IB launches early access pilot programme in Louisiana

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A groundbreaking initiative in the US aims to expand access to the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, marking a first for IB in the country.

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The International Baccalaureate (IB) is offering high schools in Louisiana the chance to teach a selection of courses prior to completing authorization. This is the first time the organization will allow certain courses to be taught before candidacy schools complete the authorization process.

In 2024, the state’s newly revised accountability plan for public schools incorporated an enhanced focus on college readiness, which can be bolstered by IB courses. Now, the IB is seeking schools statewide to be part of the pilot to implement a limited selection of its Diploma Programme (DP) courses by fall 2025.

Authorization for the IB’s DP can take schools up to two years to complete. By allowing early access to the courses, this pilot allows schools to implement teaching within the IB framework sooner, providing opportunities to train teachers and prepare schools for the full IB experience.

The pilot is a chance to innovate the IB’s process, assess its success, and replicate it in other US states in the future if possible.

Throughout the first half of 2025, the IB is hosting orientations throughout Louisiana to help recruit schools for this new pilot. 

For more information about upcoming sessions in Louisiana, reach out to Lindsay Cooper, Development Manager at the IB, at [email protected].