International Baccalaureate

Home to Iowa’s Only International Baccalaureate Programs

In 2008, Des Moines Public Schools became the first and only school district in Iowa to offer the world-renowned International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme as another approach to learning for students.

In just a few years, the IB program in Des Moines has grown to include ten schools serving more than 4,500 students.

The school district is currently home to seven IB World Schools:

• Hubbell Elementary School
• Park Avenue Elementary School
• Stowe Elementary School
• Walnut Street School
• Goodrell Middle School
• Merrill Middle School
• Central Academy

In addition, three schools are in the midst of completing the IB authorization process:

• Gateway Middle School
• Meredith Middle School / Hoover High School (Meredith and Hoover, which are physically connected, are in a unique partnership to provide students with the IB Middle Years program through 10th grade.)

Brody Middle School has also been working for the past several months on preparing for the IB authorization process, and will be submitting its application in the near future.

IB is a school-wide program providing a framework for teaching and learning that engages students in guided inquiry centered on universal concepts. Guided inquiry emphasizes students’ natural curiosity and provides them with an opportunity to ask questions and seek answers in a collaborative classroom where students and teachers work together to explore the curriculum. At the middle school level, IB students experience the district curriculum enhanced with rigorous international standards across eight subject areas.

After three years of working to implement the IB Programme, a team of experts visits each school to observe progress and provide recommendations for further growth. Following those visits, officials at the IB Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland decide whether or not the schools should be declared IB World Schools.

The following documents provide additional information about the IB Programme:

• GENERAL INFORMATION: International Baccalaureate Brochure
• ELEMENTARY GRADES: Primary Years Programme
• MIDDLE SCHOOL/HIGH SCHOOL: Middle Years Programme
• IB DIPLOMA: Diploma Programme

In addition, to learn more about the differences between the Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs offered at Des Moines Public Schools, be sure to download and read Comparison of AP and IB.