What is KIPP?
KIPP is a national network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public schools with a track record of preparing students in underserved communities for success in college and in life. There are currently 82 KIPP schools in 19 states and the District of Columbia serving around 20,000 students.
What is the KIPP Foundation?
In 2000, Doris and Don Fisher, co-founders of Gap Inc., formed a unique partnership with Mike Feinberg and Dave Levin, the founders of the original KIPP academies, to replicate the schools’ success through the non-profit KIPP Foundation. The KIPP Foundation focuses its efforts on recruiting, training, and supporting outstanding leaders to open new, locally run KIPP schools in high-need communities. The KIPP Foundation does not manage KIPP schools, but is responsible for supporting and monitoring school quality across the network. To learn more, click here.
What is a charter school?
Charter schools operate with fewer regulations than regular public schools in exchange for accountability for their results. Like all public schools, charter schools must be nonreligious and nondiscriminatory and are often focused on a particular approach to educating students. Charter schools are seen as an alternative to regular public schools and a way to provide choice and innovation (from www.greatschools.net). Public charter schools may not charge tuition and may not discriminate against any pupil on the basis of ethnicity, national origin, gender, or disability.
Mission:
KIPP Bay Area Schools helps students develop the knowledge, skills, and character needed to succeed in college and the competitive world beyond by operating tuition-free, college-preparatory public charter schools in under-served neighborhoods.
Our Unifying Beliefs:
We believe demography does not define destiny.
We believe with high expectations and no excuses, all students will successfully climb the mountain to college.
We believe closing the achievement gap begins with this generation of KIPP Bay Area Schools students.
We believe together, we are revolutionizing public education in the Bay Area.
The Five Pillars
KIPP schools share a core set of operating principles known as the Five Pillars:
1. High Expectations
KIPP schools have clearly defined and measurable high expectations for academic achievement and conduct that make no excuses based on the students’ backgrounds. Students, parents, teachers, and staff create and reinforce a culture of achievement and support through a range of formal and informal rewards and consequences for academic performance and behavior.
2. Choice & Commitment
Students, their parents, and the faculty of each KIPP school choose to participate in the program. No one is assigned or forced to attend a KIPP school. 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.
3. More Time
KIPP schools know that there are no shortcuts when it comes to success in academics and life. 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.
4. 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.
5. Focus on Results
KIPP schools relentlessly focus on high student performance on standardized tests and other objective measures. Just as there are no shortcuts, there are no excuses. Students are expected to achieve a level of academic performance that will enable them to succeed at the nation’s best high schools and colleges.
