Programme Evaluation Overview

Schools are evaluated for the first time five years after authorization, and every five years after that. The evaluation process is usually carried out over a period of 12 months. However, schools can complete the process in less time, if it suits their context and needs. Approximately 15-18 months before the school evaluation, the IB will email the school with a choice of possible evaluation dates as exemplified in the table below. 

Step 1 - The school selects their evaluation visit window and from that identifies three different sets of visit dates.

Step 2 - The school ensures the corresponding SSQ and PR submission dates aligns the school's schedule. 

The school then sets, together with the IB, the deadlines for the self-study process, for the completion of the self-assessment questionnaire and the evaluation visit, if there is one. In order to do this, schools complete an online form with the deadline for the submission of the self-study questionnaire and three possible dates for the evaluation visit, if there is one, within the time indicated in the corresponding column. 

The deadline for submission of the self-study questionnaire determines the deadlines for the submission of the preliminary review documentation and the dates for the evaluation visit if there is one. The visit will be two days long for single-programme visits and three days long for multi-programme visits. The date for submission of the self-study questionnaire must correspond to the school year when the programme(s) will be evaluated.

Schools for which an evaluation visit has not been programmed, and which have an evaluation reading instead, should bear in mind that they should also plan for a call with the educator in charge of writing the report. This call is between 60 and 90 minutes long and should take place within two weeks after the self-study questionnaire has been submitted.