If one goes to the truthaboutib.com website and reads the list of topics about the International Baccalaureate Program one will see a link to "Feasibility Study" to the left of the page.
To msw's knowledge there has never been a feasibility study for implementing the International Baccalaureate Program at Hellgate High School.
To msw's knowledge citizens and perhaps not even district officials know the costs of the IB program to date at Hellgate.
In the beginning, when msw found out the district was planning on implementing the IB program, msw asked Superintendent Apostle how much the IB program was going to cost the district. Apostle's answer was "We don't know yet".
For a long time district officials would point to the $50,000 grant received from the Washington Foundation when asked about the costs. $50,000 can only go so far, however, and then district money needs to be spent.
Before implementing any program such as IB, citizens and certainly district officials need to complete a feasibility plan.
When IB at Hellgate was in the beginning stages of just talking with the public about the program, msw found out about the truthaboutib.com website and read the information on the costs. msw was astounded at how expensive the program is as outlined in TAIB (Truth About IB) documents.
msw printed some of the information regarding the fees of the IB program found on the above website and placed it in two or three MCPS School Board packets so that Board members and other citizens could read about the expense of the IB program.
msw does not believe that any Board members heeded the information or thought that it was important. EXCEPT ONE.
Trustee Larry Foust made the decision to quit the school board earlier this year as he did not want to vote on a program he did not believe in (IB). Perhaps the cost of the program was a significant issue for Foust, also. (msw is guessing that there may have been other reasons for his quitting the MCPS Board as msw's observations of the Board for many years under the leadership of Trustees Harrison, Hemphill, and Rehbein has been tortuous!)
See links below to the truthaboutib.com website where one can find information on school district feasibility studies (list on the left) and to an article from a Spokane newspaper regarding the resignation of Larry Foust.
truthaboutib.com
www.spokesman.com/blogs/hbo/2012/mar/28/missoula-trustee-quits-over-ib
missoula schools watchdog is an advocate for neighborhood schools, district transparency and accountability, a basic education (the three R's), and a K-8 grade school configuration. missoula schools watchdog does not advocate closing or selling our schools, unnecessary busing, public schools helping private schools such as Missoula International School, irresponsible spending, and unnecessary and expensive programs such as the IB program. Now go to www.missoulaschoolwatchdog.blogspot.com
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