Authorization is a milestone in the life of an IB World School, not the finish line.
Ongoing development starts from the moment of authorization, as the school uses the feedback it has received to update its action plan to continue to improve delivery of its IB programme(s).
The IB offers a range of professional development, workshops and events that support the school as it works to strengthen its implementation and deepen its understanding of the IB programme(s) for which it is authorized. IB World Schools must meet ongoing professional development (PD) requirements that must be completed at evaluation.
Evaluation
Each IB World School is regularly evaluated to ensure that the standards and practices of its IB programme(s) are being maintained. Evaluation takes place at least once every five years. As part of the process, the school engages in a self-study that is a key element in the school’s continual improvement.
Engagement opportunities
IB World Schools are part of a strong community and network of fellow schools and educators who collaborate internationally. As schools gain experience with the IB, their heads, coordinators and teachers are invited to support the IB as members of curriculum development teams, workshop leaders, school visitors and those who prepare and mark assessments and examinations.
Experienced educators and administrators are trained for these roles by the IB to become members of the IB educator network (IBEN). This network ensures that IB’s processes and practices are informed by local experience and benefits IB World Schools when teachers and school leaders bring their IBEN experiences to bear on their local practice.
IB World Schools may also wish to become involved with a local or regional association of IB World Schools. These associations offer a variety of support to their member schools and have been recognized by the IB.
Useful documents for this phase include the Programme standards and practices, General regulations, and Rules for IB World Schools that can be found in our resource and document library, and the Programme evaluation guide and self-study questionnaire, which is available on the IB Programme Resource Centre (PRC), to which schools receive access at candidacy.
These documents are the authoritative statements of the standards, practices and requirements to which schools are subject as IB World Schools.
