1. Fenton Area Public Schools International Baccalaureate Program Evaluation
May 11, 2015

2. Committee Members Jennifer Wright – AGS Teacher
Tom Macey – FHS Teacher
Michele Ostrowski – State Road Teacher
Lori Slaughter – AGS Teacher
Laura Caballero – AGS Parent
Christine Larosa – FHS Parent
Susie Khoury – Tomek Eastern Parent
Sean Sage – State Road Parent
Candice Merivirta – North Road Elementary Principal
Mark Suchowski – Fenton High School Principal
Melody Strang – Curriculum Director
Tim Jalkanen – Superintendent

3. Questions for the committee to answer
What is the International Baccalaureate Program?
What is the cost of the IB program?
To what extent is the program being implemented at each level?
What are the impact and benefits of the program?
If not IB then what and at what cost?

4. Data collected during evaluation
MEAP / MME / ACT (2007 through 2014)
Student enrollment
AP / DP
Student attendance rate at university / college after FHS
Perception data
IB external evaluation reports
Financials

5. What is the IB program?
Primary Year Program – Kindergarten – fifth grade – all students (1500 students)
Middle Year Program – Sixth through tenth grade (1300 students)
Diploma Program – optional for all 11th and 12th grade students
Instructional best practices
Learner Profile
Prepares students for 21st century

6. What is the cost of the IB program?
Major cost of program is staffing, professional development and annual fees
Cost vary year to year – for the program evaluation we used 2013 – 2014 school year
3 - Primary Year Programs - $285,000
2 – Middle Year Programs - $138,000
1 – Diploma Program - $105,000
Total IB Program Cost - $528,000

7. Revenue
School of Choice enrollment forms indicate IB/Academics as factor for coming to FAPS (may be reason) Should this be considered?
60 – 80 School of Choice students per year - approx. $497,000
Parent survey showed 97 indicated (21%) IB was factor coming to Fenton Schools.
Asked incoming kindergarten families was IB a factor - 38 (33%) indicated IB was a factor

8. To what extent is the IB program being implemented at each level?
Primary Year Program
External review in 2012
Different evaluating teams for each building
Tomek – Eastern no matters to be addressed
North Road and State Road Elementary had matters to be addressed
Action plan developed and implemented
All buildings were reauthorized

9. To what extent is the IB program being implemented at each level?
Middle Year Program
External review 2014
Commendation on Personal Projects
Recommendations to further development student assessment, use of data, clarify student action, group objectives in teaching and learning, other
More training needed for staff
More time needed for teachers to meet and collaborate

10. To what extent is the IB program being implemented at each level?
Diploma Program
5 HL courses and 7 SL courses
Full Diploma option for students
Course Candidate option for students
19 class sections of DP classes during current school year
More students take DP classes when compared to AP classes before IB
29 % of 11th and 12th grade students take DP class

11. To what extent is the IB program being implemented at each level?
Additional teacher training needed at all program levels.
Additional time needed for teachers to have horizontal and vertical collaboration.

12. What are the impact and benefits of the IB program?
All students K – 10th grade in program
Optional all students 11th and 12th grade
Inquiry based learning
Student Centered
Learner Profile
Focus on critical thinking
Reflecting on learning
World Language

13. What are the impact and benefits of the IB program?
MEAP / MME / ACT scores are among the highest in the county before IB was implemented and while IB has been implemented
Students have been more successful with Diploma exams as compared to AP exams
FHS rate of students attending college or university has increased since IB was implemented.

14. Other considerations
Difficult to measure student growth in critical thinking skills.
What has been the impact of the Learner Profile?
Are students more engaged in their learning?
Are students more internationally minded?
Do students take more action since IB?

15. If not IB then what and at what cost?
Critical to fully explore options with all staff before making a major shift in instructional programs / practices.
AdvancEd Standards of Quality Accreditation district wide – FHS is currently accredited
Increase Advanced Placement courses – initial expense $46,000
Need to honor current students in DP courses

16. If not IB then what and at what cost?
ASCD Whole Child Initiative
Focuses on whole child
Not a curriculum framework
Assists in identifying school / district weaknesses and strengths
Professional development to address needs
Cost determined on training needed

17. If not IB then what and at what cost?
What is vision for teaching and learning?
Create standards and practices to hold ourselves accountable
How to replace Learner Profile
Keep best practices
Create a way to evaluate our new plan

18. 137 out of 212 responded (65%) Teacher Survey Summary
How would you rate your effectiveness in implementing the IB program?
District
FHS (42)
AGS (21)
North Road (16)
Tomek (23)
State Road (14)
Great
15% 7% 5% 0%
39%
21%
Good
42%
60%
47%
13%
26%
50%
Fair
31%
46%
30%
Poor
10% 9%
40% 4%

19. Rate the Impact IB has had on your teaching.
District
FHS
AGS
North Road
Tomek
State Road
Significantly Impacted
14% 9% 5% 0%
39%
35%
Impacted
21%
26%
25%
18% 7%
Slightly Impacted
33%
31%
38%
36%
Not Impacted
29%
30%
45%
50% 8%

20. Do you think IB is a good program for the students of Fenton?
Yes %
Neutral – 32.
No - 43%
Do you think IB is a good program for the students of Fenton? (teachers’ response)
District
FHS
AGS
North
Road
Tomek
State Road
Yes
25%
14%
24% 6%
52%
42%
Neutral
32%
33%
38%
26% No
43%
56%
21%

21. Parent Survey Summary 550 responses (35%)
Rate the impact the IB program has had on your children?
Significant Positive Impact
17%
Positive Impact
19%
Neutral
15%
Little Impact
22%
No Impact
24%

22. Rate the experience your child had in each level of the IB Program.
Excellent
Experience
Good
Fair
Neutral
Poor
Primary Years
21%
17%
30% 9%
Middle Years
11%
16%
18%
36%
Diploma Program
10% 7%
12%
40%
28%

23. Rate your understanding of the IB Programs (parents).
Very Clear
Understanding
Clear
Somewhat
Do Not Understand
Primary Years
34%
28%
26%
10%
Middle Years
27%
30%
29%
12%
Diploma Program
25%
15%

24. Recommendation Diploma Program data was positive
MEAP, MME, and ACT results have consistently been among the highest in county before and during IB implementation
Teacher survey shows staff divided on IB
Parents survey shows parents are divided on IB

25. Recommendations
Consensus of committee to continue with only the Diploma Program at FHS
Some committee support to increase training and collaboration time if continuing with IB district wide.
Some committee support to also keep Primary Years Program at one school.

26. Moving forward Keep DP at Fenton High School Keep DP and one PYP
Keep full IB program and address areas of need
Reduce costs of program by restructuring
Eliminate entire IB program
Other

27. Thank you to the committee members for their time and effort during the program evaluation process.