Why not the NAACP? Why not an American political organization??
Why not educate first?

Fair and balanced?
There is a photograph!
Look above.

Thank you, Ryan. Two dozen is a small microcosm compared to the 209 Legislators who voted for the Amendment, so that helps to put it in perspective.

So maybe this shows how the IB program is wanted and needed in Bedford. What is the point in interfering with what the majority of a small, successful town wants in order to continue their success for future generations? Ignorance at its finest on this page.

Agreed. It would have been nice if the supporters of IB addressed the legislation.

The IB Program has been a controversial and divisive program in many many districts across the country. It is expensive, and it is unnecessary. Ever notice that the best private schools don't have it? They understand that they need not pay for curriculum they can write better themselves and that the pedagogy IB employs is not proprietary but rather has been around for decades. IB parents have simply been bamboozled by the slick marketing from IBO. They are suckered into thinking that IB will make their kids rocket scientists. And so they fight tooth and nail to keep. But never can they defend it with facts. Instead they insult and attack their opponents. Most people shy away from the debate. Those who do stand up are smeared, ridiculed and in some cases sued. Hang in their Bedford! This is the right fight.

The IB Program has been a controversial and divisive program in many many districts across the country. It is expensive, and it is unnecessary. Ever notice that the best private schools don't have it? They understand that they need not pay for curriculum they can write better themselves and that the pedagogy IB employs is not proprietary but rather has been around for decades. IB parents have simply been bamboozled by the slick marketing from IBO. They are suckered into thinking that IB will make their kids rocket scientists. And so they fight tooth and nail to keep. But never can they defend it with facts. Instead they insult and attack their opponents. Most people shy away from the debate. Those who do stand up are smeared, ridiculed and in some cases sued. Hang in there Bedford! This is the right fight.

Based on the quotes of the SB Trustees in this article, it would appear those who approved IB in Bedford have even less knowledge of the IB program than the Representatives who voted in favor of HB 1403. The real back-room deals take place in BoE executive sessions where the concealment of IB's cost and stealth implementation take place.

Hats off to the NH Reps who have shone the light on this outrageously expensive, superfluous, unvetted, fringe product of a foreign NGO. The sponsors of HB 1403 attended an IB meeting at Merrimack Valley and spent months reviewing reams of information about IB before taking to the floor to vote. Defending American sovereignty and our fundamental rights is only viewed as "xenophobic" by those who seek to undermine those very principles.

Once again insults are hurled by IB supporters to make their case rather than facts: "ridiculously xenophobic and fear mongering". That is what Mr. Dreyer calls the language in the bill that defends the right of the state of NH to determine curriculum and outcomes in the education their taxpayers are paying for. I challenge the IB supporters to defend their position without resorting to name calling and insults. These methods are no defense. Rather they are an indication that there is no defense. Mr. Dreyer should be telling us why he believes that IB implementation does not lead to a loss of local and state control. We have shown him how it does. He should be showing us how the UN ideology that is the foundation of the IB curriculum is not anti-American. We have shown him how it is. This is how we debate the facts. But over the years that I have been involved in these discussions it has never been the way the IB supporters operate. Time after time they resort to name-calling attacks that have nothing to do with facts. It makes me wonder once again what they are teaching in the IB classroom.

I think they know what it's about -- the parents of MVSD seem to be getting up to speed on their knowledge of it.... they were kept in the dark and are just finding out now what it's about. We are part of the world, but the schools have no right to violate the LOGAN ACT or do this: http://www.mvsd-ib.org/ib/2012/04/11/scenes-from-a-grade-three-classroom-in-mvsd/

Why not have the NRA run our schools? If this is going to be a political indoctrination center, why not an American political organization??

Tim, you need to be mindful of facts before talking. I was on the sub-committee that had 3 or 4 public meetings before drafting the language for the bill. It then went to the Full House Education Committee where it had a full open discussion before the vote. It was in the House Calendar for almost a week, with summaries both for and against before going to the Floor for a vote. Could you please explain HOW you consider that a "back-room deal"? My suggestion is you might want to spend your time on what the bill actually says and does vs. trying to smear those that wrote the language. A Reaffirmation of the safety of student information and governance by our NH State Board of Education is all the bill does immediately. The Study Committee gets created secondarily and will review the programs value and legality given that the US has stopped funding of all UNESCO (and affiliates) per two federal laws as of last October.
Rep Greg Hill
Northfield, NH

What do you want us "bedford bullies" to do?.. Sit back and let individuals uneducated on the IB program come in and take away something that has made Bedford one of the top schools in NH? Sounds like a great idea.......

Robert, I would think that you would address this in a civilized manner. That's not what happened at the School Board meeting. It was clear that the Bedford Bullies cannot think critically about the program, they can only be rude and obnoxious.
Read the Bill, it removes the governing power of the IBO in public schools. IF that is what you are afraid of, then maybe Bedford shouldn't have signed away that power in the first place.

If you are truly interested in diversity of opinion, would you be in favor of the mandated hiring of teachers who will collectively profess a wide range of views? If so, I believe we need to hire more conservatives in Bedford and get rid of programs like IB that are intentionally political. If not, it would seem that you are happy with political indoctrination when you agree with it. Personally, I think we need to hire a balanced group of teachers, or else tell them all to keep their traps shut about their personal and political beliefs when in front of the captive audience known as the student body. Which way do you suggest we go?

IB takes control by mandating course of study, administrative duties, and outcomes (they grade the exams and they adjudicate any disputes outside the country). There are many issues that arise as a result: IB takes precedence as its curriculum and schedule is mandated by IBO therefore school schedules are worked around it. class size control and restrictions are nullified as classes must be offered no matter how few students are signed up. IB controls textbook selection. These are just a few examples.
Schools that offer both AP and IB typically end up combining some AP with IB when they don't have enough students for each and therefore do injustice to both. Student outcomes are impacted.
As far as costs go--teacher training for AP is local and offered often during the year and the summer not requiring substitutes, therefore IB is more expensive.
As for the assertion that IB is responsible for Bedford being one of the top schools in NH, where is the data on that?

Tim,

It is clear beyond a shadow of a doubt that when IB is implemented in a school, everything else takes a back seat to IB.
I just went through the Bedford Program of Studies:

http://www.sau25.net/files/317153/bhs%20program%20of%20studies%202011-12-1.pdf

All of the "recommended paths" are IB. I count a total of 5 AP courses listed, none of which are in Math, Science or Foreign Language.

The College Board does NOT mandate expensive, out of state teacher training. The College Board does NOT charge $145 per student registration fee. The College Board does NOT charge an annual membership fee of $10,600. The College Board does NOT mandate a .5 Coordinator position. It doesn't cost the taxpayers over $5,000 to mail off AP exams. And the College Board actually PAYS schools a stipend for the teacher who oversees the AP exams. Not to mention the FACT that AP is open and transparent, unlike IB where every course guide must be purchased from the IB Store.

Please go lobby a private school to purchase IB and pay to send your children there if that's what you believe constitutes "excellent" education. You have every right to do that. You have no right to force American taxpayers to support a divisive, Marxist program in American public schools.

There is a wonderful study published by the Commonwealth Education Foundation in PA. You can read the research yourself. Go to their website: http://www.ceopa.org/ceopa_newsletters.aspx And click on the March-April 2006 newsletter: Understanding the IB.

Please don't lie about 'costs'. WE have a right not to allow our tax dollars to go to Geneva while the school board spits in our faces. You likely don't remember the '3 dimes' (per thousand of property value) that this foolish school was going to cost?

More like taxes went up $3,000 per avg home as result of this ridiculous school.

Tim, leaving aside for a minute that Bedford offers ONLY 5 AP courses and none of them are in math or science, I want to point out that if you are saying that it is a good thing in NH for parents to have a choice if they aren't comfortable with the teaching methods of IB then you might want to review the situation of Merrimack Valley School District. As I have said before, the situation in Bedford IS a little different than MVSD. If you are a parent that lives in the towns that are served by MVSD and you send your child to the public school in grades 1-9, you WILL be enrolled in the IB program. Not a voluntary situation. All grades, all classrooms. So what do you do, Tim, if you are a parent who doesn't want their child to be indoctrinated (as some say) and you can't afford to move, or pay for a private school?

This IS a controversial program. There are folks on both sides. IB knows that and they know there are even teachers on both sides of the program. That is why IB tells the school district, in their own literature I might point out, to expect about a 25% turnover in teachers when this program is implemented. If it is such a universally accepted program, why do you suppose they say that? No other program that I'm seeing IB compared to says anything even close to that. The fact that IB does, should tell you something.

I have an idea, why don't the employees in Bedford do what they were hired to do. EDUCATE the students instead of pay a foreign organization to push a political agenda via this program.
I also have another idea, IF we have to pay for IB, then let's start eliminated these curriculum coordinator positions. If we have to pay an organization to do what these people are hired to do, then let's save money by eliminating their jobs.
If they cannot find programs that are NOT tied to extreme political organizations, get rid of them.
AS far as the legislation goes, I read the Bill. IT removes the governing power of the IBO in our school. IT returns local control to the community so I certainly support that.
I wonder if these same people would be bothered if the NRA or the National Right To Life developed a program and integrated their agenda in the program and it we had to pay for it.

Dennis, I hope you realize that second second sentence contradicted itself. You want to intentionally create a system that is more conservative, but also get rid of programs that are "intentionally political." Which one do you want? Further, why do you all think this is a "Marxist" program?

Robert,

So can you declare with confidence that pre-IB, students from Bedford HS never earned admission to "prestigious" universities? Students before IB in Bedford didn't work hard and achieve a well-rounded education? They were all slackers who ended up in community college or working at McDonalds before IB came along and "transformed" their education? You are "better" than all of those students ..... why?

hahaha, oh there you go Katie, asking those critical (inquiry based) questions!!
Now why didn't this IB student think this through before he posted this reply?

Katie, that is not what he said. His argument is that more students a better opportunity to get in and then do better. Not that none went before. But more will now go. Critical reading is needed before critical questions in this case.

Nice straw man argument, Katie. That was cute. Robert is not saying those without IB programs cannot succeed. He is saying that the IB program creates great opportunities and that those criticizing it have not taken the time to actually sit down and see what it really is. How many of these IB opponents have actually sat in on IB class? It's easy to throw around hyperbolic statements about its political effect and "indoctrination," but not so easy to actually sit down in a classroom and actually look at what the IB program does.

Instead of attacking a high school student with name calling, try finding out what IB does and is through unbiased sources and then sit in on a class. After you do that, tell me what makes IB so bad. I'll be happy to listen once you've done some research.

Teaching about something is not the same thing as teaching someone to do that something.

I would hate to think what you think of the course taught at my school Holocaust!

Thank you, Ted!

Good point Ted! IB proponents (the hypocritical adults who fall for this garbage) brag about international mindedness and taking risks and thinking critically, but they defy this behavior when they LIE TO, CENSOR, BULLY, or BLOCK anyone who wants to add information --- information that comes straight from the IBO.org and their documents and teachers manuals, or from the teachers themselves!

Actually Ted the writer did say the second sentence of your post but not the third.
He said it helps get in and then helps when you get to college.

Love my comments on the first article.

Robert Dylan made the only case that a student should have to make.
It will help me get into a better school then help me do well when I get there.
Better than if I had not taken the program.

Whoa there!
I thought no ad hominem attacks were allowed on these blogs..
Or if you just to refer to teachers inferentially as war-like bullies it does not count because Jane wrote it and the rules don't apply to Jane. See Jane's 2 recent articles and the comments. Love her "no ad hominem attacks are allowed" it was a real scream!

The IB helps with pd and assessment doesn't it?

This is true. This school has never been open about how IB is implemented in the high school. People have asked questions and they've never had an open and honest dialogue on IB. What are they afraid of? What did we pay for?
We paid for a program that does what? What does this program do that a college prep high school cannot do? Pick out classical Lit.? WOW, that's tough, just look at what home-schoolers and private schools use!! Somehow they fully prepare kids for college without IB.
Taxpayers get scammed again.

What part do you hate about it though? Do you mind solving problems like "poverty, hunger, lack of water etc.? Or do you mind corporations will have to pay taxes on international transactions and pollution?

More importantly, from what research and experience have you found that the IB program supports any of this? Remember, I'm not saying you're wrong. I'm saying prove it. You speak a lot about critical skills. Show me some.

So you're saying that schools should admit to teaching internationalism, which you define as part of a plot designed to undermine the sovereignty of the US? How about an answer - they DON'T! Why would they mention this question? They keep answering it, and you don't like the answer.
Your arguments depend on a number of connections that aren't there - like the prime one, that UNESCO is forcing teachers to deliver propaganda to students.
Jane, it's not happening, no matter how wild your imagination.

You cited your own opinion piece and the few "facts" that were in it could easily be disproven by your own article. Seriously? Reread the e-mail that was cited in your article without pulling out the pieces that "prove" your point.

In your "Scandal continues" article, you say that you have this letter that proves that you're being shut out along with all the other opponents of IB. And you posted the letter.
Did you even read the letter?
The letter actually says that your concerns will be passed on to the school board - exactly the opposite of what you claim to be happening.
What gives Jane?
Maybe you should take an IB course in logic.

I guess the only parts of any article that matter are the ones over the red lines. We weren't supposed to read the rest of the letter, nor the rest of the posts that these folks put up to prove IB is a plot. When you read the whole post or letter, it almost always proves the opposite of their point, and that can't be fair.
We're just supposed to believe what they tell us to believe, and not question their judgement. Tyrants are like that.
It's really funny and ironic that Jane's Tea Party Coalition website has a big "Don't Tread on Me" flag as the frontpiece. I don't think they get the point.