The International Baccalaureate (IB) Program is an international curriculum that empowers students to take ownership in their learning and help them develop skills to make a difference and thrive in a rapidly evolving world. Georgia has the seventh greatest number of IB schools in the United States, with 57 schools that offer the program.
There are four sub-programs within the IB Program. These are the Primary Years Programme, the Middle Years Programme (MYP), the Diploma Programme (DP), and the Career-related Programme (CP). North Atlanta offers the latter three. All NAHS students complete the Middle Years Programme in their sophomore year and then have the opportunity to choose whether to participate in IB DP or IB CP as upperclassmen. Around 160 North Atlanta students participate in the DP program, and around 50 participate in the CP program. North Atlanta was one of the first schools to implement the IB program in the Southeast in 1982. Along with core classes, there are a wide range of IB elective courses offered at North Atlanta such as IB Business and IB Dance. “The workload is definitely rigorous but it is also very rewarding and all of the work pays off,” said NAHS junior Maddie Fluke.
LaGrange High School, located in LaGrange, Georgia, is another school that offers the IB Program. However, unlike North Atlanta, LaGrange only offers DP. The program is still fairly new, having been implemented three years ago. Given this, the IB course offerings are more limited than North Atlanta’s, offering core classes and some elective classes such as IB Art and IB Theatre. The junior IB cohort at LaGrange currently has around 50 students while the senior cohort has 25 students. “The hardest part of participating in the IB program is definitely time management,” said LaGrange senior Emma Maradik. “It is hard to keep up with the various assignments, tests, and quizzes for each class.”
Marietta High School, located in Marietta, Georgia also offers all three programs like NAHS. Since 1995, Marietta offers IB core classes along with a multitude of elective classes such as IB Psychology and IB Film. IB classes are known for their holistic approach and focus on the student as a whole. “My favorite part of the IB program is being with other people who are truly interested and passionate about what we’re learning about,” said Marietta sophomore Katie Minahan.
The IB Program provides students across Georgia with a unique and challenging educational experience, fostering critical thinking, time management, and collaboration. With schools like North Atlanta, LaGrange, and Marietta offering varying levels of the IB curriculum, students have the opportunity to engage in a global learning framework that equips them with the skills needed to succeed in both academic and professional pursuits.
