A GLOBAL STANDARD OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

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May 28, 2026

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here.

New international research underscores the strength of the IB Program, a foundation Notre Dame Prep has built across its lower, middle and upper schools.

For families exploring an academically challenging and globally minded education, the International Baccalaureate framework continues to stand apart.

A newly released international study comparing students enrolled in the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program and Middle Years Program with peers in other accredited international schools found IB students consistently performed at higher levels across multiple academic areas, including reading, scientific literacy and writing. The findings reinforce what educators at Notre Dame Preparatory School have long seen firsthand: an IB education develops not only strong academic skills, but also curious, reflective and engaged learners prepared for the demands of college and life beyond the classroom.

The report, prepared by the Australian Council for Educational Research for the International Baccalaureate, analyzed assessment data from more than 71,000 students in 254 schools worldwide during the 2023 and 2024 school years. Across nearly every grade level and subject area studied, IB students outperformed non-IB peers attending other internationally accredited schools.

Researchers concluded that “IB students demonstrated either a clear performance advantage or no meaningful difference relative to their non-IB peers.” 

The report also noted that “none of the comparisons indicated any disadvantage for IB students.” 

For Notre Dame Prep, where the IB philosophy is woven throughout all three divisions, the findings align closely with the school’s mission and daily classroom experience.

“An IB education asks students to think deeply, communicate clearly and engage meaningfully with the world around them,” Katrina Sagert, an IB coordinator at NDP, said. “Those are skills that serve students well not only academically, but throughout their lives.”

A continuum of learning

Notre Dame Prep is one of a select group of schools in the region offering the full continuum of IB programs, beginning in the lower school and continuing through graduation.

In the lower school, students engage in the IB Primary Years Program, which emphasizes inquiry, creativity, collaboration and conceptual understanding. Rather than focusing solely on memorization, students are encouraged to ask questions, explore ideas across subject areas and connect learning to real-world experiences.

That foundation continues in the middle school through the IB Middle Years Program, where students deepen analytical thinking, research, communication and writing skills while learning to view issues through multiple perspectives.

The school’s upper school culminates in the IB Diploma Program, recognized internationally for its academic rigor and emphasis on independent thought and global engagement.

As noted in IB for the Long Haul, research on former IB students found that participation in the program can have “profound and long-lasting effects” on students’ academic pathways, values and worldviews. 

The same study found that IB graduates frequently cited the program’s role in developing “critical thinking, analytical and writing skills, and positive dispositions towards lifelong learning.” 

That long-term perspective is central to Notre Dame Prep’s approach.

Rather than viewing education as a series of disconnected grade levels, the IB continuum allows students to steadily build confidence and independence over time. Skills introduced in the lower school evolve into more advanced research, writing and analytical work in middle and upper school classrooms.

Ryan Wells matriculated to the University of Michigan after graduating from NDP in 2024. He said he enjoyed his IB classes.

“It’s not solely about learning the subject,” he said. “It’s about applying what you’ve learned to benefit others. That to me is especially rewarding. The teachers are all extremely knowledgeable and experienced, making for some engaging class discussions and dialogue that you simply would not find in a regular class.”

As outlined in IB for the Long Haul, colleges and universities recognize both the rigor of the IB curriculum and the preparation it provides students for higher education and beyond. 

Developing international-minded students

Another hallmark of the IB experience at Notre Dame Prep is its emphasis on international-mindedness.

According to the story, On an International-Mindedness Journey Around the World, published by NDP in 2024, international-mindedness is rooted in “intercultural understanding, global engagement and multilingualism.” 

The article describes the process as both “reaching out” to understand others and “reaching in” to better understand oneself. 

Researchers involved in the IB study also emphasized that international-mindedness is “not an endpoint but rather a journey.” 

At Notre Dame Prep, that philosophy is reflected in classroom discussions, interdisciplinary projects and opportunities for students to engage with perspectives beyond their own experiences.

Students are encouraged to consider global issues thoughtfully, communicate respectfully across differences and understand how their actions affect the broader world. The result is an educational environment that values empathy and reflection alongside academic achievement.

The school’s commitment to that work is intentional.

As the NDP article notes, one of the defining characteristics of successful IB schools is that they are “intentionally thinking about and actively working on the conceptualization and development of international-mindedness.” 

Strong results in reading, writing and scientific literacy

Among the strongest findings in the international report were IB students’ advantages in reading and writing.

Researchers found IB students outperformed peers in reading across nearly every grade level studied, with particularly strong results in middle school grades. The report stated that “Reading was a particularly strong area for IB students,” who outperformed non-IB students “across almost all grades from 3 to 10.” 

The study also identified significant advantages in narrative and expository writing, especially in grades seven through nine. 

Researchers added that “strong reading abilities among IB students may support higher achievement in both Narrative and Expository Writing.” 

Scientific literacy was another area of strength. IB students demonstrated consistently higher performance in science-related assessments across multiple grade levels. 

For Notre Dame Prep educators, those outcomes reflect the intentional structure of the IB framework.

TOK as centerpiece

Longtime NDP educator Kyle Lilek teaches the IB course, Theory of Knowledge, the centerpiece of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program. He reflects on the value of such a class, especially as it complements other subjects encountered in high school.

TOK teachers, he notes, select two “optional themes” from knowledge and technology, language, indigenous societies, politics or religion and work across five required areas: history, human sciences, natural sciences, mathematics and the arts.

Lilek uses the IB’s knowledge framework — scope, perspectives, methods and tools, and ethics — as a scaffold for comparing disciplines.

The result, he says, is “intellectual permission to be curious but disciplined.” TOK, he adds, “asks students to be aware of themselves as thinkers, encouraging them to become more acquainted with the complexity of knowledge.”

Exploring deeper in middle school

Students are routinely asked to analyze information, support ideas with evidence, conduct research, present findings and make interdisciplinary connections. Writing and communication are integrated throughout the curriculum rather than confined to a single subject area.

Middle school, in particular, becomes an important bridge.

As students grow more independent academically and socially, the MYP encourages them to take ownership of learning while developing organization, resilience and intellectual confidence. Teachers guide students not simply toward correct answers, but toward deeper understanding and thoughtful questioning.

Preparing students for college and beyond

The report also compared older IB students’ performance against international benchmarks from the OECD Program for International Student Assessment, commonly known as PISA.

Grade 9 and 10 IB students scored significantly above OECD averages in mathematics, reading and scientific literacy, often by substantial margins. Researchers found IB students were “performing well above the PISA 2022 OECD mean” in all three categories. 

The report described the results in scientific literacy as especially strong, noting that IB students in grades nine and 10 were “performing more than one and a half pooled standard deviations above the OECD average.” 

At Notre Dame Prep, college preparation is viewed as more than earning admission to competitive universities. The school aims to graduate students who can think critically, communicate effectively and engage thoughtfully in an increasingly interconnected world.

That emphasis on global awareness and intellectual curiosity is central to the IB philosophy.

Students are encouraged to consider diverse viewpoints, reflect on ethical questions and understand how local actions connect to broader global challenges. The result is a learning environment designed to prepare students not only for academic success, but also for responsible leadership and lifelong learning.

An education designed for the future

The international study acknowledged that many factors contribute to student achievement and cautioned against oversimplifying educational outcomes. Still, researchers concluded that IB students consistently demonstrated strong outcomes across academic disciplines.

The report stated that “analysis of ISA assessment data from 2023 and 2024 revealed the consistent evidence that students enrolled in the PYP and MYP programs outperformed their peers from international non-IB schools across multiple assessment domains.” 

For families considering Notre Dame Prep, the findings offer additional evidence supporting an educational model already visible in classrooms throughout the school.

From the earliest grades through graduation, the IB framework at Notre Dame Prep is designed to help students become thoughtful learners, confident communicators and compassionate global citizens — qualities that remain valuable long after students leave campus.

“Our IB students consistently show a level of commitment that is inspiring, head of school Guest said. “The way they approach every year, every class — with grit, integrity and passion — is a testament to their character and to the kind of scholars and citizens we aim to form at NDP.”

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here.

Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org

About Notre Dame Preparatory School
"At Notre Dame Prep, we inspire our students to become the best versions of themselves. We challenge them through an experience of academic excellence, focused on active, project-based learning. We invite them to explore a world of opportunities beyond the classroom. We guide them as they grow in spirituality within a community strong in its Catholic and Marist identity."

Notre Dame Preparatory School is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. Notre Dame Preparatory School's upper school enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame Prep's middle and lower schools enroll students in pre-kindergarten through grade eight. All three schools are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDP is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the National Association of Independent Schools. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School, visit the school’s home page at www.ndpma.org.