ACS LAUNCHES INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE DIPLOMA PROGRAMME FIVE-YEAR EVALUATION

Since the end of February 2024, the American College of Sofia has begun working on the year-long process of evaluation of the implementation of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). Programme evaluation is both a requirement and a service provided every five years and aims for the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) to ensure that the standards and practices of the programme are being maintained. However, equal in its importance, it is a process of formal and comprehensive self-evaluation involving all stakeholders within the ACS IB community, which is the source of new dynamism and momentum and provides an opportunity to reflect on achievements and new initiatives and increase communication within the school.

The College is expected to determine its own assessment of the implementation of the IB programme, according to the Programme standards and practices and programme requirements as well as to identify major achievements during the five-year period under review, 2020-2025,  and to identify practices that need further development.

As a major step in the process, the College is going to gather information for a comprehensive self-study among ACS stakeholders. It is going to survey IB parents, students, staff, and alumni to help determine strengths and weaknesses with regard to the IB standards and practices. Numerous members of the administration, the Business Office, Library, IT, etc. will be helping with the necessary documents and feedback and the senior administrative team has already been actively involved.

All ACS IB faculty members will gather in subject groups first, and then process the assembled data as members of the following committees: 

1. Purpose: Sharing an important mission 
2. Environment: Providing essential structures, systems and resources 
3. Culture: Creating positive school cultures
4. Learning: Ensuring effective education

Having reviewed the surveys, committee reports and other data, the College is going to complete the IB self-study questionnaire. All IB policies will be reviewed and updated. The ACS IBDP team is going to submit one of our Programme Development Plans, the questionnaire responses, and all required supporting documents to the IBO by March 1, 2025. The culmination of the process will be an online visit by an IB evaluation team in April 2025.

We are looking forward to engaging all relevant constituencies in the reflection process and would like to thank everyone involved for their efforts and support!