SPANISH LEGISLATION AND IB PYP LANGUAGE POLICY DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Given the growth of and interest in International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes in Spain, schools looking for approval to implement any of its programmes are being met with the challenge of policy development to meet the requirements for authorization. This paper will look at Spanish legislation and the supports or challenges it offers when trying to meet the needs that face schools looking towards IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) authorization. As schools already authorized will have used the 2014 version of the IB Programme Standards and Practices, this paper will focus on the development of language policy in this version as well as the 2018 versions to support these schools as they move to the next stage or new schools starting under this newer version. A comparative look at Spanish legislation that may have influenced past decisions and current legislation that will influence future decisions will summarize the support mechanisms for meeting the language policy requirement.