DP History

The Diploma Program is one of three programs authorized by the International Baccalaureate Organization. The Diploma Program was the first program developed and marketed by the IBO. The IB is a non-profit making Swiss foundation registered in 1968. The activities of the organization are determined by an Act of Foundation approved by the Swiss authorities. Since IB is a “not-for-profit organization” and not a company, consequently, any fund surplus is reinvested in the organization. Schools and school districts that operate IB authorized programs called IB World Schools, are the customers of IB. The organization has a very close, long-term, two-way relationship with its IB World Schools.

In the late 1990s, Upper St Clair School District began to investigate various educational programs that could be offered as choices to District families. After a series of visits by various teams from USC to IB World Schools in the United States, the decision was made to implement all three IB programs as a choice option for district families. Consequently, plans began to develop the Primary Years Program (PYP) for grades K-4, the Middle Years Program (MYP) for grades 5-10, and the Diploma Program (DP) for grades 11-12.

In December of 1997, a District fast-track curriculum recommendation was approved to proceed with the application process for the IB Diploma Program. A timeline was established for the District’s application to be submitted and an IB site visit to occur during the 1998-1999 school year. By the 2000-2001 school year, Upper St. Clair High School offered IB DP courses for the first time to students in their junior year. Since 2001-2002, the District has awarded the IB diploma to successful candidates.