Reagan High School and Hogg Middle School are the two latest HISD campuses to receive official authorization to operate as International Baccalaureate World Schools. The announcement, which came on July 5, creates the first continuous IB feeder pattern in the historic Heights neighborhood. Students now can begin the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) at Harvard Elementary and then progress to Hogg Middle School and Reagan High School for the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP).

“Building this continuum has been in the works for many years and has involved the support and dedication from Reagan and Hogg staff, parents, district leaders, and the Heights community,” said Reagan High School Principal Connie Berger.

Founded in 1968, IB is a non-profit foundation that offers challenging educational programs for students aged 3 to 19 to help develop their intellectual, personal, emotional, and social skills to live, learn and work in a rapidly globalizing world.

Achieving IB authorization is an extremely rigorous and lengthy process. Schools must complete two extensive applications during various points in the process, and prepare for an onsite authorization visit, similar to an audit, from an IB-certified team. During the process, schools are responsible for training teachers to understand the program and implement the framework. Typically, the average school takes about three years to become authorized.

“Implementing the program required changing the culture of our entire school community to ensure that all instruction on campus is student centered with a focus on international-mindedness,” said Hogg Middle School Principal Mina Schnitta. “Our teachers and support staff have worked extremely hard to achieve this honor, which will ultimately benefit our students, parents, and the entire Heights community.”

Hogg is one of only four HISD middle schools authorized to offer IB MYP. The others include Lanier, Fondren, and Grady Middle School, which received authorization in April.

Reagan joins two other HISD high schools which have achieved IB World School authorization. Lamar High School offers students the MYP and the Diploma Programme as well as the opportunity to earn an IB Career-Related Certificate. Bellaire High School offers the IB Diploma Programme. Reagan’s recent authorization is for the MYP only.

Five HISD elementary schools currently are authorized to participate in the IB PYP, including Harvard, Northline, River Oaks, Roberts, and Twain.

Nine other HISD schools are in the “candidate” phase, or the process of achieving authorization. They are Briargrove Elementary, Briarmeadow Charter, Durham Elementary, Herrera Elementary, Poe Elementary, Rodriguez Elementary, The Rusk School, the School at St. George Place, and Wharton Elementary.