The IB Programme Costs have been much discussed and much debated. We have found that especially if the program comes under fire, there is a tendency on the part of School Administration to hide costs deep within the school's general budget. It is important to look for the following costs in addition to the published fees in order to get a full accounting:
**Training Costs: Largest commitment of budget - IB requires that all IB instructors be certified by IB--these costs include the IB fee for the seminar, travel, lodging and sometimes car rental expenses. IB offers three Levels of training. Each Level consists of a three day seminar, rarely offered in a district's home state, and averages $1500 per teacher, per 3 day seminar. IBO is beginning a new series of "online training courses". These 6 week "sessions" consist of a teacher logging into an IB "message board" for four (4) hours a week. The cost for the "online training" WAS approx. $400 U.S. (per teacher, per course), however upon checking the IBO website, TAIB sees that those costs have now been removed and every online session for 2010 is listed as "closed".
**Application fees: Have now risen to a total of $19,000 per school! Part A - $9,500 Part B- $9,500 This is up from $17,000 just one year ago. Also, schools are required to pay IB annual membership fees for the two years a school undergoes the authorization process. In the case of a school applying for the IB Diploma program, not including IB teacher training, a district will pay $38,200 for the "privilege" of applying to IBO. (updated 05/04/10)
ANNUAL ONGOING COSTS
Ongoing teacher training - variable, $20-60,000 per year avg.
Salaries and benefits for additional instructors: IB requires that foreign language be taught a specific number of hours per week in the Elementary School. This requirement often necessitates additional staff.
Costs associated with required IB Evaluation visits - approx. $3,500 per IB team visit
Establishment of IB Coordinator Positions - (recommended at least 25% release time)
CAS Supervisor - (stipend approx. $2,500 - 3,500)
EE Supervisor - (stipend approx. $2,500 - 3,500)
Books and materials for IB classes - IB course guides must be purchased from IB Store
Postage to mail materials to IB offices around the world. (avg. of $5-7,000 per yr.)
Salaries for substitutes for IB classes when teachers are out for training - (variable)
IB DP Student registration fees - $129$135 per student, certificate or full diploma, payable in the year first IB exam is taken.
IB MYP Student registration fee - $60 per student
IB MYP Course moderation fee - $640 per subject
Annual IB DP authorization dues - $9,600
Annual IB MYP authorization dues - $8,000
Annual IB PYP authorization dues - $8,300 ($1,300 increase in one year!)
$91$92 (through August, 2010) test fee per IB subject - in some districts, this fee is included in the budget but NOT picked up for AP students
We know. It's hard to believe. TAIB has endeavored to present accurate information regarding the onerous cost of implementing IB in a school. Based on our read of IB regulations, we were under the impression that the $129 student registration fee only applied to full Diploma students and was therefore, negligible. After a heated discussion with an IB teacher over this very issue, we are actually pleased to announce, we were wrong. IB charges the $129 registration fee for every student who intends to take just one IB exam in addition to the $88 $91 per exam fees.
Now, this doesn't just apply to the DP. It also applies to the MYP where the IB charges a $60 per student registration fee. Apparently at the PYP level where IB requires the entire school to participate in PYP, it couldn't bring itself to tack on this userous fee.
So why is this an issue? Let's take a small public high school like Locust Valley, NY. Last year, the graduating class was 203 students. LV's administration has proudly proclaimed that "at least 80% of the students are taking at least one IB class!" Great! So on top of the annual $9,160 to "belong" to IB, this small district pays an additional $20,640 just for the "privilege" of students being able to register to take an exam. Think about it. $30,000 a year - for WHAT? And that's just for a tiny district. What about districts where there are 400-600 or more students in a grade? That $20,000 becomes $40,000 or $60,000, just for registration fees!
Offering AP instead of IB could immediately eliminate a minimum of $30,000 in superfluous expenses from a budget.
"IB Students are Happier", IB Sales Pitch of the Naughts
Perhaps in the near future, when TAIB editors aren't so full of Christmas cheer and have the stomach to seriously analyze this marketing technique, we can put together something formidable. For now, suffice it to say that anyone of sound mind and body can't seriously BUY this eduspin. One very SOUND outcome of this audio file however, is the almost offhand mention by the presenter that where she comes from, IB operates as a SATELLITE school. She warns of making sure a district has a proper FEEDING PATTERN. Okay, we don't want to prejudice your listening of this tape any further but would really be interested in feedback from readers as to what they think of the tape. [SPOILER ALERT: IB stats for teacher attrition rate accounts for 1 teacher who died - comment received with loud laughter]
