Bettye Cardwell School of International Studies (BCSIS) treats each student as a unique individual within the context of his or her academic, personal and cultural background. The school is dedicated to realizing the individual student's full learning potential, and actively seeks to engender a personal sense of joy and excitement in learning as well as a desire for excellence. At the same time that Bettye Cardwell School of International Studies supports each student's pride in and knowledge of his or her home country; its curricula stress an international perspective through breadth of study and emphasis on critical thinking. Each student is encouraged to develop a world perspective academically, socially, culturally and ethnically through intellectual understanding based on knowledge.

Students study the usual range of elementary school subjects, but approximately 50% of their time is spent in English and 50% in French, German or Spanish. In its pedagogy, organization, policies and administration the school seeks to model the world as an interdependent and cooperative community. Hence, Bettye Cardwell School of International Studies students learn in an environment which promotes respect for and appreciation of diverse cultures, and in which students and parents, as well as faculty and administrators, are encouraged to take active roles in the school community.