Why families choose a diploma program before their child even starts the Upper School
Quick Answer for Busy Parents
The Awty International School’s Upper School offers families a genuine choice between two complete diploma programs: the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma, which requires no French, and the French Baccalauréat (FB) Diploma, which follows the French national curriculum. Awty is the only school in Houston fully accredited by the French Ministry of Education, and Texas requires all seniors to complete final exams in one of these two programs.
Two Full Diploma Programs, Not One With an Elective Track
Some international schools offer a single core curriculum with an optional foreign-language elective layered on top. Awty’s structure is different: the IB and French Baccalauréat are each complete, internationally recognized diploma programs in their own right, not a base curriculum with add-ons. Choosing between them is closer to choosing between two distinct educational systems than selecting an elective within a single program.
Why Offer Two Complete Programs?
Maintaining two full diploma programs, rather than one curriculum with a French option bolted on, lets Awty genuinely serve both English-speaking families seeking an international education and French-speaking families, including those connected to the French Ministry of Education network, who want their children to follow the actual French national curriculum.
Curious Which Diploma Track Fits Your Child?
Cardinal Education helps families understand how a school’s diploma programs align with a student’s academic goals and language background.
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Why French Ministry Accreditation Matters
Awty is the only school in Houston fully accredited by the French Ministry of Education, a distinction that goes beyond simply teaching French as a subject. That accreditation makes Awty an overseas school for French national students in the Houston area, part of the Agency for French Education Abroad (AEFE) network, meaning French families relocating to Houston can enroll their children in a genuinely French-curriculum school rather than adapting to a purely American one.
| Diploma Track | Curriculum Basis | French Required? |
| International Baccalaureate (IB) | International Baccalaureate Organization standards | No |
| French Baccalauréat (FB) | French national curriculum (Ministry of Education) | Yes |
How Families Actually Choose Between the Two
Families indicate their intended diploma track as part of the application itself, a decision that shapes the rest of a student’s Upper School years. Families with an existing French-language background or connection to the French education system, including those relocating from France, often gravitate toward the French Baccalauréat, while English-speaking families new to international curricula more often choose the IB track, though Awty doesn’t require either background specifically.
A Decision Worth Making Early
Because the two tracks follow genuinely different curricula rather than diverging only in later grades, families benefit from making this choice thoughtfully at the application stage rather than assuming they can easily switch tracks once their child has started.
Choose the Right Track: How Cardinal Education Helps
Awty’s dual diploma tracks give families a rare and valuable choice among Houston private schools, backed by full French Ministry of Education accreditation rather than simple language electives. Selecting between the International Baccalaureate and French Baccalauréat is a critical decision that directly impacts coursework, testing, and college admissions pathways.
Cardinal Education guides families through every step of this process—evaluating student strengths, comparing diploma outcomes, and ensuring your child’s track aligns perfectly with their long-term academic and university goals.
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