A Framingham elementary school wants to follow the lead of schools in Brockton and Malden and adopt the International Baccalaureate program, a teaching method that is little known in Massachusetts but has gained popularity in other parts of the country because of its focus on academic rigor.

Founded in Switzerland in 1968, International Baccalaureate helps schools develop course work that emphasizes writing, broad themes and inquiry, and world cultures, culminating in the senior year of high school with exams that, like Advanced Placement tests, can earn credits at some colleges.