About KIPP

History.

The Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) began in 1994 when teachers Dave Levin and Mike Feinberg launched a fifth-grade public school program in inner-city Houston, Texas, after completing their commitment to Teach For America. While only half of the students passed their fourth-grade tests before enrolling in KIPP, that year more than 90 percent passed the Texas fifth-grade exams in English and mathematics. In 1995, Feinberg’s KIPP Academy Houston became one of Houston’s first charter schools, and Levin returned home to New York to establish KIPP Academy in the South Bronx. Since then, KIPP has grown into a national network, and KIPP schools have been widely recognized for narrowing the achievement gap in public education and offering all children a high-quality public education.

Today, there are 65 KIPP schools in 19 states and DC. KIPP schools serve more than 16,000 students and support over 1,000 KIPP alumni who are currently in high school and college. KIPP students are accepted regardless of prior academic record, conduct, or socioeconomic background. Over 80 percent of KIPP students are low-income, and more than 95 percent of KIPP students are African American or Latino/Hispanic.

The Five Pillars.

KIPP schools share a core set of operating principles known as the five pillars:

HIGH EXPECTATIONS. Students, parents, teachers, and staff create a culture of achievement and support that is reinforced with formal and informal rewards and consequences for academic performance and behavior.

CHOICE & COMMITMENT. No one is assigned or forced to attend these schools. Everyone must make and uphold a commitment to the school and to each other to put in the time and effort required to achieve success.

MORE TIME. With an extended school day, week, and year, students have more time in the classroom to acquire the academic knowledge and skills that will prepare them for competitive high schools and colleges, as well as more opportunities to engage in diverse extracurricular experiences.

POWER TO LEAD. The principals of KIPP schools are effective academic and organizational leaders who understand that great schools require great school leaders. They have control over their school budget and personnel. They are free to swiftly move dollars or make staffing changes, allowing them maximum effectiveness in helping students learn.

FOCUS ON RESULTS. KIPP schools relentlessly focus on high student performance on standardized tests and other objective measures. Students are expected to perform at a level that will enable them to succeed at the nation’s best high schools and colleges.

The KIPP Foundation.

In 2000, Doris and Donald Fisher, co-founders of Gap Inc., formed a unique partnership with Feinberg and Levin to replicate KIPP’s success nationwide. The KIPP Foundation recruits, trains, and supports outstanding teachers through the year-long KIPP Leadership Training Program, preparing them to open college-preparatory public schools in high-need communities. Since 2000, the KIPP Foundation has recruited and trained more than 50 KIPP school leaders and currently provides support to the 65 schools in the KIPP network.

In the next five years, KIPP hopes to nearly double the size of the network from 65 to 100 schools and triple the number of students served by KIPP schools. To achieve this goal, KIPP plans to grow in clusters (or regions) of schools in locations where KIPP schools already exist and in areas that are fertile ground for expansion.

To learn more about KIPP, please visit www.kipp.org.