International Baccalaureate Programs

The International Baccalaureate Organization created three levels of educational programming designed to provide students with age appropriate and challenging curriculum. The Primary Years Program is designed for grades Kindergarten through 5. The Middle Years Program is for students in grades 6 through 10. The Diploma Program is for students in grades 11 and 12.

Greenville County Schools is pleased to offer the full range of K-12 IB continuum: Primary Years, Middle Years, and Diploma. The K-12 IB sequence of study is offered in four different geographical areas of the county (see listing of schools below). With the exception of Beck Middle Academy and Southside High (Middle Years/Diploma), all other IB schools primarily serve their home-based populations. All students in grades K-5 though 10 enrolled in an IB school automatically participate in the program.  No screening or testing is required.

Students who do not live in an IB school’s attendance area and want to participate in the IB at that school may complete a Request for Change in Student Assignment Form, which can be obtained from any school and submitted to the IB school the student wishes to attend.. However, not all schools are able to accept such requests every year and at every grade level. Parents should check with the IB school in which they are interested to see if the school accepts students from outside the attendance area. Because Beck Academy and Southside High are Select Schools or magnet academies, interested students who do not reside in these schools’ attendance areas must apply and be approved to attend. Applications are available on the on each magnet school’s web site and on the school district web site. 

While each level of IB programming has its own unique characteristics and requirements, they share a common vision.

Through comprehensive and balanced curricula coupled with challenging assessments, the International Baccalaureate Organization aims to assist schools in their endeavors to develop the individual talents of young people and teach them to relate the experience of the classroom to the realities of the world outside. Beyond intellectual rigor and high academic standards, strong emphasis is placed on the ideals of international understanding and responsible citizenship, to the end that IB students may become critical and compassionate thinkers, lifelong learners, and informed participants in local and world affairs, conscious of the shared humanity that binds all people together while respecting the variety of cultures and attitudes that makes for richness of life.

The IB benefits Greenville County’s children in the following ways:

• Provides a total program, grades K-12
• Nurtures students’ awareness of their membership in a global community
• Raises academic expectations and achievement
• Enrolls them in an international community of scholars
• Provides student-centered inquiry and instruction
• Provides a learning partnership with professionally trained IB teachers
• Provides students with skills and attitudes which encourage lifelong learning
• Encourages creativity and critical thinking at all levels
• Develops a broad base of knowledge across all subject areas

The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (PYP) is designed for students in kindergarten through fifth grade. The Primary Years Program is a uniquely international program that focuses on the total growth of the child, encompassing social, physical, emotional, and cultural needs in addition to academics.

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (DP) is a comprehensive, rigorous, international curriculum, leading to examinations, for students in grades 11 & 12. It provides students of different linguistic and cultural backgrounds with the intellectual, social, and critical perspectives necessary for the world that lies ahead of them. Students who successfully complete the requirements for this program earn the prestigious International Baccalaureate Diploma. In the US, the IB is valued as an honors program which leads to advanced standing and college credits at the world’s finest colleges and universities.