The Virginian-Pilot
©
CHESAPEAKE
Parents called it unjust. Teachers said it was a betrayal of their students and their years of hard work. And students themselves spoke of broken promises.
About a dozen speakers turned out Monday night to speak against a part of Superintendent W. Randolph Nichols' budget proposal that would require students in the International Baccalaureate program to start paying their own IB testing fees, something the school division has covered in the past.
The total amount of fees for the tests - required to receive an IB diploma - comes to a little less than $700. If the cut is approved, those who are juniors in the program would have about six months to save up to pay in September for the tests.
It was the first public protest against cuts that school officials had said would have a real impact on students this year.
"To do this to these families I feel is very, very, very unjust," said Mercedes Malion, whose daughter is a junior in the program. "IB was never and is not intended to be a program for the rich. It is a program for every single student that is willing to rise to the challenge."
The cut would save the school division a little over $33,000 next year.
International Baccalaureate is a prestigious program in which students take academically rigorous classes that can earn them college credits and a special diploma.
To earn that diploma, however, students must take a series of exams at the end of their senior year. No exams, no diploma - which is what made the proposal to not pay for the exams while students were halfway through the program so unfair, parents said. It leaves families, particularly those with juniors, with no time to plan for the extra expense or to make the decision not to pursue an IB diploma because of the extra cost, they said.
Low-income students would still have their tests covered under Nichols' proposal.
Several School Board members said the test fees should be taken off the table in the coming budget discussions because they weren't optional for students.
"If we're going to commit to the IB program, we need to let people know" so that families can plan, board member Michael Woods said.
However, other board members - and Nichols - said it might be wiser to hold off setting anything in stone. The cuts to the IB exam fees came as part of a plan based on former Gov. Timothy M. Kaine's budget proposal. Under Gov. Bob McDonnell's budget and the proposals of both the House and Senate, school divisions receive less money.
Alicia Wittmeyer, (757) 222-5216, alicia.wittmeyer@pilotonline.com
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IB should pay for thier IB selection
but they should not pay if they are already in the program. Those currently in the program should be "grandfathered" reagarding cost. New enrollees should have to pay, using the sliding scale mentioned earlier based on family income. As for the AP exam being optional, "really?" Why go through all of the extra work without at least testing for the maximum benefit of that work? With the stress on the budget, this is logical. I also believe the teachers should not be cut and classroom sizes should not increase. There is room to cut the budget by eliminating excessive administrative positions through attrition along with other logical cuts in spending.
Why it seems unfair to an IB student
Question 1: Shouldn't they have to pay for a better education?
Oh what a lovely idea except for the fact that I found out I might have to pull $700 dollars out of my butt 2 weeks ago and it is mandatory to take the exams or its a wasted 4 years. Had I known I would have had to pay 3 years ago I might have a different opinion!
Question 2: Why don't they just get a job? Well obviously you know nothing about the IB program. I don't know what kind of time you think we have because we don't have it. We are not your avereage highscool students who even have the leisure to get "jobs." As a baseball player my practices are from the end of school to 7:30, I live 20 miles from my school. I get home at 8:00 PM everyday and have a minimum of 5 hours of hw. When would you like me to get a job?
Obviously, there are many
Obviously, there are many who don't really understand exactly what IB is, and are dismissing it. Considering many of the school board members we uneducated on the program which brings pride to the Chesapeake school system, last night was successful. The sheer amount of students and teachers who came made an impact and brought the realization that if Chesapeake is going to have an IB program, its going to be done right. I understand the budget cuts have to affect everything, but no IB exams, no IB Diploma, and 4 years of hard dedication wasted.
Obviously, there are many
Obviously, there are many who don't really understand exactly what IB is, and are dismissing it. Considering many of the school board members we uneducated on the program which brings pride to the Chesapeake school system, last night was successful. The sheer amount of students and teachers who came made an impact and brought the realization that if Chesapeake is going to have an IB program, its going to be done right. I understand the budget cuts have to affect everything, but no IB exams, no IB Diploma, and 4 years of hard dedication wasted.
Misunderstood!
Obviously many people who commented, with the exception of chesresident and sixmore, do not understand the way the program works. I believe that before you bash and trash the rights of us as students in this program you first learn all the aspects of what you are talking about. We also have to pay for every AP test that we take,but yet that is optional. With IB it is different, we do not choose what tests to take or what's our strong point we have to take them all and denying the right for us to do that for free is denying us our IB diploma that we have worked so hard for during these past years. If the city decides not to pay for the exams it will ruin the economical and racial diversity within IB and like Ms. Mailon said IB was never suppose to be a program for the rich. Many families in IB do not have the money or the resources to save the money to pay for these exams so i believe that by choosing to have this magnificent program, that gives you more than college credit but also life skills that you will never forget, the city as a whole should fund the program as a whole.
If the school system offers
If the school system offers a program, they should fund the program. That's why the students shouldn't have to pay the fees, especially with no prior notice. This applies to the Technology Academy and any other academy the school system decides to create. At the very least, they can provide full disclosure so students can make informed decisions.
Thankyou!
Thankyou!
$700
So my tax dollars help pay for a student to receive college credit in High School? If you want a further education then what our schools provide, you pay. Not me. You have a smart child, but are a low income family? Use a sliding scale payment, but you pay. Our school system has got so out of hand of pampering students and parents alike. We have great teachers here in Chesapeake. Lets give our children the best education our tax dollars provide. High school provides you with a high school education. You want more? Pay for it. Not me.
Pampering?
No, being a student not enrolled in the IB program or any other higher education program is not receiving the the best education available. Many of Chesapeake's best teachers are involved with such programs. Also in IB you do not just receive college credit, you learn so much more. To be honest the last thing I am worried about taking away from IB is college credit. The main thing is the life lessons and skills we learn and use everyday.
Why is it that no one has a
Why is it that no one has a problem throwing money into special education programs devloped to deal with students who are behavior problems, but when it comes to programs for highly motivated students with a desire to learn and become leaders in their community; it's called pampering. Would you rather these students become bored in mainstream classes and turn into behavior problems that you will then have to support in jails and prisons? We can't educate all our children only to the minimum requirements unless of course we don't care about the future of our country.