School Board votes to eliminate International Baccalaureate program

BRISTOL, Va. – A highly regarded academic program bit the dust Monday – the victim of budget concerns and low participation.

Following a sometimes tense discussion, the city School Board voted 3-1, with one member absent, to cut back the International Baccalaureate program in
2010-11 and discontinue it the following year.

The change is expected to save the division about $220,000 over the next two years, according to a board memo.

Vice Chairman Randy White cast the lone dissenting vote, after his motion to table the matter died for lack of a second.

“We have been a shining light to every school system in this area because we had this program and we stuck with this program,” White said during an emotional appeal to retain it. “This program has not been pushed enough. We need to start in elementary. Ninth grade is too late. I have never seen this
program adequately sold [to students and parents].”

White said other programs such as advanced placement and dual enrollment aren’t “in the same ballpark” as IB.

Board Chairwoman Virginia Goodson and members Eric Clark and Tyrone Foster voted to discontinue. Board member Ronald Cameron was absent.

Cutting the program would save about $115,000 for 2010-11 and about $105,000 the following year, according to the memo.

During her report, Superintendent Ina Danko defended the program’s handling.

“We did promote the program. We did support the program,” Danko said. “It just did not receive the interest I hoped would be there.”

The 2010 graduating class has two students working toward earning an IB diploma and one committed for 2011, according to the memo.

Virginia High currently offers 14 IB classes, which have an average attendance of 6.4 students. A total of 22 seniors and 12 juniors are enrolled in IB classes.

Melissa Taverner, an educator at Emory & Henry College and parent of an IB student, was one of many who spoke out in favor of the program.

“IB is not intended to be for everybody,” Taverner said. “But it’s important for academically motivated and highly gifted students.”

Another parent, John Iskra, said he moved into the city specifically so his child could take the IB program at Virginia High.

Others urged the board to delay action until after it hires a replacement for Danko – who is retiring in June – and after the May 2010 board elections.

Clark, who made the motion to discontinue the program, said he was “torn” in making his decision.

“We’re supposed to be good stewards of the community’s money, and I cannot, in good faith, spend money on a program that has that small a number,” Clark said. “And not one IB parent here tonight offered to pay money to keep the IB program.”

Clark said if the parents of the 34 IB students had offered to pay $4,000 each, “we don’t have this discussion.”

“These IB kids will do well in college whether we have this program or not,” Clark said. “IB, AP [advanced placement], those children will do fine.”

Clark characterized as “ludicrous” a White comparison of IB with what the system spends on special needs students and athletics.

Clark also dismissed claims that the IB program was an economic development tool used to help attract businesses to the area.

Goodson said future boards could revisit the IB issue, but White disagreed, saying this vote would mean IB was “never” coming back and cutting it was a “huge disservice to the city and region.

dmcgee@bristolnews.com | (276) 645-2532