Bill Text: VA HJR131 | 2010 | Regular Session | Prefiled
Bill Title: International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme; State Council of Higher Education to study.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-02-16 - House: Left in Rules [HJR131 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2010-HJR131-Prefiled.html
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10102722D WHEREAS, the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB) was founded in Switzerland in 1968 as a nonprofit educational foundation to create a better world through education; and WHEREAS, the IB program began as a single program for internationally mobile students preparing for university and has evolved into three programs for students aged 3 to 19, and the first IB schools were predominantly private international schools; however, today, over half of all IB World Schools are state schools; and WHEREAS, because the IB program "aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect, the IB organization works with schools, governments, and international organizations to develop challenging programs of international education and rigorous assessment, and to encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right"; and WHEREAS, the IB program concentrates in four areas: curriculum development, student assessment, professional development and training of teachers, and accountability and evaluation of schools, and these areas of concentration are consistent with Virginia's goals to provide a high-quality public education and to prepare students for excellence in postsecondary and collegiate settings; and WHEREAS, the first IB program was pioneered in the Commonwealth 25 years ago at George Mason High School in Falls Church, and the program has been very successful and has stimulated the entire Falls Church City Public Schools education program; and WHEREAS, George Mason High School's IB program was publicly cited by the deputy regional director of the IBO North America headquartered in New York as "one of the best, if not the best IB program in the world"; and WHEREAS, George Mason High School's IB diploma and certificate recipients have been continually well-received by colleges and universities throughout North America and around the world, where they excel in their studies; and WHEREAS, the elevated academic record and performance of IB graduates in colleges and universities reflect the positive impact of IB programs, as seen in a greater number of IB students annually returning and successfully completing college; and WHEREAS, the IB program continues to receive enthusiastic support from parents and the City of Falls Church's school board, superintendent of schools, and city council; and WHEREAS, the availability of the IB program throughout the Commonwealth would provide all students an exceptional educational opportunity and foster academic excellence, character building experiences, and understanding of other peoples and cultures; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia be requested to study the feasibility and appropriateness of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme as a continuum of education in Virginia. In conducting its study, the State Council of Higher Education shall (i) review the requirements and organizational structure of the IB program; (ii) evaluate the systems of public and higher education in Virginia to identify areas of commonality with the IB program, including, but not limited to, curriculum offerings and diploma requirements, teacher preparation and licensure, student assessments, No Child Left Behind, school accountability, and professional development; (iii) identify and assess IB programs offered by local school divisions; (iv) determine whether and how the IB program complements higher education in Virginia and prepares students for high academic achievement and success in higher education programs; (v) assess the IB program's ability to groom students for positive interactions with other cultures and participation in a global community; and (vi) consider such other issues necessary to determine the efficacy of the IB program as a continuum of education in Virginia. Technical assistance shall be provided to the State Council of Higher Education by the Department of Education and institutions of higher education in Virginia. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the State Council for Higher Education for this study, upon request. The State Council of Higher Education shall complete its meetings for the first year by November 30, 2010, and for the second year by November 30, 2011, and the State Council of Higher Education shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an executive summary and report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a House or Senate document for each year. The executive summaries and reports shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports no later than the first day of the next Regular Session of the General Assembly and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website. |
