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Home of the Blue Devils
PAHOKEE MIDDLE HIGH SCHOOL [Document subtitle]
Ms. Ayako Hasegawa: IB COORDINATOR – HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS
IB Diploma Programme Handbook 2020 and Beyond
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Table of Contents
Pahokee Middle High School Mission Statement 2
IB Learner Profile 3
IB Leaner Profile in Spanish 4
Definition of Terms & Abbreviations 5
PMHS Diploma Programme Admission Policy 6
Planning an IB Diploma at PMHS 7
Additional IB Diploma Requirements 7
Diploma Programme Course Pathway at PMHS 8
Course Selection Sheet 9
IB Diploma Programme Model at PMHS 10
Awarding of IB Diploma 11
Overview of the Two-Year Calendar 13
DP Internal Deadlines for IA/EA submission 14
Academic Integrity Policy 15
Assessment Policy 21
Language Policy 25
Inclusion Policy 28
Frequently Asked Questions 31
Resources and Contact Information 34
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The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme at Pahokee Middle High School
Our Mission Statement:
Pahokee Middle High International Baccalaureate World School is dedicated
to the intellectual advancement and achieving of principled and caring students, who can effectively meet the challenges of a multicultural and
global community.
IB Mission Statement:
The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world
through intercultural understanding and respect.
To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of
international education and rigorous assessment.
These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with
their differences, can also be right.
Should you have any questions, please contact the IB Coordinator, Ms. Hasegawa, at [email protected].
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Definition of Terms and Abbreviations in the IB Diploma Program
CAS – Creativity, Activity, Service: real, purposeful activities, with significant outcomes • personal challenge—tasks must extend the student and be achievable in scope • thoughtful consideration, such as planning, reviewing progress and reporting • two years of reflection on outcomes and personal learning.
Diploma Candidate – Student who is taking the full IB Program in junior and senior years and is also completing the CAS, EE, and TOK components. Upon satisfactory completion of the IB Diploma Program, an IB Diploma will be issued by IB.
Diploma Course Candidate – Student who is taking one or more IB courses in Junior and/or Senior years. Diploma Course Candidates earn certificates for each IB Course they complete.
EE – Extended Essay: A 4,000-word independent research paper submitted by full Diploma Candidates during the senior year. Students formulate an argument, use research to support that argument and reach a conclusion.
HL – Higher Level: Designates a course that is 240 hours or 2 years in length: taken junior and senior years.
SL - Standard Level: Designates a course that is no less than 150 hours in length. All SL courses are offered over two years except for IB Biology and IB Physics since they include double period classes every other day.
IA - Internal Assessment: Evaluative work (presentations, oral interviews, papers, etc.) that is assigned and scored by the IB teachers using IBO’s scoring criteria. The IA is then externally moderated (scored) by external examiners.
IBO - International Baccalaureate Organization: IB Organization as a whole, which includes offices in Geneva, Switzerland, Maryland, Vancouver, Cardiff, and various regional offices. Visit the web site for more information: www.ibo.org
EA – Extremal Assessment: Work sent to examiners and moderators of the IB Organization to be evaluated. Work is sent to examiners in over 100 different countries. IB exams (known as papers) are graded this way.
TOK - Theory of Knowledge: A required course for Diploma Candidates. Students explore the basis for knowledge.
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PMHS Diploma Programme Admission Policy
All students are eligible and encouraged to enroll in the DP at PMHS as long as they meet the following criteria: • Obtain at least a level 3 on all FSA and EOC tests ** • Have and unweighted GPA of at least 3.0 • Have passed Algebra 1 or Geometry • Have a clean record of level 2 discipline referrals • Have completed the MYP Personal Project in 10th grade (for students coming from an MYP
school) In addition, Pahokee High School DP candidates must fulfill the following expectations required by the IBO: • Respect towards themselves and other • Commitment to an academically demanding program • Openness to diversity • Appreciation of an international education • Open-mindedness • Participation in school activities
** Students who do not obtain a reading proficiency score of at least a 3 on the English FSA and/or Math EOC are required by the district to take an Intensive Reading and/or Intensive Math class as they wait to retake the assessments. This interferes with the DP course of study when they have to take the TOK course. However, because we want more participation in the DP, those students can still enroll in the full DP while taking the Intensive Reading class for the first semester of DP year 1 (since they take TOK second semester of year 1 and first semester of year 2). Before the end of the first semester, they retake the FSA and if they pass, they stay in the DP.
There are two ways to participate in the Diploma Program at Pahokee High School. Students may either opt for the Diploma Program or for individual subject certificates, as described below: Students in the full IB Diploma course of study will: • Participate in and complete six IB courses
o At least three Higher Level courses o At least two Standard Level courses Complete
• Complete all Theory of Knowledge (TOK) requirements • Submit an original Extended Essay, which must be:
o Within a subject offered at Pahokee HS o No more than 4,000 words o Involve an approximately 40-hour time commitment
• Complete a Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) plan including: o At least 150 hours over two years o Reflections on CAS activities
Diploma course students:
• will take the courses for which they wish to obtain the certificates • are not required to complete the EE, TOK or CAS requirement
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Planning an IB Diploma at PHS
Students who pursue an IB Diploma must complete courses in the six subject areas or groups. Students take one course (3- 4 HL and 2- 3 SL) in each subject group in addition to the core requirements of TOK, EE, and CAS. A MINIMUM OF 24 TOTAL DIPLOMA POINTS DERIVED FROM SCORES IN:
Group 1 – English Language & Literature Group 2 – Spanish B Group 3 – History Group 4 – Biology or Sports, Exercise and Health Group 5 – Math Applications & Interpretations Group 6 – Visual Arts
*At least three of the above courses from the six groups must be Higher Level (HL).
Additional Diploma Requirements
Theory of Knowledge (TOK) earns a letter grade. Extended Essay (Independent Study), and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) will be independently completed. No school credit is earned towards the EE and CAS except in regard to earning the IB Diploma as stated above. PMHS uses the platform ManageBac for all DP Core components. Theory of Knowledge Theory of Knowledge (TOK) is a unique course offered during junior and senior years. Students reflect critically and explore the ways in which different disciplines search for truth. TOK helps students to analyze and integrate knowledge they have already gained to new areas of interaction. The essential question that reflects the TOK course throughout the two years is “What do I mean when I say, ‘I know’?” In TOK, students examine this question in the varying contexts of understanding areas of knowledge (e.g. the arts, science, history) through emotion, reason, perception, and language. TOK is externally assessed (one essay of 1200-1600 words written on a prescribed title). Students make individual oral presentations, as an IA, and complete a self- evaluation report.
Extended Essay The Extended Essay (EE) is an independent research paper that students begin during their junior year. The work is supervised by a teacher-mentor and details and deadlines are provided by the EE Coordinator. An EE should be at most 4,000 words in length and require approximately 40 hours of independent research. It is externally assessed according to a set of general and specific criteria. The EE Coordinator will provide more detailed information and guidelines to students. For more information, please refer to the PMHS Extended Essay Handbook.
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Creativity, Activity, Service Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) involves those learning experiences beyond the classroom under the general headings of Creativity (e.g. engagement in the arts, designing and implementing service projects, etc.), Activity (e.g. participation in athletics, dance, expeditions, etc.) and Service (community and social service). Students typically are involved in two to three hours of CAS activities per week for junior and senior years. The CAS Coordinator will work with students to understand and complete the reporting and self-evaluation of their CAS experiences. For more information, please refer to the PMHS CAS Handbook.
Diploma Programme Course Pathway at PMHS
11th
Grade
&/ OR
12th Grade
Success in 9th and 10th grades
## Spanish ab initio is for those students who did not take any Spanish courses previously (9-10 grades). It is an SL only course.
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Course Selection Sheet
Group 1
English Language and Literature (HL only)
Group 2
Spanish B Or Spanish ab initio (SL only)
Group 3
History
Group 4
Biology Or Sports, Exercise and Health Sciece
Group 5
Math Applications and Interpretations (SL only)
Group 6
Visual Arts
Make your selection from the above list
At least Three Higher Level Courses At least Two Standard Level Courses
English Language and Literature
Math Applications and Interpretations
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IB Diploma Programme Model at PMHS
IB Core:
➢ Theory of Knowledge
➢ Extended Essay
➢ Creativity, Activity, Service
Group 1: English Language & Literature HL
Group 6: Visual Arts SL/HL
Group 3: History SL/HL
Group 5: Math Applications & Interpretations SL
Group 4: Biology SL/HL or SEH Science SL/HL
Group 2: Spanish B SL/HL or Spanish ab initio SL
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Awarding of the IB Diploma
Subject Scores
Each course in the six subject groups is graded on the following scale:
7 = Excellent 6 = Very Good 5 = Good
4 = Satisfactory
3 = Mediocre
2 = Poor
1 = Very Poor The IB Diploma is awarded to a student whose total score, including any bonus points (see EE and TOK below) reaches or exceeds 24 and satisfies the following (from General regulations: Diploma Programme, 2019):
Article 13: Award of the IB Diploma
13.1 All assessment components for each of the six subjects and the additional Diploma
requirements must be completed in order to qualify for the award of the IB
Diploma, except under the conditions stipulated in articles 18 and 19 of these
regulations.
13.2 The IB Diploma will be awarded to a candidate provided all the following
requirements have been met:
a. CAS requirements have been met.
b. The candidate’s total points are 24 or more.
c. There is no “N” awarded for theory of knowledge, the extended essay or for a
contributing subject.
d. There is no grade E awarded for theory of knowledge and/or the extended essay.
e. There is no grade 1 awarded in a subject/level.
f. There are no more than two grade 2s awarded (HL or SL).
g. There are no more than three grade 3s or below awarded (HL or SL).
h. The candidate has gained 12 points or more on HL subjects (for candidates who
register for four HL subjects, the three highest grades count).
i. The candidate has gained 9 points or more on SL subjects (candidates who register
for two SL subjects must gain at least 5 points at SL).
j. The candidate has not received a penalty for academic misconduct from the Final
Award Committee
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TOK and Extended Essay Scores
Using the performance levels obtained in TOK and EE, a maximum of three (3) additional diploma points can be awarded for a student’s combined performance as explained in this matrix:
Bonus points matrix
TOK / EE
A B C D E
A 3 3 2 2 Failing condition
B 3 2 2 1 Failing condition
C 2 2 1 0 Failing condition
D 2 1 0 0 Failing condition
E Failing condition
Failing condition
Failing condition
Failing condition
Failing condition
• A grade N on either requirement is considered failing condition
• Attaining a grade E in either the EE and TOK is considered an automatic failure, and no
diploma will be awarded.
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Overview of the Two-Year Calendar*
Junior Year Senior Year
September • Introduction to CAS • EE First draft due
• EE second reflection due*
October • Introduction to EE • EE Annotated Bibliography due
November • Submit EE proposal to supervisor
• EE first reflection due*
• Meet with CAS supervisor to review progress
December • HL and SL selection of courses
• Initiate research for EE
• PMHS Midterm exams
• Group 1 IA– orals • PMHS midterm exams
January • Meet with CAS supervisor to review progress
• EE Final draft due to supervisor • Group 2 IA – orals • Group 1 HL essay due
February • Submit EE outline to supervisor • EE Viva voce & final
reflection*
• Group 3 IA due
• TOK essay due
• TOK Presentation dorm due
March • Group 5 IA due
• Conduct research for EE and work on first draft – Meet with supervisor
• Group 4 IA due
• Group 5 IA due
April • Group 5 IA samples upload to eCoursework
• Meet with CAS supervisor to review progress
• Group 1 HL essay due
• Visual Arts IA Exhibitions
• Visual Arts examinations upload to eCoursework
• IA samples upload to eCoursework
May • Group 5 examinations (SL) • Meet with EE supervisor to
develop plan for the summer • Meet with CAS supervisor to
review progress and develop plan for the summer
• IB examinations
• Graduation Ceremony
*This schedule is meant as an overview. Students must check with their IB teachers to confirm requirements and
deadlines for each course.
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PMHS – DP Internal Deadlines for Students
Final products due to your teachers/supervisors on ManageBac:
eCoursework submission dates (for teacher authentication)
Extended Essay
January 31
March 1-5 (Coordinator will upload all EEs from ManageBac)
Theory of Knowledge: EA – Essay + TK/PPF form IA – Presentation forms
February 5 February 5
Upload by March 5 Coordinator will upload selected forms for moderation
English A Language & Literature: IA – Oral recordings EA – HL essay
May 30 (junior year) Last week of December
Teacher will upload selected samples for moderation March 5 Upload by March 5
Spanish B: IA – Oral Recordings
Last week of January
Teacher will upload selected samples for moderation
History: IA – Commentary
February 28
Students selected for moderation upload by April 5
Sports, Exercise & Health Science: IA – Investigation Report
March 10
Students selected for moderation upload by April 5
Math Applications & Interpretations: IA – Mathematical Exploration
March 20
Students selected for moderation upload by April 5
Visual Arts: IA – Exhibition EA – Comparative Study EA – Process Portfolio
April 15 April 20 April 20
Students selected for moderation upload by April 15 Upload by April 25 Upload by April 25
*** Dates are subject to change
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PMHS Academic Integrity Policy PURPOSE OF THE ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY “As part of the IB’s educational goal to award reliable, fair and recognized outcomes to our students through valid assessments, this policy has been created to ensure a common understanding of the IB’s academic integrity principle. Results cannot be fair if some students have had an unreasonable advantage over others. Academic integrity is a responsibility of the whole IB community.” (Academic Integrity, 2019) At PMHS, we strive to develop principled students, who exhibit honesty and integrity. The Academic Integrity policy is designed to communicate the expectations of the IB Diploma Programme as they pertain to the submission of authentic work by Pahokee Middle High School students. Thus, the reasons we develop and implement this policy are to maintain fairness, to maintain trust and credibility and to develop respect for others (Academic Integrity, 2019). Terms associated with academic misconduct are explained in the context of the IB Diploma Programme. Candidates and teachers must strive to work together in preventing academic misconduct by taking responsibility for their roles in producing authentic work and in the investigation of suspected academic misconduct. EXPECTATIONS “Academic integrity must be part of the teaching and learning process and an aspiration of the entire school community” (Academic Integrity, 2019) Therefore, at PMHS leadership, coordinators, teachers, staff, students, and parents share the responsibility of maintaining a high level of academic integrity. As such, as stated in the Academic Integrity document, we must ensure that all IB students understand:
• their responsibility for producing authentic and genuine individual and group work
• how to correctly attribute sources, acknowledging the work and ideas of others
• the responsible use of information technology and social media
• how to observe and adhere to ethical and honest practice during examinations In addition, the school community at PMHS must ensure that students:
• acknowledge any source used within any academic work by using one of the official referencing conventions (APA or MLA)
• exercise academic honesty when attending classes, CAS experiences and other academic activities scheduled under the school’s responsibility
• follow the terms outlined in the policy and other official IBO publications
Upon teacher request, students are required to upload specific IB assessments to Turnitin.com to generate originality reports to affirm the authorship of ideas included in these documents. Failure to adhere to the Academic Integrity policy may constitute academic misconduct. STUDENT ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT According to the General Regulations: Diploma Programme document, “The IB defines student academic misconduct as deliberate or inadvertent behavior that has the potential to result in the student, or anyone else, gaining an unfair advantage in one or more components of assessment.
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Behavior that may disadvantage another student is also regarded as academic misconduct. It also includes any act that potentially threatens the integrity of IB examinations and assessments that happens before, during or after the completion of the assessment or examination, paper-based or on-screen.” Misconduct includes:
• plagiarism—this is defined as the representation, intentionally or unintentionally, of the ideas, words or work of another person without proper, clear and explicit acknowledgment
• collusion—this is defined as supporting academic misconduct by another candidate, for example, allowing one’s work to be copied or submitted for assessment by another
• duplication of work—this is defined as the presentation of the same work for different assessment components and/or DP core requirements
• misconduct during an IB examination (for example, taking unauthorized material into an examination, behavior that disrupts the examination or distracts other candidates, or communicating with another candidate)
• unethical behavior such as the inclusion of inappropriate material in any assessment materials or the breach of ethical guidelines when conducting research
• any other behavior that gains an unfair advantage for a candidate or that affects the results of another candidate (for example, falsifying a CAS record, disclosure of information to and receipt of information from candidates about the content of an examination paper within 24 hours after a written examination via any form of communication/media).
If IB suspects academic misconduct, the school is notified of the allegations and the Diploma Coordinator is prompted to conduct internal investigations obtaining statements from the diploma student and teacher(s) or invigilator(s) involved in the incident. The Diploma Coordinator submits findings to IB and notifies students of the decision from the IB Award Committee (General Regulations: Diploma Programme, 2019). ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT CONSEQUENCES Coursework: For work in the drafting stages, any teacher who suspects that a candidate may have violated the terms of the Academic Integrity policy must draw the candidate’s attention to the problem before any submission to IB. For work in the final version, teachers should not authenticate any work that is believed to be in violation of the Academic Integrity policy. Because of the prior academic misconduct preventative measures, Pahokee Middle High School does not allow the candidate to amend the work. If the concession to amend the work is not allowed by the school, then an F (meaning no work submitted) must be entered onto IBIS by the DP Coordinator for the component. An F will result in no grade being awarded for the subject/component Examinations: All students must have a clear understanding of the IB’s expectations in terms of the conduct of the written or on-screen examinations. Therefore, students must adhere to ethical and honest practices. Students must not take any unauthorized materials into the examination room and must follow invigilator instructions. A student found in possession of unauthorized materials during an examination, regardless of intent or if the material is used, is still considered to be in breach of regulations and will be investigated by the IB (Academic Integrity, 2019).
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At Pahokee Middle High School, candidates receive discipline referrals by the Diploma teacher if there are allegations of academic misconduct. We developed a system to issue consequences for violations of the academic honesty code to candidates based upon the infraction. Levels are determined by the importance of the assignment:
Level One Violations include, but are not limited to:
• Copying homework
• Looking on another student’s test or quiz
• Allowing another student to look on a test or a quiz
• Using other secretive methods of receiving or giving answers on a test or quiz
• Working with other students on a course-based assignment that was meant to be done by an individual
Level One Consequences:
1. Candidate will receive a zero on the assessment for the classroom grade. 2. The incident will be documented on a discipline referral and placed in the candidate’s
discipline file as well as in the candidate’s permanent electronic discipline file. 3. Parents will be notified by telephone or email.
Level Two: Violations are severe and will be handled by the teacher, DP Administrator, Diploma Coordinator, and the Principal. Level two violations include, but are not limited to:
• Taking information from another source that is not properly attributed to use in IB internal or external assessments.
• Working with other students on IB internal or external assessments that were meant to be done by an individual.
• Duplication of work; to present the same work for different IB assessment components and/or IB diploma requirements.
• Taking any part of a test to use for oneself or to give to another student.
Level Two consequences: 1. Candidate will receive a zero for the assessment for the course grade. 2. The incident will be documented on a discipline referral and placed in the candidate’s
discipline file as well as in the candidate’s permanent electronic discipline file. 3. Parents and student will be required to attend a conference with the Diploma
Coordinator, IB Administrator and Principal and sign a behavior contract. 4. The assessment in question will not be submitted to IB (or included on an internal
assessment report) which results in fewer points gained towards the final IB grade in the subject.
** Academic misconduct with respect to extended essays, CAS or TOK prescribed titles results in ineligibility for the IB Diploma.
A second level one violation will be considered a level two violation.
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A level one and a level two violation (in combination) will be handled as a level two violation.
Level Three: Violations are extreme and will be handled by the Principal, IB Administrator and Diploma Coordinator. These violations include, but are not limited to:
• Stealing examinations
• Purchasing or submitting another individual’s paper as one’s own.
Level Three consequences: 1. Candidate will receive a zero for the assessment for the classroom grade. 2. The incident will be documented on a discipline referral and placed in the candidate’s
discipline file as well as in the candidate’s permanent electronic discipline file. 3. Parents and student will be required to attend a conference and sign a behavior
contract. The student will be exited from the Diploma Programme. Three Level 1 violations or two Level 2 violations will be considered a Level 3 violation and will be handled accordingly. IB ACAMEDIC MISCONDUCT PENALTY MATRICES: “Penalties apply in instances of academic misconduct where the IB has taken action against a student who is registered for IB assessed components. The IB may investigate issues which could be considered academic misconduct even if they are not listed in this document. During investigations into academic misconduct, evidence and statements from all involved parties will be gathered. Each case will be judged on the evidence available and any sanction applied will be based on the penalty matrix.” (Academic Integrity, 2019). Penalty matrix infringements include, but are not limited to:
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(Academic Integrity, 2019, p. 32)
PREVENTION OF ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT ✓ Candidates receive a copy of the General Regulations: Diploma Programme ✓ Candidate will be required to sign the Pahokee Middle High School Honor Code ✓ The Academic Integrity policy is included in the IB DP Handbook ✓ The Academic Integrity policy is posted on the school website and ManageBac for access by
candidates, teachers, parents and stakeholders ✓ All DP students are enrolled in the IB Research class where they go over APA and MLA
citation styles ✓ Internal and external assessment are coupled with a review on research skills and citation
formats by Diploma teachers in the classroom ✓ Students are continually reminded about the IB learner profile attribute of being principled,
and to act with integrity and honesty RESPONSIBILITIES (from the document Academic Integrity, 2019) Students must:
✓ have a full understanding of their school’s and the IB’s policies ✓ respond to acts of student academic misconduct and report them to their teachers and/or
DP coordinator ✓ complete all assignments, tasks, examinations and quizzes in an honest manner and to the
best of their abilities ✓ give credit to used sources in all work submitted to the IB for assessment in written and oral
materials and/or artistic products ✓ abstain from receiving non-permitted assistance in the completion or editing of work, such
as from friends, relatives, other students, private tutors, essay writing or copy-editing services, pre-written essay banks or file sharing websites
✓ abstain from giving undue assistance to peers in the completion of their work ✓ show a responsible use of the internet and associated social media platforms
Teachers are responsible for:
✓ ensuring that students have a full understanding of the expectations and guidelines of all subjects
✓ ensuring that students understand what constitutes academic misconduct and its possible consequences
✓ planning a manageable workload so students can allocate time effectively to produce work according to IB’s expectations
✓ giving feedback and ensuring students are not provided with multiple rounds of editing, which would be contrary to instructions described in the relevant subject guides
✓ ensuring that all student work is appropriately labelled and saved to avoid any error when submitting assessment to the IB
✓ developing a plan to cross-reference work across multiple groups of students when they are preparing to submit final pieces of work for assessment in order to prevent collusion
✓ responding to student academic misconduct and supporting the school’s and IB’s investigations
✓ responding to school maladministration and supporting the school’s and IB’s investigations.
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IB Diploma Coordinator is responsible for:
✓ ensuring that all school and IB policies are applied fairly and consistently ✓ ensuring compliance with secure storage of confidential IB material policy and the conduct
of IB examinations ✓ ensuring that teachers, students and parents and legal guardians have a copy, read and
understand the school’s academic integrity policy ✓ reporting suspected instances of student academic misconduct and school
maladministration to the school administration and/or the IB ✓ supervising all activities related to the investigation of student academic misconduct and
school maladministration cases according to the school and/or IB policy.
Leadership are responsible for: ✓ having an academic integrity policy, with scheduled plans for reviews and updates ✓ ensuring that teachers, support staff, students and parents and legal guardians have a
common understanding of the IB’s expectations with regards to academic integrity ✓ ensuring that teachers, support staff, students and parents and legal guardians have a
common understanding of what constitutes student academic misconduct and school maladministration
✓ ensuring that teachers, support staff, students and parents and legal guardians have a common understanding of possible consequences for those that engage in student academic misconduct and school maladministration
✓ ensuring that students are held accountable, according to the school’s own policies, when involved in an academic misconduct incident
✓ ensuring that teachers and school administrators are held accountable, according to the school’s own policies, when involved in a maladministration incident The school leadership team Academic integrity
✓ immediately notifying the IB of any breach in the procedure for the secure storage of IB examination materials or the conduct of the examinations, in accordance with the procedures described in programme-relevant documents
✓ supporting the IB in any investigation into possible student academic misconduct, following guidance provided by the IB
✓ supporting the IB in any investigation into possible school maladministration, following guidance provided by the IB.
References: General Regulations: Diploma Programme, IBO, 2019
Academic Integrity, IBO, 2019
(updated November 2012; May 2020; March, 2021)
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Assessment Policy
Purpose and Philosophy At Pahokee Middle High School, we believe that assessment is an integral component of the learning process. The primary purpose of assessment is to support, guide, improve, and motivate learning for all students. In addition, effective assessment measures the learner’s achievement of clearly articulated learning outcomes and is essential to high quality instruction. Assessment tools should be designed to yield accurate information that clearly communicates student achievement, and should be varied, valid, reliable, and consistent, and yield meaningful results. Teachers use course objectives for Advanced Placement (AP) subjects, IB subjects and Florida State Standards, respectively, to design instructional practices and multiple forms of formative assessments in preparation for these exit exams in May. All teachers assign different types of assessments that are aligned with the state EOCs, national (AP) and international (IB) benchmarks. Teachers communicate their expectations for student work at the beginning of the school year through their syllabi, ManageBac, and/or Google Classrooms. Summative assessments, i.e. unit tests, mock AP and/or IB exams provide teachers with data to assess student progress during the course of the school year. Quarterly and semester grades encompass formative and summative assessments that impart information about student attainment of skills and knowledge in IB subject areas.
Assessment Practices FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT—COLLECTING AND INTERPRETING FEEDBACK: Formative assessment occurs frequently during the course of a unit, while students are still gaining knowledge and practicing skills. Formative assessment includes teachers’ feedback and guidance from the teacher. Some formative assessment will be quick checks for understanding and others more detailed formative assessment. Teachers provide students with multiple and varied opportunities to show their learning, and timely and descriptive feedback.
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT: Summative assessment occurs at the conclusion of a period of learning and is preceded by instruction, student practice, and formative feedback. It is aligned with Florida State Standards and benchmarks and IB assessment criteria. In summarizing assessment data to determine a final grade, teachers consider the most recent and most consistent level of student learning and achievement of standards or benchmarks / IB assessment criteria. Non-academic factors such as behaviors and attitude are not included in the final academic achievement grade but are reported separately on the district issued report cards.
Grading and Reporting Student progress reports are issued for parents and students, midway through the quarter, to indicate areas of strength, areas that require improvement, the current grade average and conduct. PMHS developed a school-wide grading practices policy to ensure consistency in grading and alignment of course sections. Student grades are based on a combination of formative and summative assessments such as test and quiz grades, homework assignments, class work, projects, and not on a single task. Each teacher enters a minimum of eighteen grades per marking period to justify the grade received as the quarterly grade. In
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addition, all teachers are required to update their grades every two weeks on the Student Information System or SIS (a gateway that provides parents/guardians timely access to their student's information including, but not limited to schedule, grades, discipline, and attendance). Teachers are also required to notify parents, by phone or email, when student grades drop to “D” and/or two letter grades. Student report card grades are issued quarterly. Academic progress is monitored by teachers, program coordinators, guidance counselors, and administration.
Assessment in the IB Diploma Programme Examinations form the basis of the assessment for most courses. This is because of their high levels of objectivity and reliability. The IB Diploma Programme has two types of assessments: internal and external.
INTERNAL ASSESSMENTS: Internal assessments (IA) are mandatory assignments woven into classroom teaching that focus on skills more so than subject content. These assessments are graded by the classroom teacher using the IB assessment criteria. The internal assessment scores and samples are submitted to IB examiners for moderation – to ensure standardization in grading practices among teachers of the same course and among IB schools across the world. Examples of internal assessments include, but are not limited to, oral presentations, science lab reports, math investigations, and major projects. Internal assessments serve as graded classroom assignments, as well as, assignments that contribute to the student’s final IB grade.
EXTERNAL ASSESSMENTS: External assessments assessed by IB examiners using the prescribed IB assessment criteria. Exam papers are administered in May of the candidates’ senior year and mailed to the IB by the Coordinator. Visual Arts external assessments are uploaded electronically to the IB’s eCoursework website. Other types of external assessments that are not considered papers are Extended Essays, HL Essay, and Theory of Knowledge Prescribed Title Essays.
ASSESSMENT FOR EXCEPTIONAL STUDENTS (ESE): The Diploma Programme Coordinator submits a special request to IB for students with disabilities if they have an IEP and need inclusive assessment accommodations.
IB GRADING SYSTEM and PMHS GRADING SYSTEM: Since IB grading system varies significantly from the grading system used across US schools, the following scale helps students, teachers and parents understand the conversions:
IB Percentage PMHS percentage PMHS Grade IB Grade
85-100 95-100 A 7
80-84 90-94 A 6
74-79 80-89 B 5
63-74 70-79 C 4
49-62 60-69 D 3
39-48 50-59 F 2
0-48 0-49 F 1
AWARDING OF THE IB DIPLOMA The IBO uses criterion-referenced assessments to confer points leading to an IB Diploma. Each of six
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examined subjects is graded on a scale of 1 to 7 points. Excellent performance in the 6 subject areas results in a grade 7 for each, or a total of 42 points. The maximum diploma point score is 45. Theory of Knowledge and the extended essay contribute to the overall score, which awards up to 3 bonus points based on the candidate’s combined performance. Those students who do not satisfy the entire set of requirements for an IB Diploma, or who elect to take fewer than six subjects, are awarded a certificate for examinations completed
Student Responsibilities ✓ Successful completion of diagnostic, standardized, and end-of-course assessments.
✓ Strive to achieve IB learner profile attributes.
✓ Meet deadlines for classroom assignments, initial and final drafts for IB assessments.
✓ Follow deadlines as outlined on the IB Assessment Calendar.
✓ Maintain mentorship relationships for extended essay and CAS requirements.
✓ Develop study skills and time management skills to maximize potential for student success.
✓ Apply effort on formative and summative assessments.
✓ Be independent thinkers, global problem solvers, time managers, and prudent planners.
Teacher Responsibilities ✓ Assign meaningful assessments.
✓ Follow deadlines as indicated on the IB Assessment Calendar to alleviate student stress.
✓ Submit appropriate documentation to the IB Diploma Coordinator by prescribed deadlines, i.e. verification reports, data collection forms, internal assessment samples.
✓ Maintain appropriate communication on student progress with IB Diploma Coordinator and administration to adequately monitor student progress.
✓ Communicate with students and parents frequently on student academic progress.
✓ Focus on the assessment of student learning outcomes more so than covering subject content.
✓ Analyze assessment data to identify patterns of student performance and needs.
✓ Work in interdisciplinary, vertical and horizontal teams to design and assess instructional strategies and common assessments.
✓ Use a variety of instructional and assessment strategies
✓ Provide timely written and verbal descriptive feedback on student assignments and assessments.
IB Diploma Coordinator Responsibilities
✓ Distribute student assessment data/subject component scores from IB exams to subject teachers.
✓ Distribute course requirements and assessment documents to teachers published annually in the Handbook of IB Procedures.
✓ Offer training in interpreting IB summary data to teachers.
✓ Observe and encourage teacher observations to promote unity within IB curriculum practices.
✓ Register students for May external examinations.
✓ Assist teachers in uploading predicted grades, internal assessment scores and/or samples for moderation.
Leadership Responsibilities ✓ Inspire an atmosphere of assessment of learning and assessment for learning.
✓ Arrange policy review meetings with subject teachers to cultivate a culture of dialogue on IB school
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operations.
✓ Coordinate teachers for training in DP teaching and assessment.
✓ Supervise IB registration and testing conditions.
✓ Conduct monitoring meetings with DP faculty to review student academic performance in DP classe
✓ Develop and conduct workshops for DP faculty on IB goals, programme improvement, instructional practices and student achievement.
✓ Supervise school DP curriculum implementation, course registration, and scheduling.
✓ Analyze whole school data.
✓ Monitor student progress on IB assessments and classroom performance.
✓ Monitor teacher instructional strategies, grading practices and assessment strategies.
✓ Conduct parent presentations to disseminate information on DP curriculum goals and course scheduling.
✓ Attend state IB association meetings to participate in policy implementation and procedures for IB schools.
State Requirements At Pahokee Middle High School, in order to obtain the standard high school diploma, students must successfully complete one of the following options:
• Obtain 24-credits
• Complete the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma curriculum
In addition, all students must meet the Florida state requirements for graduation:
• Obtain a score of 3 or higher on the Grade 10 FSA ELA (or ACT/SAT concordant score)
• Obtain a score of 3 or higher on the Algebra I end-of-course (EOC) exam (the results constitute thirty percent of the final course grade). Alternatively, obtain a comparative score on the Postsecondary Education Readiness Test (P.E.R.T.)
• Take the EOC assessments, (which make up 30 percent of the final course grade) and successfully pass the following courses:
o Geometry o U.S. History o Biology I o Algebra II (if enrolled)
*Special Note: Thirty percent not applicable if not enrolled in the course but passed the EOC. IB Diploma Programme candidates meet all state requirements by the end of their 10th grade.
Supporting Documents Candidates with Assessment Access Requirements, 2014
Guidelines for Developing a School Assessment Policy in the Diploma Programme, 2010 Programme Standards and Practices 2014
Updated: November, 2012; Revised: January, 2015; Updated: May 2010, March 2021
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PMHS Language Policy
School Language Profile and Philosophy Pahokee Middle High School is a choice school, located in the small, rural community of Pahokee, Florida, next to Lake Okeechobee in Palm Beach County. This region is home to the largest sugar cane industry in the country. Ninety-seven of our students are minorities, with African-Americans and Hispanics making up the majority of our student body. While English is the main language of instruction at PMHS, for many of our parents, English is not the spoken language. We have students with diverse linguistic backgrounds such as Spanish, Haitian, Bengali, and Arabic. We believe that language and literacy are the foundations to all learning. Therefore, every teacher at Pahokee Middle High School is a language teacher, helping to develop and foster reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills in our students. We use language to communicate our ideas and emotions, as well as to develop our social skills and cultural awareness. We encourage students to value their primary language and culture, while at the same time respect and appreciate other languages and cultures. At PMHS we celebrate cultural and language diversity through engaging lessons and activities. Out teachers:
✓ Design curriculums that supports the development of interpersonal communicative skills and literacy in DP students
✓ Understand their role in implementing appropriate teaching practices that facilitate learner participation and engagement
✓ Demonstrate effective teaching practices that utilize constructivist approaches in activating prior knowledge and constructing personal meaning during instruction
✓ Foster meaningful interactions within the school community and provide a richness of school culture with intercultural awareness
✓ Build and reinforce students’ sense of identity
Language Practices LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION English is the school language of instruction. All Pahokee Middle High School Diploma candidates take the Group 1: English Language and Literature Higher Level exam in grade 12. We ensure that students:
✓ analyze a variety of texts, such as fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and prose
✓ utilize the internet and web tools to facilitate research for all internal and external assessments and follow the MLA referencing protocols for citations.
✓ receive the necessary help and interventions when having difficulties with the course ✓ progress through language development.
LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
PMHS requires every student to take at least two years of language acquisition. We offer Spanish B as the Group 2 subject in the Diploma curriculum. Ideally, students should enter the Diploma
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Programme with at Spanish 1 and Spanish 2 completed. For students that have taken only one year of Spanish prior senior year we offer Spanish ab initio SL.
Language Support EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT EDUCATION (ESE) PMHS is committed to providing exceptional students a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in accordance with federal, state, and local mandates. In keeping with this philosophy, the school:
✓ provides every exceptional student with an appropriate individualized education program (IEP)
✓ offers exceptional students services that are available to every other student ✓ provides placement alternatives that enable students to be educated in the least restrictive
environment ✓ encourages the participation of parents in the educational process ✓ ensures the right to due process and equal protection under the law
ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS (ELL) With the help of the school district’s Multicultural Education, PMHS ensures the academic progress of ELLs through the following:
✓ Support services in schools to comply with District, State, and Federal requirements ✓ Professional learning opportunities to offer instructional strategies and support aligned to
the unique needs of ELLs in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and Dual Language programs
✓ Bilingual/bicultural counseling and social services to meet the social, emotional, and academic needs of English Language Learners
✓ Facilitation of ESOL required training to satisfy requirements of the Florida Consent Decree ✓ Providing language related instructional resources aligned to the standards and designed to
meet the needs of English Language Learners ✓ Advocating for all students to ensure equitable educational opportunities are provided at all
schools ✓ Coordinating parent engagement opportunities to increase parental involvement ✓ Allocating resources to schools to serve English Language Learners ✓ Support families with student registration through the Welcome Center ✓ Translation and interpretation services to provide comprehensible input for students and
families.
Roles and Responsibilities Head of School and Administration
✓ Responsible for the professional development training of language teachers ✓ Responsible for providing resources to teachers and students for language development ✓ Communicate the values and expectations of the IBO to teachers, parents, students, and
community stakeholders ✓ Responsible for providing resources for library and media services ✓ Attract and retain highly qualified and experienced language teachers to support the
program
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✓ Ensure that the IB learner profile is firmly entrenched in the school culture ✓ Encourage IB teacher articulation meetings to foster an interdisciplinary approach to
learning IB Diploma Coordinator
✓ Collaborate with the ELL Coordinator to monitor student progress ✓ Inform all the staff of IB procedures and assessment practices ✓ Oversee the implementation of the language program ✓ Ensure that appropriate textbooks, resources, and facilities are available ✓ Ensure that parents are informed of their student’s progress in language acquisition and
development ✓ Organize meetings for vertical and horizontal planning with language teachers
DP Teachers
✓ Plan instructional strategies, identify instructional resources for language teaching, and to address the goals and objectives of the IB Programme
✓ Assign meaningful and varied tasks to students that encourage proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, and listening language skills
✓ Provide timely written and verbal descriptive feedback to students on assignments and assessments
✓ Communicate students’ academic progress with parents
School Community
o Offer tutoring and additional help for struggling students
o Organize culturally diverse celebrations/activities
Supporting Documents Guidelines for Developing a School Language Policy, 2008
Language and Learning in IB Programmes, 2011 Learning in a Language Other Than Mother Tongue in IB Programmes, 2008
Programme Standards and Practices, 2014
(Revised, November 5, 2012; January 2016, May 2019; Updated: November 2020)
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PMHS Inclusion Policy Purpose and Philosophy The mission of the school is to provide a challenging, innovative program to a diverse student population, empowering each individual to successfully compete in and contribute to the global society, while maintaining a safe school environment. In alignment with the IB philosophy on inclusion, Pahokee embraces the concept of diversity in recognizing the ethnic, racial, socioeconomic, and learning style differences of our students. Special needs students are challenged to follow their strengths and build up their weaknesses through full participation in the Diploma Programme. In addition, the state of Florida adopted a teaching growth model/evaluation system that fosters teachers creating new strategies to address unique student needs. Pahokee Middle High School faculty strives to integrate international mindedness and the learner profile attributes within student lessons while using differentiation strategies to address unique student needs. Teachers model learner profile attributes and encourage students to demonstrate these behaviors in the classroom as well as in service learning projects and clubs/organizations. Teachers are required to monitor student academic progress throughout lessons in the classroom. In addition, special needs students receive the specific accommodations prescribed for their needs during state, national, and international exams. The IB Diploma Coordinator, school testing coordinator, invigilators, and proctors are made aware of the specific accommodations for special needs students to ensure fidelity of implementation. In accordance with state and federal guidelines, special needs students may be entitled to receive specific accommodations in the classroom and/or during assessments as deemed appropriate for their needs. Federal law requires that, upon parental request and with medical documentation, a meeting is held with parents, student, ESE Coordinator, administration, and teacher(s), speech/language pathologist, sign language interpreter and deaf/hard of hearing teacher (as needed) to discuss and record specific accommodations outlined for the student. The accommodations are recorded on a 504 plan or Individualized Education Plan (IEP), depending on the student’s need. To date, special needs students at Suncoast may use assistive technologies, word processors for essay exams, readers, frequent breaks or additional time for assignments and assessments as prescribed on 504 plans or IEPs. Students’ teachers are given copies of 504 plans or IEPs to implement the accommodations outlined for classroom participation and/or assessment. Special needs students are protected under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and have a right to receive education in the least restrictive environment. The student is continually monitored by the ESE staff and the ESE administrator during their matriculation at Pahokee, and the IEP is updated annually. The Pahokee Exceptional Student Education Department works closely with veteran and new teachers in developing an understanding of each student’s needs and to ensure that teachers understand how the specific accommodations are aligned with the student’s needs.
School Development and Resources Pahokee teachers attend district workshops and receive on-campus professional development in the areas of differentiation for classroom implementation. Pahokee administration strives for
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fidelity of implementation with these ideals as teachers progress through the state adopted teacher growth model/evaluation system. Pahokee Middle High School has access to school district personnel that specialize in Exceptional Student Education practices, procedural safeguards, test evaluations, parent conferences, and legal advisement. The school receives weekly visitations from an assigned district speech/language pathologist and a school psychologist. The staff of the Pahokee ESE department consists of support facilitators that attend specific classes with assigned special needs students to provide support according to the students’ needs. The school district allocates funds to the school to hire and train special needs support staff based upon the number of enrolled students diagnosed with disabilities. Therefore, the ESE department has limited funding for support facilitation services. The Pahokee Middle High School ESE department is also limited by the number of students in the general student population that can be evaluated for disabilities due to shortage of school psychologists in the district. The ESE department does not screen or evaluate students for disabilities; this matter is handled at the district level by school psychologists, by parents or by Child Study Team request. Thus, faculty, administrators, school counselors, and teachers with special needs students work together to follow and monitor the 504 and IEP plans devised to maximize positive student outcomes.
Stakeholders The Pahokee Special Needs policy is to be shared with faculty, parents, students and the school district on the school website, during parent meetings and open house events articulates the school’s stance on providing inclusive educational services. These stakeholders are made aware of the inclusion policy at Pahokee to ensure that all students take full advantage of the academic programs offered at the school. Special needs students at Pahokee, including Diploma students, participate in accelerated coursework through various academic programs offered on campus. The school district’s enrollment policy for magnet schools of choice encourages applications from students with special needs and does not permit test scores, teacher recommendations or student conduct records to eliminate eligible students from the applicant pool.
Communication Our ESE department maintains parent communication through emails, phone conferences, parent meetings, and quarterly reports to parents. The ESE Coordinator facilitates parent meetings in which the school psychologist interprets psychological evaluations and the speech/language pathologist interprets language evaluations of students. In 504 and IEP meetings, accommodations for special needs students are discussed, with teachers present to support student success in the classroom. The Diploma Coordinator applies to the IB, on behalf of the student, for accommodations in the classroom and/or for external examination periods. When students are in transition from middle to high school, a transition IEP meeting is conducted prior to arriving at high school to allow a district transition specialist to provide parents with information about success in high school. In transition to college, a transition specialist is available to provide information to parents of special needs students about career and college preparation.
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Students are invited to use their IEP or 504 plans to apply at the student disabilities office of their choice colleges for accommodations.
Confidentiality Pahokee Middle High School administration respects student confidentiality through the transmission of information about special needs students to faculty. The Pahokee ESE coordinator maintains student records in a secure location and discloses records to parents, upon written request, to teachers or to district ESE personnel. Pertinent information about special needs students is disseminated to administrators, faculty, or test proctors with confidentiality as sealed documents or marked “confidential.”
Learning Special needs students, depending on their disability, require skills in organization, executive decision-making, information processing, cognitive processing, and language processing to function in the high school classroom. In addition to support facilitation in the classroom, students also receive individualized assistance during the daily 40-minute lunch period from Pahokee ESE support facilitators in the aforementioned areas. Speech and language impaired students receive support services during elective class periods from the speech/language pathologist. Special needs of students at Pahokee include anxiety, Asperger’s syndrome, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder/Attention Deficit Disorder, chronic illness, emotional/behavior disorder, hearing impaired, Other Health Impaired (OHI), speech impaired, and the visually impaired.
Policy Review Nearing the end of the school year, the IB coordinator meets with DP teachers and the IB assistant principal and ESE coordinator to review the school’s inclusion policy and get feedback about any necessary amendments. Once changes are suggested, the principal either approves or rejects the revision and the policy is then shared with the rest of the faculty, as well as parents, during the pre-school week at the beginning of the new school year for any additional input and/or corrections. The revised policy is also included in the IB Handbook, which is available for parents at the front office, as well as on the school website. We welcome parents’ and other IB stakeholders’ input on the policy.
Supporting Documents Candidates with assessment access requirements, July 2014
Learning Diversity in the International Baccalaureate Programmes: Special Educational Needs within the International Baccalaureate Programmes, August, 2010
Meeting Student Learning Diversity in the Classroom, May 2013 Programme Standards and Practices, 2014
(Revision: November, 2012; November, 2015, May 2019, November 2020)
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the other requirements for an IB Diploma besides taking IB courses? At the core of the IB Program are three central elements called Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Creativity-Action-Service (CAS), and an Extended Essay (EE). Students who seek to earn an IB Diploma must complete the requirements of these three parts of the IB Program.
2. What is Theory of Knowledge (TOK)?
TOK is a course that is open to Juniors and Seniors. It is an interdisciplinary course designed to help students question and understand how they know what they know. Students study how individuals from various disciplines view the world to develop their own ways of thinking. By stimulating critical reflection and analysis of knowledge and experience across disciplines, TOK seeks to bridge and unify the academic subjects, in essence, to help students make sense of school and the world. Diploma Candidates must take TOK in both junior and senior years.
3. What is Creativity-Activity-Service (CAS)?
CAS is an experiential learning component of the IB. Students seeking to earn an IB Diploma must complete a minimum of two years of reflections on ManageBac of participation over their junior and senior years. A wide variety of activities fulfill this requirement, including many extracurricular, community service, and athletic activities.
4. What is the Extended Essay (EE)?
The Extended Essay introduces students to the demands and rewards of independent work. Emphasis is placed on engaging in personal research and communicating ideas effectively in order to write a 4,000-word essay (about 18 pages) in an area of personal interest to the student within a subject taught at Pahokee Middle High School. Each student seeking to earn an IB Diploma must write an extended essay over the course of his or her junior and senior years. A guide to the Extended Essay is available.
5. How do students get evaluated in the IB Program?
Students enrolled in IB courses still get grades from their classroom teachers, still take tests, do homework, complete projects, and take midterm exams—the same as any other student. In addition, students enrolled in IB courses take formal exams in May. Working in partnership with local teachers, the IB Organization works to ensure that students have ample opportunity to demonstrate what they know and are able to do. The IB Organization compiles information about students from their teachers, from work students do over the course of the year, and from the end-of-course exams given in May to determine a final score on a 1 to 7 scale. Diploma students need a total of at least 24 points to earn the full diploma.
6. What are the advantages of taking IB courses?
The major advantages include a challenging learning environment, excellent preparation for university-level studies, recognition of IB course work by college admissions officers,
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the possibility of earning college credit or advanced standing, and the benefit of receiving a well-rounded, world-class, liberal arts education.
7. What do students do if they find an IB class too challenging?
Numerous support services are offered to help students gain confidence and learn the required skills to manage their work and responsibilities. Support services include conferences with teachers, individual counseling and guidance, peer tutoring, and various levels of academic support. Although IB classes are more challenging than standard classes, colleges recognize IB course-work, admire the rigor and challenge of the IB Program, and regard successful completion of an IB course as a credential of exceptional merit. Also IB course-work can lead to college credit. Given the right support, students should consider the advantages of staying in an IB class.
8. How much homework will students have?
The amount of homework varies in the IB Program. Students should expect about ten to twenty hours of homework every week. Approaches to Learning skills, such as time management is essential because homework often consists of long-term assignments and a great deal of reading and writing.
9. What is the benefit of taking individual IB courses?
While the IB Organization suggests that students attempt a full diploma, not all students will take the full IB course load leading to an IB Diploma. Some students may choose selected courses where they have particular interests or strengths. Students who satisfactorily complete an IB course will earn a certificate from IB, and the course will be noted on their permanent transcript, thus potentially earning them college credits.
10. How widely accepted is the IB Diploma?
The IB Diploma is an internationally accepted standard of excellence, accepted by universities and other institutions in over eighty countries. Besides global recognition, most schools to which Pahokee Middle High School graduates have been admitted recognize the IB Program. The IB web site lists colleges and universities that grant credit, scholarships, and/or advanced standing for IB diplomas and certificates. When students are applying to universities, decisions about admissions will be partially based on their high school transcripts, not on whether they earn the Diploma. The most important factor in admissions will be the work in IB classes, not scores on the IB exams. However, IB exam scores will be important in decisions about placement and credit, so it is important to do well on IB exams, too.
11. Will students still have to take a EOC Exam in an IB course?
Yes. If an EOC Exam is normally given in the course related to the IB course, such as American History, then a student will also take the EOC Exam. To maximize student performance on both exams, teachers take into account EOC curriculum requirements as well as IB requirements when planning their courses.
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12. What are the main differences between the IB Program and the Advanced Placement (AP) Program? As a general rule, the IB and AP Programs are roughly equivalent in their academic rigor. However, there are some differences in the content and tests. Content differences vary by subject. In general, the IB Program is more comprehensive and focuses on multiple methods of assessment as opposed to AP courses where a student is evaluated by the results of a single end-of-course exam. Depending upon the course, special attention may be necessary to certain topics so that a student who completes the course will be prepared to take either or both exams.
13. Will students who take an IB course have to take the exam?
Yes. Students who are enrolled in an IB course will be expected to prepare for and take the exam at the end of the course or IB credit will not be granted.
14. What happens if a student drops an IB course in the year of the May assessment?
The student will be responsible for the subject fee and any applicable late fees. At this
writing, the fee to drop a course by January 15th is $277 and to drop it by April 15th is $507
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Resources and Contact Information:
• International Baccalaureate Organization: http://ibo.org
• School Website:
https://pmsh.palmbeachschools.org/
• Official School’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pahokeebluedevils/
• ManageBac address (approval required to sign up):
https://pahoke.managebac.com
• Official Pahokee DP Twitter Account: @Pahokee_IB
• School’s Office Number:
561-924-6400
• IB Coordinator’s Number: 561-924-0447
