John Eppolito
Former K-12 Teacher
Father of four
Incline Students
www.MyInclineVillage.com
IB is not a good fit for
Incline Schools
1
What we have now at I.H.S.
 In 2009 - 69 of our 75 of our graduates were college bound
 In 2010 we had 84 graduates - 34 earned honors diplomas, and
14 earned advanced diplomas, very impressive for a school our
size!
 Strong AP program with 16 AP classes – second most in the
District
 By many measures IHS is the best high school in Tahoe and
WCSD
 Here is a list of where our 2010 graduates will go to college
and/or have been accepted:
2

John Hopkins University
Boston College

University of Chicago
Boston University

Pomona College
University of Pennsylvania

UCLA
Duke

Cal Poly
Georgetown

Syracuse University
Northwestern

Tufts University
Berkeley

University of Colorado
USC

Southern Methodist University
University of Virginia

SUNY Cortland
NYU

University of Edinburg
Claremont McKenna

University of the Pacific
University of Cambridge

Weber State University
Washington University

Annapolis Naval Academy
Santa Clara University

UNR
Tulane

SNC
Waitlist:
Princeton, Yale, Columbia
3
Many of the students getting
into these top schools went
to Incline public schools
K-12
4
What can we expect with IB?
5
The IB supporters compare us
to Aspen & Yosemite
When compared to these high schools we can expect
between 2 – 6 IB diplomas per year


Aspen (started IB 2002)- 530 high school students – 10 IB diplomas last year. Equates to 6
IB diplomas for IHS, 337 high school students
Yosemite (started IB 1997) almost 1,000 students – 5 IB diplomas last year. Equates to 2 IB
diplomas for IHS.
 In the 09-10 school year we had 80 students who took
at least one AP class.
 We will be going from about half of our students taking at
least one AP class prior to graduation to maybe 5% of our
graduates getting an IB diploma.
6
IB Will
 Only benefit the few kids who get the IB diploma
 Put the top students (who do not get the IB
diploma) at a disadvantage when applying to top
colleges
 Eliminate flexibility and hurt our lower level
students who currently have the option to be
exposed to a college level class while in high school.
With IB most of our straight AP classes will be no
longer be offered
7
Increase college cost for
most of our graduates

45% of Incline High’s 2009 college-bound students went to UNR or TMCC.

UNR gives credit for all our AP classes. UNR only gives elective credit for the IB
diploma and no credit for an IB certificate

TMCC gives credit for all our AP classes . TMCC gives no credit for IB even if the
student has an IB diploma.

Some of our 09 graduates got up to a year of college credit because of their AP
classes.

Just between UNR and TMCC - 45% of our college-bound students would see
increased college costs if IB is implemented.

With AP many graduates from WCSD schools have entered schools like UNR and
BYU as sophomores.
8
College Credit
 According to Crux Research
“More than 90% of colleges and universities in the US
accept AP exams for credit and/or placement. While the
percentage of US universities recognizing IB is less than
50%.”
 A majority of the schools that give college credit for IB
classes ONLY give it for the HL courses which are TWO
YEAR classes.
 List of credit/advanced placement for 23 top colleges

http://www.princeton.k12.oh.us/HighSchool.cfm?subpage=416
9
AP to IB/AP
 The District has told us that since our school is so
small many of our AP classes will be combined
with IB courses. When this is done, per the IBO,
the IB curriculum must take priority. So our AP
classes turn into IB classes and
 By definition:
 AP = College Level
 IB = College Prep.
 For IHS IB is a downgrade
10
Most schools do not attempt to combine
AP & IB because the curriculum is very
different, especially in math, social
studies, and the sciences.
 Wooster – Magnet Program - Over 1,600 kids - AP/IB combined
 Granite Bay High School – 2,200 students - 17
AP classes - IB & AP classes are taught
separately (except French & Japanese). 2010 1st
IB diplomas
 Oakmont High School, Roseville – 1,700 students - 12 AP classes. Most
IB & AP classes separate. 2010 1st IB diplomas
 Luther Burbank High School, Sacramento – 2100 students - 8 + years
with IB; no AP classes left, IB only. Three (3) IB diplomas in 2009. Most
ever IB diplomas - 11 one year.
 Mira Loma High School, Sacramento – (Magnet ?)
 Al-Arqam Islamic School, Sacramento – (Private)
11
Our high school is too small
– IB MUST dominate the
schedule
 For the IB diploma 11th and 12th grade
students MUST take 10 required “courses”
 As of 5/13/10 “some of the controversial TOK
classes would be evening classes.”
 IB will most likely have a negative impact on:
AP, WtP, JROTC, the PLC program, and sports
12
 Athletic director left IHS
 The way we are attempting to save We the
People is not ideal (see fact sheet).
 Some say WtP will not survive if IB is
implemented
13
Reported by Washington Times
 Mrs. Hurley, the admissions director for the
University of Virginia, said; “If you are at an IB
school and you are not going for the IB
diploma, don’t waste your time applying to
UVA or any other top-rated schools. Your
child’s application will go to the bottom of the
admissions pile.”
 http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2004/jan/17/20
040117-115053-8186r/
14
An IHS science teacher told
me, “if your kid is good in
math & science DON’T go for
the IB diploma.”
Then I mentioned it will
decrease their chance of
getting into a top college.
He said, “yes I know.”
15
Last year we were told by
the District IB would
increase enrollment.
16
And now Pedro is saying, it
is “highly speculative” to
think IB will increase
enrollment!
This year we are being told
by Mr. Martinez the primary
goal of IB is “to increase
graduation rates.”
 2/11/10 Tahoe Bonanza

http://www.tahoebonanza.com/article/20100210/NEWS/100219988&parentprofile=search
17
There is evidence of IB
decreasing enrollment - when
forced in Fairfax County, VA
“Statistical data indicates
an exodus from South Lakes
coincides with the
implementation of the IB
program at South Lakes.”
 http://www.fairfaxcaps.org/html/ap_vs_ib.shtml.
18
There are people who will
leave Incline if IB is
implemented
 Chad Miraglia, “It is an absolutely irrational path
to convert IHS to IB. I’m not convinced IB makes
sense anywhere. My kids will not attend an IB
school, whether in Incline or anywhere else. If
that means driving to Reno or moving out of
Incline Village, so be it.”
 http://myinclinevillage.com/2010/06/01/chad-miraglia-52110-
people-are-leaving-because-of-ib-2.aspx
19
When we wanted to find our
true graduation rates we
contacted Jim Grace the WCSD
Reporting Specialist.
 Mr. Grace referred us to the Nevada Report Card
website for IHS graduation information.
According to the Nevada state website the
graduation rate for IHS from 2007 to 2009 (three
years) has been between 85 - 86%

http://www.nevadareportcard.com/Compare/selection.aspx?levelid=S
20
Pedro is misleading us by
quoting a graduation rate
for Incline that is much
lower!
21
Even if Pedro’s graduation
rates were accurate there is
NO PROOF IB will increase
enrollment OR increase
graduation rates, when
implemented as it would be
in Incline.
22
We all want better schools
23
If IB was the answer, the
District would not have had
to threaten to transfer
teachers who do not support
IB.
 Bonanza 1/14/2010
 http://www.tahoebonanza.com/article/20100111/NEWS/100109945/
1061&parentprofile=1050
24
Mr. Clark & Mr. Brown
 Retired IHS principal Mr. Clark told the Bonanza: he expressed
concerns about the method and pace of IB implementation at the
Incline campus. He also said the WCSD should slow
implementation and concentrate on collecting buy-in from
teachers and parents. Mr. Clark also said, "The majority of
teachers do not like IB. They do not want it.“
 Steve Brown, science teacher, told the Bonanza, “a large
majority of our faculty is hesitant about
implementing IB.”


http://www.tahoebonanza.com/article/20100701/NEWS/100639992/1061&Paren
tProfile=1050
http://www.tahoebonanza.com/article/20100518/NEWS/100519901&parentprofi
le=search
25
Jay Matthews
 Jay Matthews Washington Post education
reporter, author of Newsweek's Challenge
Index, and Supertest who is a big IB
proponent, told an Incline parent: "I would
NOT recommend a school dump AP if that
program is thriving." He also said in relation
to Incline’s AP program it is, "just about
perfect."
26
IB is a UN sponsored
programme.
THE DISTRICT AND SOME IB
SUPPORTERS WANT US TO RISK
EVERYTHING THAT IS GOOD AT
OUR HIGH SCHOOL, AND FORCE
THE UN IDEOLOGY ON ALL OUR
STUDENTS!
 http://myinclinevillage.com/2010/07/16/even-jay-matthews-admits-
colleges-give-more-credit-for-ap.aspx
27
Dr. Thomas Sowell of the
Hoover Institute at Stanford
calls IB an, “indoctrination”,
a “fad program that distracts
American public schools from
real education in real
subjects.”
 http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/sowell022604.asp
28
Only.2% of elementary
schools in the US are IB
 There are only about 200 elementary IB
schools in the USA out of about 100,000
elementary schools total. IB is almost
always a choice!
 Incline may be the first schools in the
country were IB is forced on all students
and privately funded.
29
At the elementary and middle
schools
 IB will do nothing to get our schools off the
watch lists
30
Elementary Level IBO website
“Six trans-disciplinary themes’ which are
 who we are
 where we are in place and time
 how we describe ourselves
 how the world works
 how we organize ourselves
 sharing the planet”
“Teachers are guided by six trans-disciplinary themes as they design units
of inquiry that both transcend and articulate conventional subject
boundaries.”
Then they talk about the five traditional subject areas plus physical, personal* and
social* education.
* Many people feel Personal and Social education should be
taught at home NOT with a UN sponsored ideology
It is easy to see why only .2% of elementary schools in the US use IB
http://www.ibo.org/pyp/curriculum/index.cfm
31
Some people have religious
concerns with IB
 http://www.wpaag.org/International%20Bbaccalaurea
te%20Program%201.htm
 http://www.gtbe.org/news/index.php/1/22/18
6.html
 http://www.foxnews.com/projects/pdf/08250
9_unesco.pdf
32
Will people stay away from
Incline because of IB?
 Politically we are a “center-right” community. I
acknowledge the fact that some in our community
like the UN. But FORCING the UN (or any) ideology
on ALL our students is problematic.
 The biggest impact of IB over time would likely be
the people who DO NOT move their families to
Incline because IB is the only choice in our public
schools. One of the high school teachers predicted
with IB our high school will go from 337 down to
about 200.
33
THE RESIDENTS OF INCLINE
HAVE MUCH MORE TO LOSE THAN
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IF IB
FAILS!
34
If the Superintendent, Heath Morrison, and
Deputy Superintendent, Pedro Martinez truly
cared about Incline they would not rush IB
implementation. They would listen to our
community; be honest with us about the
negative implications of IB, especially on the
h.s. schedule and attempt to get teacher and
parent buy-in to IB.
IF WE HAD ENOUGH PEOPLE TO SPEAK UP
WITH THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT IB WE COULD
FORCE THE DISTRICT TO LISTEN TO US!
 Heath’s (and possibly Pedro’s) contracts with
WCSD expire in spring 2013.
35
According to Pedro Martinez
(WCSD)
There are only 16 K-12 IB
districts in the country.
 Four of them have had major problems with IB
including
 A law suit with the ACLU forcing a District to keep IB in
place against its will
 Dropped IB programs
 Controversy and people leaving the schools because of IB
36
General regulations:
All Three Programmes
IBO website
 “Any dispute … shall be finally settled by one
arbitrator in accordance with the Swiss Rules of
International Arbitration of the Swiss Chambers of
Commerce. The seat of the arbitration shall be
Geneva, Switzerland.”
 With IB we will be giving up control of our
dominate K-12 educational program to the
IBO.
37
www.TahoeBonanza.com
 Two IB Polls in the on-line Bonanza
Do you support the implementation of
International Baccalaureate at Incline's public
schools?
 1st poll ended 10/7/09 (BEFORE I got involved)
 46% against IB
 34% for IB
 2nd poll ended 1/11/10
 2 to 1 AGAINST IB
38
Petition
 Currently we have 275 signatures (about 200
are local) on our petition to stop IB (our goal
was 200), pretty impressive for Incline. “We
the under signed do not believe that IB is a
good fit for Incline Village.”
http://www.petition.fm/petitions/noibiniv
 The District has decided to ignore the
petition!
39
IB is typically implemented as a magnet
program at low performing schools OR as an
optional program.
INCLINE IS TOO SMALL FOR PEOPLE TO
HAVE A CHOICE - IT’S IB, LTS (if
you can afford it), OR MOVE!
40
At least 13 Schools Drop IB
Since 2/19/10

2/24/2010 Santa Ynez, CA – Similar to Incline. They raised $70,000 and had $70,000 in
matching funds promised,
http://www.santamariatimes.com/news/local/education/article_a00ff190-2117-11df-a079001cc4c002e0.html

2/19/10 Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Chino CA Reports “…discontinuing the International
Baccalaureate programs at Don Lugo High School and Anna Borba Elementary School”
http://www.dailybulletin.com/ci_14438613

2/22/2010 the Arapahoe Herald (CO) reported - “The board recommended eliminating the
International Baccalaureate (IB) program at Field Elementary School and Newton Middle
School”
http://my.hsj.org/Schools/Newspaper/tabid/100/view/frontpage/articleid/337276/newspape
rid/782/Budgetary_problems_Tough_Decisions_Ahead.aspx

3/12/10 Redwood City Elementary School District , CA (at least one elementary school will
drop IB)
http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=126690&title=District%20approve
s%20140%20layoffs
41

3/24/2010 William Fleming High School, will drop IB, Roanoke, VA
http://www.roanoke.com/news/breaking/wb/240973

3/25/2010 Falcon School District, CO drop IB program as reported in The Gazette –
They had 2 PYP, 1 MYP, and 1 DP
http://www.gazette.com/articles/school-96152-district-falcon.html

4/4/2010 Hoboken, NJ – Hoboken Reporter announces they will drop IB,
http://kidsfirst2009.blogspot.com/2010/04/no-new-taxes.html

4/27/2010 Prior Lake-Savage School District, MN drop MYP, as reported in the Star
Tribune,
http://www.startribune.com/local/south/92274904.html?cache=n&uccb=1272458181#
post_comments
42
Most Districts that drop IB usually
do it within the first 10 years of
paying for and implementing the
program and the reasons most often
stated are:
 Cost
 Lack of student participation in IB
 Less flexible than AP
 No improved student performance
 Lack of college credit for IB
43
Middle School Program (MYP)
Research Currently Available
One of the only quantifiable and in-depth study of Middle Years Program
(MYP) I could find to date, compared test scores of IB MYP students
with those of non-MYP students. The study was conducted by a
doctoral student at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State
University in 2006. In her thesis, Dr. Jackson concludes:
 “that the outcome of the IBMYP group on
standardized exams did not achieve a level of
statistically significant difference (<.05)”
 http://myinclinevillage.com/2010/07/31/dissertation-found-no-
statistically-significant-differences-between-ib-and-nonibstudents.aspx
44
Denver Public Schools IB
Prospectus by Rob Stein
 “There is no available evidence that the IB will increase student
achievement in DPS schools or that the IB has had a positive effect on student
achievement in similar districts or schools. A thorough search of the literature has
netted no empirical studies on the effects of IB on student
achievement. The IBO, itself, publishes no such results.”
 http://blog.ednewscolorado.org/wp-
content/uploads/2009/12/IB-Plan.pdf
45
IB is the most controversial
educational program
available!
46
More IB Facts
IB has divided communities through out the country
and created law suits –
Already mentioned one law suit here are a couple more
 Fairfax County, VA – law suit
 DeKalb, GA – Discrimination law suit 3/3/2010

“There is no evidence of a school ever being
turned down for IB, provided all the checks
clear.” www.TruthAboutIB.com
IB is hardly ever forced on ALL STUDENTS!
47
Other Programs
That were NOT considered by
The task force
Advanced Placement International Diploma
(APID) – Wouldn’t cost anything to implement at IHS
 The APID (college level) more rigorous than IB (college
prep.)
 “AP is the most widely-utilized school based academic
program in the world,” according to Crux Research.
SpringBoard (6-12)
SpringBoard is a program from
the college board to prepare students to be successful in
AP classes. We have over 40% of our IHS kids being
exposed to a college level class while still in high school
(which is high). The SpringBoard program could help us
get that up to 60 – 70%.
48
Core Knowledge K-8
 Where educated/professional parents have a
choice between Core Knowledge and IB in
Colorado - it is the Core Knowledge
neighborhoods that have seen
increased demand for real estate.
 It is much cheaper, not controversial, and
there is evidence to show increased student
performance with Core Knowledge.
49
As Harry Haaser (retired elementary and
middle school principal and task force
member) told the Bonanza in March 2010 –
The Task Force recommended an
Investigation Stage of IB but it
never occurred-
 http://www.tahoebonanza.com/article/20100331/NEWS/1
00339982&parentprofile=search
50
The IBO required
feasibility studies
were NOT done.
 Question on IBO application - "Please indicate any
major difficulties and/or concerns that you have
encountered during the feasibility study and how
you have, or intend to, overcome them.“
 IMS Answer - "There was no feasibility study done.“
 http://www.truthaboutib.com/images/MYP.pdf
51
THE DISTRICT DOES NOT WANT OUR
COMMUNITY TO HAVE AN OPEN AND
HONEST IB DISCUSSION!
Not only did the District skip the
investigation stage and
Feasibility Study, they
successfully killed the Bonanza
sponsored community forum, by
silencing our first three AP panel
member choices.
52
Bill Horn told the School
Board
 “It will be disastrous if the School
District does not slow down and
listen to those who are opposing
the implementation of an IB
Program in IV and CB.”
53
The “fast track” implementation
of IB is common through out the
country! This is what just
happened last year in St. Helena.
 I recently spoke with a high school teacher from
St. Helena who told me, “IB is the worst thing
my district has ever done.”
54
Lisa McLoughlin
from TruthAboutIB.com
 Jay Matthews calls Lisa, "the liveliest and
most intelligent IB critic in the country."
Recently told our school board, "The
situation in Incline Village is the
ugliest, most egregious and
controversial attempt to force IB into
a public school system that I have
witnessed to date."
55
Websites – Email
 www.IBO.org (one sided pro IB)
 www.TruthAboutIB.com (one sided con IB)
 www.MyInclineVillage.com
(Incline specific – Several links to
research – IB Blog)
 Add you to my community email list –
john@Jtahoe.com
56
What can we do now?
 Legal assistance
 Email
 school board, superintendent’s office
 Bonanza, RGJ
 Reno TV stations
 School Board Meetings – 2nd & 4th Tuesdays in Reno
 Bonanza Meetings – Every Tuesday 9:00 AM
 PTA Meeting - Jr. Boosters Meetings - Boosters
Meetings
 Community Forum
 Consider other programs - Core Knowledge, SpringBoard,
APID etc.
 Educate others and STOP DONATIONS
 Organize group AGAINST IB in Incline
57