The McAllen ISD Lamar Academy International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB) Programme offers the diploma to students who want to develop and demonstrate their scholastic intensity through accomplishments in six academic subjects.  IB at Lamar is globally ranked, boasting a 98% diploma completion rate against an 80% worldwide average.  At Lamar Academy, students receive support through the development of approaches to learning, and they engage in rigorous courses and take academic risks in developing research, writing, and communication skills.  Although the IB curriculum offers a more humanistic and integrated vision of education, it is still rooted fundamentally in helping students develop expertise in the conventional academic disciplines and the arts.  IB integrates the curriculum around problems or project-based investigations, which lead to authentic learning that can bridge across all disciplines, including Medicinal Chemistry, Molecular Biology, Developmental Psychology, and Mathematical Explorations, among others.

Different from other programs, IB does not rely only on single end of course testing to assess learning, but instead uses a mixture of performance assessments, some are scored internally by the Lamar Academy Academic staff and some are scored externally by global IB certified examiners.  These external scores also regulate the content of the teaching at Lamar, maintaining the integrity of the Programme by ensuring that all levels of the curriculum are being covered.  These assessments are not about factual recall, but look for students to use their knowledge to analyze complex questions.

IB students enjoy a vibrant campus life.  The majority excel in extracurricular activities and sports, as well as pursue a multitude of personal interests. An IB Diploma adds up to a high school experience that provides excellent preparation for life and the university environment of higher education.

The IB curriculum can also be found at Alvarez, Perez, and Roosevelt Elementary Schools, and De Leon Middle School.  Any student wishing to form part of the IB deeper learning environment is welcome to take advantage of McAllen ISD’s invitation to “live anywhere, learn with us!”  Please contact McAllen ISD or visit www.mcallenisd.org to enroll.