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‘Curricular Choice’ In Ontario Public Secondary Schools: Exploring The Policy And Practice Of The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, Wendy J. Baker

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study applies the concept of ‘curricular choice’ to the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP)—a 2-year pre-university program—as it operates as an alternative curriculum in Ontario public secondary schools. The adoption of the IBDP by public schools can be considered within a larger context of neoliberal educational reform which sees schools pressed to distinguish themselves from other schools in order to attract academically-able students and maintain enrollment (Tarc & Beatty, 2012). This study draws upon critical policy studies to interrogate how policy and practice affect equitable access to the IBDP in Ontario. A single-case study methodology with multiple units of …