News

-- KIPP Raíces Academy opens its doors to its first class of kindergarteners with the support of the Broad Foundation --

LOS ANGELES – August 11, 2008 – For many children, it’s just another long summer day. But for the kindergarteners at KIPP Raíces Academy in East Los Angeles, today is the first day of school—and the start of a whole new way of learning. KIPP Raíces Academy, the first KIPP elementary school in Los Angeles, will begin preparing its students for college starting in kindergarten. The school opens its doors this morning to its founding class of about 100 students, and will add a grade a year until becoming a full K-4 school in 2012. KIPP Raíces Academy is in session from 8:00 am – 4:30 pm weekdays, and the school is located at 4545 Dozier Ave.

KIPP Raíces, whose name comes from the Spanish word for “roots,” is part of the nationally renowned network of KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) public charter schools. More than 90 percent of KIPP students are of color, and 80 percent are low-income. While fewer than one in five low-income students attend college nationally, KIPP’s college matriculation rate stands at more than 80 percent for students who complete the eighth grade at KIPP. The success of KIPP has been featured in numerous national news outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Newsweek, People, Reader’s Digest, US News & World Report and ABC World News. In April 2006, Oprah Winfrey called KIPP “a revolutionary new school system.”

The opening of KIPP Raíces marks the first phase of KIPP LA’s planned expansion from two schools to six by 2011, thanks to a $12 million grant from the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation in January 2008. In addition to KIPP Raíces, the grant also provides for two new KIPP middle schools and another KIPP elementary school. At capacity, all six KIPP LA schools will serve a combined total of 2,400 students in the Los Angeles area.

The two existing KIPP LA schools, KIPP Academy of Opportunity in South Los Angeles and KIPP LA Prep in East Los Angeles, currently serve a total of 700 students in grades 5 through 8. Both have proven track records of success in educating underprivileged students. After four years in KIPP LA schools, the percentage of students scoring at or above the national standard rose from 19 to 66 in reading and from 28 to 89 in mathematics, as measured by the Stanford Achievement Test.

Of the 98 children in KIPP Raíces Academy’s founding class, 96 percent are Latino and over 85 percent are low-income. Following the national KIPP model, KIPP Raíces aims to help its students achieve by providing extended class hours. Students will attend classes from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM daily, and participate in a two-week summer session. This lengthened school year means more time for reading, math, writing, and science, as well as extracurricular activities like art, service learning, and sports.

“At KIPP Raíces Academy, we will help our students build raíces—roots—of education and character,” said school leader and Los Angeles native Amber Young. “Our students are eager to learn, and it’s never too early to get them started climbing the mountain to college.”

KIPP Raíces Academy is an open enrollment public elementary school; students are selected on a first-come, first-serve basis. All members of the KIPP Raíces community—students, parents, and teachers—sign a “Commitment to Excellence” pledge, which outlines the hard work and dedication necessary to succeed at KIPP. KIPP Raíces forms a unique partnership where teachers have the freedom to innovate, parents are encouraged to be involved, and students have the opportunity to learn.

About KIPP
KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) is a national network of tuition-free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public charter schools with a national track record for educating low-income and minority students. KIPP began in 1994 when two young teachers – Mike Feinberg and Dave Levin – launched a program for fifth graders in a public school in inner-city Houston, TX after completing their commitment to Teach For America. Nationally, more than 80 percent of KIPP students are low-income and more than 90 percent are African American or Hispanic/Latino. For more information, go to www.kipp.org

Contacts:
Katie Braude; KIPP LA; 310-713-0992; kbraude@kippla.org.
Debbie Fine; KIPP schools; 415-505-3069; dfine@kipp.org.
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