IB programs in Nashville area high schools (Brentwood: rental homes, houses)

[Steve_TN]

Hillsboro is discontinuing theirs due to lack of interest.

[WISTOMOVE]

I read that both Sunset and Woodland have a dress code. Does anyone know what that would be and why? Not saying that it's necessarily a bad thing but I'm just wondering if there was an incident that caused it. Thanks.

[BirdieBelle]

Not that I know of. Where did you read that? All the middle schools have rules about what is acceptable, but they aren't doing "standard attire" or anything.

[Anony-Momma]

I heard that Centennial went to uniforms.

[BirdieBelle]

Yes, Centennial adopted a dress code in 2008. It's basically solid-color pants and shirts, not really a uniform.

[EvelynTN]

It was Hillwood that cut theirs due to lack of interest. These are both metro high schools.

[HastingsJD]

Originally Posted by Wmsn4Life

In my experience, the IB program is a feather in the cap for the school because it sounds prestigious, but it may not necessarily help your child.
I graduated from high school in Memphis with an IB diploma, but it didn't help me get into any universities and I didn't transfer any credits. Many counselors I talked to then and now about my own children recommend taking your basic classes, especially in your major, at your university anyway.
I would not make IB a major decision in my school choice. AP classes seem to hold more weight anyway.

I would actually disagree with this. While the AP program is more well-known in the United States, the IB program is excellent. It was developed in Europe - I think in Geneva Switzerland if I remember correctly (not that being developed in Europe makes it better - just pointing out where it came from). Only about 3000 schools have approval to run this program likely because there are pretty stringent requirements to even be allowed to offer IB courses at a school. It's also rather expensive - school districts have to pay pretty hefty fees to IB to even have the program. AP also has a bigger "name" in the US and some people may be more likely to choose it over IB.

As for getting college credit - that's entirely based on how an individual student does on a final examination. Not the finals one takes as part of the course given by the teacher, but the actual exam administered through IB. Simply enrolling in the IB program does not mean a student gets college credit. I'm no longer familiar with the scoring system but when I took my exams it was a 1-5 scale. A score of 3 was basically enough to say you could get college credit per IB administration, but at the time it was up to the individual college to decide whether to award credit. (Not sure if that's the same now.) My university required a 4 out of a 5 for credit. AP is very similiar in terms of awarding credit - you only get college credit if you score high enough. (I believe they also use a 1-5 scale on their AP administered exams.)

I would recommend going to the school and speaking with the IB administrator (each school must have one) and meeting some of the teachers that teach the courses. To teach an IB course they must have gone through an IB training program, but you might want to stop in just to get a feel for the various teachers in the program and how the classes are run. IB will set up/dictate the general framework, but each school's program is going to be slightly different.

I would do the same in terms of school's with AP programs. I *think* AP is a little less structured that the IB program. The AP program is run by the College Board (same entity that does the SAT, PSAT, etc.). They have a recommended curriculum, but I don't *think* they have to go through as formal of a training process as the AP program. Not that I think that makes it subpar to an IB program - the biggest factor is going to be the people in charge of the program (whether it be IB or AP) at the local level.

You can find more info on the IB Program here:
The International Baccalaureate offers high quality programmes of international education to a worldwide community of schools

And more info on AP programs here: (under the Student Link)
College Admissions - SAT - University & College Search Tool

[HastingsJD]

Sorry -one more tidbit. This is some useful information on the IB website that indicates what scores are needed for college credit and what recognition an IB diploma (or just IB courses) are given in each of the states.

Recognition Policy Summaries (http://ibo.org/diploma/recognition/recognitionpolicy/ - broken link)

[shanabrez]

Ok, here's the lowdown on IB and schools. Franklin has an IB program, for now. I've heard from more than one source that the Director of Schools of Williamson county wants to discontinue the program. Which would be brilliant, it's not like we attract international companies to williamson county or anything. I'm guessing that in the 4000 student district he came from in Alabama, average ACT score of 18 after 5 years of his leadership, that there weren't many kids interested in IB.

Williamson County schools are arguably the best in the state but constantly being rezoned. If Hillsboro HS in Green Hills (Davidson County) and if Williamson County get rid of their IB programs, we're down to zero as far as I know. If you want to go to Williamson County schools, live in Brentwood but on the west side or anywhere near Page High School. Anywhere else you will most likely get rezoned at some point. You could safely live near Centennial and not get rezoned at the high school level but I'm not sure about the middle school. They are not shy about putting your kid on a bus for 80 minutes each way (90 being the state limit). Just ask a kid from the newly closed Pinewood Elementary.

[Anony-Momma]

Homeschooling is a real option (as opposed to all the rezoning) for me.