International Baccalaureate

Hillsboro is the only high school in Middle Tennessee authorized to offer three International Baccalaureate programmes.

All freshmen and sophomores at Hillsboro participate in and benefit from the Middle Years Programme (MYP). Many students begin the MYP at one of Hillsboro’s two middle grades feeder schools, J. T. Moore and West End Middle.

The MYP is a challenging but inclusive framework that encourages students of all interests and academic abilities to make practical connections between their studies and the real world. Throughout their final year of the MYP (10th grade), students complete a self-directed research project on a topic of their own choosing.

MYP Coordinator: Matt King (matthew.king@mnps.org)


The Diploma Programme (DP) is an internationally recognized curriculum designed to challenge highly motivated students and prepare them for the rigor of highly selective universities. Through the DP, Hillsboro is able to develop students who:

  • have excellent breadth and depth of knowledge
  • flourish physically, intellectually, emotionally and ethically
  • study at least two languages
  • excel in traditional academic subjects
  • explore the nature of knowledge through the programme’s unique theory of knowledge course

Participation in the DP at Hillsboro is open to all but recommended only for students who have a strong work ethic and are certain they want to attend college.

Click HERE for information about the IB Programme.

DP Coordinator: Kelley Carr (kelley.carr@mnps.org)


For a growing number of Hillsboro students, the Career-related Programme (CP) offers a perfect blend of rigor and relevance. The CP consists of:

  • at least two DP courses
  • the CP core (Personal and Professional Skills, Service Learning. Reflective Project, Language Development)
  • career-related studies in AGHS or AIBC

CP students receive an excellent foundation to support their further studies as well as ensure their preparedness for success in the workforce.

Click HERE for information about the IB Programme.

CP coordinator: Kelley Carr (kelley.carr@mnps.org)

To learn more about the International Baccalaureate, visit www.ibo.org.


Individual IB Courses

Students for whom neither CP nor DP is a good fit may still experience some of the benefits of an IB education by taking individual IB courses. In fact, in any given IB classroom at Hillsboro, you are likely to find a mixture of DP students, CP students, and course takers. The requirements and expectations are the same for all, and course takers have the same opportunity to earn college credit as their CP and DP classmates.