Requirements and Expectations to remain in an IB Course or the Full Diploma Program
Note: the requirements and expectations and potential fees for removal from an IB Course or CORE Component is explained in the three sections (below):
Section One (below) covers the requirements and expectations which all IB students are expected to adhere to - to remain in an IB course.
Grade Expectations:
Students need to maintain an 83%, or higher, to remain in an IB course.
IB Full Diploma Candidates can have one of their six courses be 78%, or higher.
When the grade requirement is not met for two consecutive quarters, removal from the course is likely.
After not meeting academic requirements for two consecutive quarters, parents are not required to give permission to have their son / daughter removed from an IB course. This is done based on the data of academic success the student has acquired after two consecutive quarters. In many situations, students and parents will be notified, via email, as soon as the determination for removal is finalized. In cases where grade expectations are not met, but are close (within 3 percentage points) to the requirements identified, the IB course teacher, IB Coordinator, the student, and the parent(s) will meet in advance of the decision for removal from the course. In some cases, students may be allowed to remain in the course on a "probationary" status. The expectations the student needs to meet while on probation will be clearly identified.
Student Engagement Expectations:
Attendance: students with 10 or more unexcused absences for any specific IB course in any semester may be removed from that IB course. It is important to note, every 5 unexcused tardies = one "unexcused absence." Please know this policy is meant to help the students maximize their academic growth and success in the IB program. Effectively prioritizing one's activities and work-load is a lifelong practice that increases a person's chances to be healthy, happy, and prosperous. Being proactive is very important; if any student has concerns about the attendance expectations to remain in an IB course , please know you are welcome to discuss your individual situation with Mr. Dobbe.
Appropriate engagement in each IB course; this includes maintaining positive interactions and appropriate behaviors in the learning environment, adherence to teacher expectations in the classroom, and adherence to deadlines for the submission of all assignments. Particular attention to meeting the internal deadlines (determined by AST) for the submission of final drafts of any / all work in which The IB Organization will be assessing is very important; failure to meet these deadlines will result in removal from the IB course and the student will likely incur the fees associated with being withdrawn from the IB Course or CORE Component (CAS, TOK, EE).
For cases in which any identified Student Engagement Expectation (above) is not met, the IB course teacher, IB Coordinator, the student, and the parent(s) will meet; the purpose being to rectify the reoccurring problem. In most cases, students will be allowed to remain in the course on a "probationary" status. The expectations the student needs to meet while on probation will be clearly identified, and the student will be held to these expectations as a requirement to remain in the applicable IB course.
If you think an IB course is not a good fit for you at this time or at any time during the duration of your time in that course, it can be advantageous to speak with me, Mr. Dobbe. We can take a look at what's going on and I can help you determine if it's a good time to remove yourself from an IB course. In this scenario, a parent, or parents, need to be included in the conversation.
Students and parents are always welcome to discuss individual cases with Mr. Dobbe. Simply send me an email, and we can set up a time to meet: ddobbe@amschool.org
Section Two (below) provides a more comprehensive overview of the academic requirements and expectations which all IB students are expected to adhere to - to remain in an IB course.
When a student does not maintain an 83% or higher for two consecutive quarters in any IB course, including TOK, the student may be removed from that course (given there are no unavoidable circumstances). Semester grades will also be used as identifiers; if an 83 % average for a semester is not attained, the student may be removed from that IB course. In the case of two year IB classes, the 4th quarter of year one of the course counts as a quarter and then the 1st quarter of the 2nd year is factored in. If a student moves into a non IB course after earning a quarter grade in that subject's IB equivalent, the transcript will record the class as the non IB course and the grade will be calculated by adding the grades from both quarters; this means the IB course grade will be factored into the non IB semester course grade. Full Diploma Candidates will be removed from Full Diploma status if the student does not comply with deadlines provided for all components of the Full Diploma Program. These components include: CAS, Extended Essay, TOK, and all IB Deadlines in each IB class the student is enrolled in. It is an expectation the submission of work for deadlines be considered proficient by the teacher or supervisor of that work.
Full Diploma Candidates are able to remain in an IB course with a 78%, or higher, in one of their six IB classes; the remaining five would need to be 83% or higher - as mentioned above. It is also important to note: should an 11th grade IB Full Diploma Candidate score a 2 or lower in IB Psychology or IB Biology, the student will be removed from Full Diploma status.
Students in any IB course or students taking any IB CORE Component (EE, TOK, CAS) who do not submit the final draft of that assessment, which is being assessed by The IB Organization, by the internal deadline (which is determined by each AST IB course Teacher or Coordinator) will be removed from that IB Course or the applicable CORE Component; this is aligned to the IB Organization's established protocols that schools are to follow. The student will be removed from that IB Course during the semester in which the IB submission, or exam, was due on his/her AST transcript and this course will be changed to "withdrawn" - on the IB Organization's Information System.
Section Three (below) includes other relevant and important information:
Students in our IB Biology HL Course can switch to Biology SL after semester one of year one (11th grade). If the student wishes to withdraw from IB Biology HL after semester one of 11th grade, the student will not have the option to move into IB Biology SL.
Probation Status when grade requirements are not met and when this is a path offered to a student: year one students placed on probation for a course must meet the 83% average for four consecutive quarters following the beginning of the time the student begins his / her probation status. Year two students placed on probation must meet the 83% average for two consecutive quarters following the beginning of the time the student is placed on probation. Failure to achieve that is grounds to be removed from that IB class. *NOTE: students who are IB Full Diploma Candidates can have one IB course which is 78%, or higher, and remain in that IB course - only when the student is maintaining an 83%, or higher, in all other IB courses of which the student is enrolled.
Probation Status when Student Engagement Expectations are not met and when this is a path offered to a student: in these situations, the expectations to remain in an IB course, or course, will be determined by the IB Coordinator and the applicable IB teacher(s).
Academic integrity is another important requirement for IB eligibility. Students who commit flagrant acts of academic dishonesty or plagiarism on final draft or on two consecutive rough draft assignments that will be assessed by the IB Organization will be removed from that IB course or CORE Component. All students are required to sign declarations of originality for all assignments submitted for IB assessment. Failure to sign a declaration will result in forfeiture of IB status in that class.
Every IB course has internal and/or external assessments and examinations that must successfully completed and submit on-time. For many internal and external IB assessments, the process itself is being assessed in stages. Failure to maintain a proficient level of work in any/all IB specific assignments or failure to submit an IB assessed assignment on time (in accordance to AST's Internal Deadlines, will result in the removal of the student from that IB course.
*Note: if a student withdraws (or is removed) from an IB course or core component (EE, TOK, CAS) after January 15th of the school year in which the student is being assessed by the IB Organization, or fails to submit an IB internal and / or external assessment, or fails to attend an IB exam, the student will be required to reimburse AST all costs incurred. The breakdown of costs are here: IB Fees