Offering the IB MYP in French and English
An authorized IB World School.
We are thrilled to share a landmark achievement — Austin International School is now officially authorized as an International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP) school.
This makes us one of only eight private schools in the United States offering the IB MYP program in both French and English, and one of just three schools in Texas with this distinction — the only one in Austin. Among the 33 schools nationwide (public and private), this authorization represents our deep commitment to academic excellence and global-mindedness, allowing our students to benefit from a world-class curriculum that prepares them not just for high school but for the challenges and opportunities of an interconnected world.
8
US private schools offering
IB MYP in French & English
IB MYP in French & English
3
Schools in Texas
with this distinction
with this distinction
1
The only one
in Austin
in Austin
2025
Fully authorized
IB World School
IB World School
The Framework
What is the International Baccalaureate?
Known for its academic rigor and highly respected among colleges and universities worldwide, the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum consists of the Primary Years Program (PS/PreK-3 – CM2/Grade 5), the Middle Years Program (6ème/Grade 6 – 2nde/Grade 10), and the Diploma Program (1ère/Grade 11 – Terminale/Grade 12). The IB includes over 5,000 schools globally.
Through this challenging, inquiry-based, student-centered framework, we develop well-rounded, critical thinkers and global citizens who see the world differently.
Austin International School delivers our Middle Years Programme through language immersion in our Middle School (6e-4e). As a fully authorized IB World School since 2025, we share the IB philosophy of improving teaching and learning for a diverse, inclusive community through high-quality international education.
The Research
How IB students perform against their peers.
In February 2026, the International Baccalaureate published research conducted by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) comparing IB students with students at other accredited international schools. The study drew on International Schools' Assessment (ISA) results from 71,267 students across 254 accredited international schools worldwide — 123 IB schools and 131 non-IB schools — across the 2023–2024 assessment cycles.
The headline finding: globally, Primary Years and Middle Years Programme students consistently performed at least as well as, and often significantly better than, their non-IB peers. There were no grade levels or domains in which non-IB students significantly outperformed IB students.
Grade
Mathematical Literacy
Reading
Scientific Literacy
Narrative Writing
Expository Writing
CE2 / Grade 3
—
+
+
+
+
CM1 / Grade 4
—
+
+
—
—
CM2 / Grade 5
—
—
+
—
—
6ème / Grade 6
—
+
—
—
—
5ème / Grade 7
+
++
—
+
++
4ème / Grade 8
+
+
+
+
++
3ème / Grade 9
—
+
—
—
+
2nde / Grade 10
—
+
+
—
—
A "+" indicates a statistically significant result in favour of IB students (small effect size); "++" indicates a medium effect size. A dash indicates no significant difference between IB and non-IB students. Source: ACER for the International Baccalaureate, 2026.
Compared against global PISA benchmarks.
The ISA scales for Mathematical Literacy, Reading and Scientific Literacy are built on the same frameworks used by the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which allows direct comparison. 3ème/Grade 9 and 2nde/Grade 10 MYP students significantly outperformed the 2022 PISA averages across all three domains — with large effect sizes in every case.
MYP students, 3ème/grade 9
MYP students, 2nde/grade 10
PISA benchmark, 15-year-olds
Mathematical Literacy
Reading
Scientific Literacy
3ème/Grade 9 and 2nde/Grade 10 MYP student performance in Mathematical Literacy, Reading and Scientific Literacy compared with 2022 PISA performance benchmarks. Source: Zhang, L.-C. (2026), Performance comparison between IB and non-IB students on the International Schools' Assessment, International Baccalaureate Organization.
These findings reflect the performance of IB students worldwide, not results specific to Austin International School. They are shared here to illustrate what the IB framework — the same framework our Middle School students learn within — has been shown to deliver at scale. The full report is available at ibo.org/en/research.
IB Learner Profile
Ten attributes of an IB learner.
The aim of all IB programmes is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world.
Inquirers
We nurture our curiosity, developing skills for inquiry and research. We know how to learn independently and with others. We learn with enthusiasm and sustain our love of learning throughout life.
Knowledgeable
We develop and use conceptual understanding, exploring knowledge across a range of disciplines. We engage with issues and ideas that have local and global significance.
Thinkers
We use critical and creative thinking skills to analyze and take responsible action on complex problems. We exercise initiative in making reasoned, ethical decisions.
Communicators
We express ourselves confidently and creatively in more than one language and in many ways. We collaborate effectively, listening carefully to the perspectives of other individuals and groups.
Principled
We act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere. We take responsibility for our actions and their consequences.
Open-minded
We critically appreciate our own cultures and personal histories, as well as the values and traditions of others. We seek and evaluate a range of points of view, and we are willing to grow from the experience.
Caring
We show empathy, compassion and respect. We have a commitment to service, and we act to make a positive difference in the lives of others and in the world around us.
Risk-takers
We approach uncertainty with forethought and determination; we work independently and cooperatively to explore new ideas and innovative strategies. We are resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges and change.
Balanced
We understand the importance of balancing different aspects of our lives—intellectual, physical, and emotional—to achieve well-being for ourselves and others. We recognize our interdependence with other people and with the world in which we live.
Reflective
We thoughtfully consider the world and our own ideas and experience. We work to understand our strengths and weaknesses in order to support our learning and personal development.
The Programme
The IB Middle Years Programme.
Explore how the MYP works at AIS — its structure, curriculum, community project, and assessment.
Key components of the MYP IB include
AIS is an IB MYP accredited school. The IB MYP is designed for students aged 11 to 16 (approximately 6ème/grade 6 through 2nde/grade 10). It provides a framework of academic challenge and life skills, delivered through eight subject groups, integrated through global contexts and key concepts. The MYP aims to encourage students to make practical connections between their studies and the real world, preparing them for success in further study and in life.
- Interdisciplinary learning: Encouraging students to see the connections between subjects.
- Community service: Making a connection between what is learned in the classroom and the community.
- Personal Project: Completed in the final year of the programme, allowing students to demonstrate the skills they've developed throughout.
- Assessment: MYP assessment standards are consistent around the world. In order to assess student work, teachers match the student's performance against pre-specified assessment criteria based on the objectives of each subject group.
The MYP is intended to prepare students for the further challenges of the IB Diploma Programme and the Career-related Programme.
The MYP curriculum
The MYP curriculum framework comprises eight subject groups, providing a broad and balanced education for early adolescents.
The MYP requires at least 50 hours of teaching time for each subject group in each year of the programme. In the final two years of the programme, carefully defined subject group flexibility allows students to meet local requirements and personal learning goals.
Read about the MYP Curriculum.
MYP Community Project
The MYP community project focuses on service learning through community action in MYP Year 3. It encourages students to explore their rights and responsibilities and work towards creating a positive impact in their communities.
Austin International School MYP Community Project Handbook
The MYP Assessment and Exams
The IB uses both internal and optional external assessment (eAssessment) in the MYP.
School-based assessment
MYP assessment focuses on tasks created and marked by classroom teachers who are well-equipped to make judgments about student achievement. These tasks are rigorous and embrace a variety of assessment strategies.
MYP teachers assess the prescribed subject-group objectives using the assessment criteria for each subject group in each year of the programme.
External assessment
In the final year of the programme, each MYP student must develop a personal project independently, which the IB externally validates. Producing a truly personal and creative piece of work over an extended period stands as a summative review of their ability to conduct independent work.
At the same time, schools can register for optional external assessment (eAssessment) in all other elements of the programme. It offers students the chance to earn a formal, internationally recognized certificate if they meet the success criteria.
Once a school registers for eAssessment in the MYP, students can participate in any of these two types of examinations:
- ePortfolios of coursework, including a compulsory ePortfolio for the personal project.
- On-screen examinations, with each exam lasting between one hour and 45 minutes and two hours.
Read more about the MYP assessment.
Documentation
The MYP Policies.
IB MYP Coordinator
Meet our IB Coordinator.
Dr. Claudine Escobar-Durand
- Ph.D. Language and Culture didactics – Université Sorbonne Nouvelle – Paris 3, France
- Master in Linguistics specialized in French teaching – Université de Rouen, France
- Bachelor's degree in Language science specialized in French as a Foreign Language – Université de Rouen, France
- Bachelor's degree in Archaeology, Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala
- Teacher certificate French as a Foreign Language – Université de Rouen, France
- IB MYP certificated coordinator and teacher
- Official DELF-DALF
- Trainer for examiners and correctors A1-C2 for 17 years
- Official DELE Examiner A1-C2
- Official TCF examiner
- 20 years of experience in education and cultural administration, and in teaching French, Spanish, and English as a foreign language.
Curious about the IB at AIS?
Schedule a tour and see the Middle Years Programme in action.