BENTONVILLE — The high school's International Baccalaureate program is among the items likely to get some scrutiny as School District officials look for ways to eliminate inefficiencies.
International Baccalaureate classes at the high school level are taken by juniors and seniors. The classes are touted as being similar to what students will find when they get to college. The program emphasizes critical thinking and analytical skills as well as an awareness of world affairs and responsible citizenship.
AT A GLANCE
IB Requirements
Requirements for Bentonville High students interested in the International Baccalaureate program:
• Must take International Baccalaureate courses in junior and senior years.
• Must have at least two years of a foreign language prior to International Baccalaureate language courses.
• Must meet pre-requisites for International Baccalaureate math and science courses.
• Must have sufficient room in schedule for two-year courses. Some classes are taken in both junior and senior years.
• Diploma candidates must complete the Creativity, Action and Service, Theory of Knowledge, and Extended Essay research requirements to earn the diploma.
Source: Bentonville High School
Students can graduate with an International Baccalaureate diploma in addition to their regular high school diploma, but fewer than 20 Bentonville students earn it each year. The school allows students to take one or more International Baccalaureate courses without committing to the entire diploma program.
A recent personnel audit conducted for the district reported there were 19 International Baccalaureate sections that enrolled 230 students last semester, an average of 12 students per section. The maximum number of students any one class can have is 30.
The cost of the program for this school year is estimated at $268,754 for salaries and benefits and $53,367 for supplies and fees, a total of $322,121, according to Sterling Ming, finance director.
Eliminating the program would save about $250,000, assuming the students could be absorbed into existing regular education or Advanced Placement sections, according to the audit report.
Grant Lightle, School Board vice president, said the low participation levels in International Baccalaureate are a concern. The district must consider whether the program meets a need that isn't otherwise being met through Advanced Placement classes and opportunities for concurrent coursework at NorthWest Arkansas Community College, he said.
"It, along with many other things, needs to be given a hard look in the context of our overall review of the findings from the personnel audit as we develop a more sustainable budget model," he said. "We need to carefully consider the financial viability and return on investment of all courses and programs with small enrollments, but that issue is broader than the IB program."
Wendi Cheatham, board president, said she would hate to lose International Baccalaureate because she supports a rigorous curriculum, but she needs more information before she makes any decision on it.
Bentonville High launched its International Baccalaureate program in 2007. It is one of only five high schools in Arkansas that offers the program. Springdale High School is another.
Bentonville has struggled to raise enrollment in the program. David Chapman, who's in his first year as the high school's International Baccalaureate coordinator, said he plans to boost community awareness of the program. It's recommended students interested in earning an International Baccalaureate diploma start planning for that in junior high.
"I want to be in contact with the feeder schools and be in touch with their counselors to let them know I'm available to answer any questions they have," Chapman said.
At a recent board meeting, Chapman said the district's counselors have not been properly educated about International Baccalaureate and few parents are getting information about it.
Though enrollment in the International Baccalaureate diploma program is small, the results those students achieve are good. The last four valedictorians have earned International Baccalaureate diplomas, and several of the top 10 graduates each year go through the program, Chapman said.
International Baccalaureate appeals to some families moving to the region from outside the state or outside the country because the standards are as rigorous as they'd find anywhere else in the world. That's one reason Bentonville should consider keeping it, Chapman said.
Teja Makkapati, 17, hopes to earn her International Baccalaureate diploma this year. She said going through the program has prepared her for college.
"It's like college in high school," Makkapati said.
One of the program requirements is to write a 4,000-word essay on the subject the student chooses. Makkapati was interested in black holes, so she wrote her essay on the ways black holes are affected by other celestial bodies.
During a recent board meeting, Lightle said one of the criticisms he's heard about the program is it's so academically rigorous it leaves students no time for other activities colleges like to see on a student's resume.
But the program includes a community-service segment, Chapman noted. Makkapati admits she has worked into the wee hours of the morning, but insists she still has time to teach tae kwon do twice per week and hang out with friends.
Some universities offer the equivalent of sophomore standing upon entrance to students with an International Baccalaureate diploma, Chapman said.
A decision to eliminate International Baccalaureate would have to be made years in advance because students plan their participation years in advance, said Michael Poore, superintendent.
The district lately has focused on getting its budget under control as it prepares for the increased costs of operating a second high school. The opening of Bentonville West High School in 2016 is expected to add more than $4 million to the operating budget, Poore said.
The board last week approved measures that trimmed the district's budget for the 2014-15 school year by about $2 million.
NW News on 03/24/2014