NDP STUDENTS TAKE THEIR CASE TO LANSING

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March 5, 2026

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

More than 300 students and educators urge legislators and universities to recognize the rigor of International Baccalaureate coursework.

More than 300 students, teachers and administrators from International Baccalaureate schools across Michigan gathered at the state Capitol in Lansing on March 4 to advocate for more consistent recognition of IB coursework by Michigan colleges and universities.

Among them were 14 juniors and seniors from Notre Dame Prep, who traveled with faculty and upper school Principal Kim Anderson to participate in the rally and meet with legislative offices.

The students joined representatives from IB Schools of Michigan to support a legislative resolution encouraging colleges and universities in the state to adopt clearer and more consistent policies for awarding college credit to students who complete IB coursework and exams.

The issue has gained growing attention across the state as IB educators and students argue that the rigor of the internationally recognized program deserves the same clarity in credit recognition that Advanced Placement courses typically receive.

A recent report by the Lansing State Journal said IB and AP courses both offer students opportunities to earn college credit, but “how colleges treat IB work varies widely from university to university,” creating confusion for students and families planning for college.

Notre Dame Prep students advocate directly with lawmakers

During the visit, Notre Dame Prep students and faculty spent time meeting with legislative staff members in Senate offices while the chamber was in session.

Katrina Sagert, IB Diploma Program coordinator and a teacher at Notre Dame Prep, said the day provided students a meaningful opportunity to engage in civic advocacy connected to their academic experience.

“Nick Kator (NDP social studies teacher) and I each led a group of students who canvassed Senate offices throughout the Capitol,” Sagert said.

Sagert’s group met with staff members representing Sens. John Cherry, Michelle Hoitenga, Roger Hauck, Rosemary Bayer and Michael Webber. Kator’s group spoke with offices representing Sens. Thomas A. Albert, John N. Damoose, Stephanie Chang, Jon C. Bumstead, Sue Shink and Rick Outman.

“Kim Anderson also led a group of students who sat in on the Senate session and watched the resolution be introduced and approved unanimously,” added Sagert.

For many students, the experience reflected a key goal of IB education: applying classroom learning to real-world challenges.

Senate resolution highlights concern about “brain drain”

The rally coincided with the introduction of a resolution in the Michigan Senate encouraging institutions of higher education to adopt clearer policies recognizing IB coursework.

Sagert said Sen. Dayna Polehanki, a sponsor of the legislation, addressed the crowd on the Capitol steps.

“Senator Polehanki introduced the resolution in the Senate where it passed unanimously,” Sagert said. “She spoke at the rally about the brain drain that incentivizes Michigan’s finest students to find college credits elsewhere in states that have more transparent and generous policies on IB credit recognition.”

Sagert said the House also referred the resolution to its Committee on Government Operations.

Leaders of IB Schools of Michigan say the goal is not to mandate credit policies but to encourage greater transparency and consistency across the state’s higher education institutions.

The Lansing State Journal reported that many IB graduates complete coursework that is already considered college-level but then face uncertainty about whether their work will count toward a degree.

“IB programs are similar to Advanced Placement courses,” the newspaper reported, “but how colleges treat IB work varies widely from university to university.”

Why IB students say the issue matters

For NDP senior Olivia Lawroski, who participated in the advocacy day, the issue is deeply connected to the work IB students put into their studies.

“I think this issue with the lack of college credits for IB courses in Michigan is vitally important because the IB program offers students a rigorous, globally recognized education,” Lawroski said. “It helps myself and my IB peers to develop critical-thinking skills and a deeper understanding of the world.”

Lawroski said IB students routinely take courses that exceed the expectations of traditional high school classes.

“IB students challenge themselves with courses that are well above regular and AP classes, therefore I believe we are deserving of credits for them,” she said. “Ensuring that IB schools of Michigan are recognized at the state level matters because it directly impacts our educational opportunities, college readiness, and the overall quality of learning for IB students across Michigan.”

During the visit, Lawroski also met with several legislative offices and said the response was promising.

“I spoke to various senators about it while at the Capitol and the conversations were really encouraging,” Lawroski said. “Many of them were genuinely interested in understanding how the IB program benefits students and how the resolution could assist students who seek credit for their difficult IB HL and SL courses.”

“It was great to see that our voices as IB students were being taken seriously,” she added.

A statewide issue affecting college choices

Advocates say inconsistent credit policies can affect where students ultimately choose to attend college.

Some universities in other states clearly outline how IB exam scores translate to credit, while others provide limited or inconsistent recognition.

Lynne Gibson, vice president of IB Schools of Michigan and head of school at the International Academy in Bloomfield Hills, wrote in a recent commentary for the Lansing State Journal that the issue creates uncertainty for families and students.

“Some institutions award postsecondary credit generously and transparently,” Gibson wrote. “Others apply different standards, limit credit by department, or deny it altogether. The result is inconsistency that leaves families guessing, students frustrated and schools struggling to explain why the same achievement can be valued so differently depending on where a student enrolls.”

She noted that IB courses are externally assessed and internationally benchmarked as college-level work.

“Universities across the country and around the world grant credit for IB exams because they trust the rigor of the program and the preparedness of its graduates,” Gibson wrote.

The inconsistency can even influence where students choose to continue their education.

Lawroski said, in her case, she is currently considering two universities — Loyola University Chicago and Grand Valley State University — and credit policies are part of the discussion.

“Both are excellent schools but I’m looking more toward Loyola due to its wide acceptance of both AP and IB credits,” she said.

Learning civic engagement through the IB program

Educators say the advocacy effort itself reflects the philosophy of the IB program, which emphasizes inquiry, critical thinking and global citizenship.

Gibson wrote that the rally demonstrated those values in action.

“Students from across the state are traveling to Lansing to speak with legislators, share their experiences, and explain why this issue matters to them,” she wrote. “They seek no special treatment. They simply want their voices to be heard.”

Sagert said the experience provided Notre Dame Prep students with a firsthand look at the legislative process and how civic engagement can influence policy conversations.

The visit also reflects the breadth of academic opportunity available at Notre Dame Prep, which offers both Advanced Placement and the full continuum of International Baccalaureate programs from PreK through grade 12.

For Sagert, seeing students step beyond the classroom to advocate for their education was an important moment.

It demonstrated not only the academic rigor of the IB Diploma Program, but also its commitment to developing informed, engaged leaders prepared to participate in civic life.

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.