The effect of a founding International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme on participating seventh grade students\u27 achievement, behavior, extra-curricular involvement, and perceptions of life skills

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a founding International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IBMYP) on participating 7th-grade students\u27 achievement, behavior, extra-curricular involvement, and perceptions of life skills compared to 7th-grade students\u27 completing the same school\u27s standard of care traditional academic program (TAP). The study analyzed data of IBMYP and TAP students to determine if the IBMYP has significantly impacted student outcomes. Following two consecutive years of program participation IBMYP students (n = 30) demonstrated a significant pretest-posttest improvement on norm-referenced achievement test math scores but their measured language and reading achievement test scores remained consistent over this same time period. TAP students (n = 30) demonstrated no significant math, language, and reading pretest-posttest gain on norm-referenced achievement tests. IBMYP students\u27 math, language, and reading norm-referenced achievement test scores were statistically significantly greater than their TAP peers on all Posttest-Posttest comparisons. On locally developed criterion-referenced tests, both groups showed significant pretest-posttest gains in math, and the IBMYP students also showed significant gains in reading. In posttest-posttest comparisons, IBMYP students\u27 scores were statistically significantly greater on each of the test comparisons. There were no significant differences between the groups in student absence, or in self-perceptions of student life skills, but there was a significantly higher amount of extra-curricular involvement among IBMYP students. In light of the study results, local policy makers should consider expansion of the program