Once the application for authorization is complete, the IB visits the school to verify its readiness to become an IB World School.
The purpose of the verification visit is to confirm that the school has taken all necessary actions to meet the authorization requirements and is prepared to offer the relevant IB programme with fidelity and will be able to sustain and improve programme implementation once authorized.
During the verification visit, the visiting team will gather evidence to confirm that the school has met all the requirements for authorization.
The visit typically lasts two days, but the length of the visit may vary depending on the size of the school or specific attributes of the planned visit.
Activities
Before the verification visit, the school will:
- confer with the IB’s School delivery team to set the dates for the verification visit
- work with the verification visiting team leader to plan the visit and agree on an agenda Make the necessary logistical arrangements for the visit
- prepare the school community for their participation in the visit.
During the verification visit, the school will:
- participate in the visit
- participate in the exit meeting which will be held at the conclusion of the visit with the school’s leadership team.
Professional development
Schools will have already completed the professional development (PD) required for authorization during the candidacy phase. There are no additional PD requirements relating to the verification visit phase.
Costs
There are several IB costs the school will incur during the verification visit phase.
- Costs relating to the verification visit: schools are expected to provide ground transportation and breakfast, lunch and coffee breaks for the visiting team during the verification visit.
- Visiting team accommodation costs (Africa, Europe, Middle East (AEM) and Asia-Pacific (AP) only): candidate schools in AEM and in AP will incur costs for the accommodation of the visiting team during the verification visit, as the candidacy and authorization services fee does not cover those costs in those regions.
Read more about fees for candidate schools here.
Milestones
The following milestones must be reached during the verification visit phase:
- IB educators conduct the verification visit
- the IB issues a verification visit report
- the school resolves any Matters to be addressed (MTBA), if any.
Points of contact
The school will continue to work closely with the programme relationship manager from the IB’s Authorization team who was established as their point of contact during the candidacy phase.
The IB’s Operations team will work with the school to finalize plans for the verification visit.
The school will be in contact with the visiting team’s leader to plan the verification visit, and with the entire visiting team during the visit itself.
Next steps
When the verification visit has been completed, the visiting team will provide its feedback to the IB and the school will enter the next phase: decision on authorization.
