The Geneva-based International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) has found a real CASH COW with the U.S. education system.

After a school is authorized by IBO to use IB program(s) and pays the "annual fee," it can be referred to as an "IB World School." So IBO charges for using their "programs" (curriculum, teacher training, instructional methods, assessment, etc) in OUR schools that are then referred to as theirs.

The 08-09 International Baccalaureate Diploma Program "Annual fee" has increased to $9,150 per school. The previous year it was $8,850. (Note: There are different "Annual fees" for IBO's "Primary Years Program" and  "Middle Years Program.").

The various individual "per candidate" costs (covering registration with IB, per subject fees, exam registration fee, per exams costs, etc) have also been bumped up. Click the link to see the schedule of fees for 2008-2009 school year:

IB Diploma Program "Scale of fees"   (pdf)


We already pay hefty taxes in the U.S. to support public education. We should not pay more on top of what we already shell out in order to support outside interests.

My son received a solid academic college prep education in a well-implemented AP (Advanced Placement) program in a public school -- so I know it is possible to educate students in public schools when there is "will" to do so. The per student expenditures at the school were thousands of dollars LESS than the district's other schools where kids had a "choice of themes." Nonetheless, there have been ongoing behind-the-scene attempts to replace a highly successful AP program with the IB Diploma Program which would substantially increase the cost of education and thereby require an increase in the taxpayer burden -- with no added benefits!