To get a sense of these fellas, let's hear it from the horse's mouth (er, IB Organization's website):

The aim of all IB programmes is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world.

Sounds great, right? Especially with that Brit-tastic spelling of programmes. But, well, what does all that really mean? A little background may help.

Hence, a Little Background

The International Baccalaureate approach to teaching and learning was first developed in 1968 in Switzerland for students in international schools there. Originally meant for high school aged students (16-19, for the Swiss), the program has been adopted by secondary schools worldwide and has expanded to include other age groups as well. You want specifs? Comin' right up:

 

Chocolate, cheese, and IB. Not a bad combo.

• The IB Middle School Program (ages 11-16) was developed in 1994.
• The Primary Program (ages 3-12) followed in 1997.
• In 2012, IB expanded one more time to include a Career-Related Program also aimed at secondary students (16-19).

Today, there are more than 4,000 IB schools worldwide with nearly 50% of those schools in the Americas, about 25% in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, and close to 18% in the Asia-Pacific region.

What Makes an IB School an IB School?

So let's get down to the nitty-gritty. In order to offer an IB program, a school must first be designated an IB World School, a process which typically takes 2-3 years. Why so long? Well, first, as you can imagine, there are a lot of forms to fill out. (Aren't there always?) But it's not just about the paperwork.

Among the numerous steps involved in becoming an IB school, we've got these time-suckers:

• The school must apply to the IB Organization (yup, that's the paperwork we mentioned).
• A school administrator must participate in an IB workshop to become familiar with the program, the philosophy, and the application process.
• A local coordinator must be designated for the program.
• Community support must be solicited. That means the whole team has got to be on board—administrators, teachers, staff, students, parents, and community members. Which makes it practically international already.

So that's it, yeah?

Nope.

That's all just what's called the "Consideration Phase." When schools reach the "Candidate Phase," and later, the "Moving Forward as an IB School Phase," there are several more boxes to check. Why the plethora of phases before "Actually Getting the Documents Wrapped Up and Being Able to Put a New, Fancy IB Sign on the Front of the School Phase"? Well, because the IB approach is very specific, both about the types of content an IB school should offer and how teachers and learners should function in the IB program.

So back to the actual phases. During the "Candidate Phase," all teachers and administrators are provided access to an online database of IB curriculum materials so that they can become more familiar with the IB approach and begin to institute elements of the IB curriculum. During this time, school administrators and staff members also attend workshops and the school is assigned an IB consultant to aid in the transition. And the red tape continues.

IB Ain't Free

Where there's paperwork, you'd better believe there are fees. These come into play while a school is in the "Candidate Phase" and also in the "Moving Forward Phase." The IB Organization is a nonprofit, and in order to continue to certify schools and provide resources and materials, it requires funding. That funding comes largely from the annual fees IB schools pay in order to maintain their IB designations.

Through August of 2016, this fee ranged from around $1,400 for schools offering the Career-Related Program to a little over $11,000 for those offering the Diploma Program (the original program for high school aged students).

There are discounts for schools offering more than one program, and according to the IB Organization, the authorization process and the associated fees (which pay for training, support, and certification) help to back up IB's commitment to offering rigorous and challenging educational programs.

Don't believe us? Listen to what they've got to say: "As a result of the process, parents and students can be confident that each IB World School, no matter where it is located, is held to the same high standard." If high prices can't produce confidence, we don't know what will.

What Is the IB Approach?

Let's get down to the IB buzzwords. Or at least, their highfalutin phrases about what they accomplish. IB schools pride themselves on providing not only an academically rigorous curriculum, but one that pays equal attention to the personal development of students.

As we mentioned way back in paragraph two, the IB approach was first developed at an international school in Switzerland, so it makes sense that part of the focus is on creating global citizens.

Which means that IB schools tend to be rich in foreign language and humanities, or as they say: "encouraging students to consider both their local and international environment," while also challenging those learners to "think critically and challenge what they are told." We like the sound of that, but we're also ready to challenge it.

In short, IB schools:

• are student-centered;
• use inquiry-based learning;
• focus on local and global connections;
• are academically rigorous;
• place importance on students' personal development;
• and encourage students to dig deep into subjects, think critically, ask questions, challenge what they hear and see, and view issues from multiple perspectives.

So there you have it: a blend of buzzwords and phrases. Pick out your faves.

For more on what IB Schools are all about, check out the IB Organization's Learner Profile or just sniff around their website and see what other buzzwords you can pick out.

And then head on over to Shmoop's IB page to see everything we have to offer that fits the IB bill.