I've taught IB for a number of years, both in and out of the US and am of two minds about it.
First - it is a great program and I absolutely love it!
The true aim of the program is to give students an internationally minded education which will prepare them for the rigor of university. And it excels at that. It allows students to decide which of the 6 groups of courses they want to study at a greater depth and they take those classes at the higher level (more hours and curriculum requirements and more in-depth material). The other 3 classes are at the standard level (less hour requirements and not as much in the curriculum, but still a good level of rigor, especially when combined with the rest of the program). Colleges and universities love the IB because the study skills and other "school skills" that make students successful in college are present in students who graduate after successfully going through the IB. Not only do they give more scholarships for these students, but the students are more likely to get into some great schools than they were if they had not gone through the program.
Now, the other side of my opinion - if your child is not an organized, self motivated student, who can handle a large volume of homework and writing and strict deadlines then this may not be the program for her. However, there is usually a middle ground that students can pursue. They can go for certificates in some subjects and not go for the entire diploma. Which would mean that the requirements for the classes they are going for certificates in would be the same as students taking the classes and going for the full diploma, but the certificate students are not required by IB to do CAS (community service hours) or the extended essay.
Where in Florida are you? (I'm down here too and may know the program)
If you have any more specific questions you can PM me. I could go on for quite a while about why I love the program, but am also realistic about the fact that it is not for everyone and everyone shouldn't be forced into it.
