District Aims to Launch the Program by Fall 2023

PROVIDENCE, RI - The Providence Public School Department announced today that DelSesto Middle School, one of six schools in the District currently undergoing a comprehensive redesign process, is set to become the first middle school in Rhode Island to offer the prestigious International Baccalaureate Program. This announcement comes months after Hope High School applied to become the first public high school in the state to offer the International Baccalaureate program. 

“DelSesto’s progress towards becoming our state’s first International Baccalaureate middle school is an enormous step forward for students in Providence,” said Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green. “The prestigious IB Middle Years Programme will help us to improve educational opportunities for Providence students, and the successful implementation of the program as part of the school’s redesign will provide a model for improving education in every part of the state. We are going to work closely with our students, families, and educators to roll this system out in a way that respects and enriches the school’s culture and meets the needs of students.”

“We know that our students can do anything they set their minds to, and I believe that the International Baccalaureate Program will give DelSesto students the skills they need to be successful in high school, college and beyond,” said Interim Superintendent Javier Montañez. “I look forward to continued engagement with the school community throughout this process.” 

The IB Middle Years Programme, which the District aims to launch at DelSesto by fall 2023, is designed for students ages 11 to 16. The framework is designed to encourage students to become creative, critical and reflective thinkers. The MYP emphasizes intellectual challenge, encouraging students to make connections between their studies and the real world. It specifically aims to develop skills in communication, intercultural understanding and global engagement. The District is also bringing the Middle Years Programme to 9th and 10th grade students at Hope High School to prepare them for success in the IB Diploma Programme in 11th and 12th grade, through which students can earn college credit. 

DelSesto will now begin a months-long planning process that will take place in partnership with students, teachers, parents, and the community. Once authorized as an International Baccalaureate school, DelSesto will make several strategic shifts, including requiring all students to take a second language. Deepening and strengthening language skills in students’ home languages, in addition to English, is a critical component of the Middle Years framework. 

In the coming months, DelSesto Middle School and PPSD administrators will work closely with the International Baccalaureate Organization to complete all necessary steps and move forward with the authorization process. 

Learn more about the IB Middle Years program here.