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FAQ

1. Common Questions about KIPP

2. Questions about KIPP's Results

3. Questions about Enrolling in KIPP

4. Questions about Teaching in KIPP schools

5. Questions about How KIPP is Funded

6. Questions from the Field about KIPP

1. Common Questions about KIPP

What is the difference between the Foundation and KIPP schools/regions?

In 2000, Doris and Don Fisher, co-founders of Gap Inc., formed a unique partnership with KIPP's co-founders, Mike Feinberg and Dave Levin, to replicate the success of the two original KIPP Academies 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, and step into leadership roles in existing KIPP schools. Beyond recruiting and training new school leaders, the KIPP Foundation is responsible for supporting excellence and sustainability across the network and leading network-wide innovation efforts to leverage our growing scale. The KIPP Foundation provides a variety of supports and services to KIPP schools and regions in areas such as legal services, real estate, technology, finance, corporate governance, operations, communications, marketing, and development. The KIPP Foundation does not manage KIPP schools. Each KIPP school is run independently by a KIPP-trained school leader and governed by a local board of directors.

Learn more about the roles and responsibilities of the KIPP Foundation, and get to know our leadership team and our board of directors.

How did KIPP start?

KIPP began in 1994 when two teachers, Mike Feinberg and Dave Levin, launched a fifth-grade public school program in inner-city Houston, TX, after completing their commitment to Teach For America. In 1995, Feinberg remained in Houston to lead KIPP Academy Middle School, and Levin returned home to New York City to establish KIPP Academy in the South Bronx. These two original KIPP Academies became the starting place for a growing network of schools that are transforming the lives of students in underserved communities, and redefining the notion of what is possible in public education.

Since their founding, the two original KIPP Academies have sustained track records of high student achievement. While fewer than one in five students from low-income families attend college nationally, KIPP's college matriculation rate stands at more than 85 percent for students who complete the eighth grade at KIPP. Nearly 95 percent of KIPP alumni go on to college-preparatory high schools; collectively, they have earned millions of dollars in scholarships and financial aid since 2000.

How many schools does KIPP have?

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 over 21,000 students.

What kind of student attends a KIPP school?

Nationally, over 80 percent of KIPP students are eligible for the federal free and reduced price meals program, and more than 90 percent are African American or Latino.

Is it hard to get into a KIPP school?

KIPP schools are open-enrollment so there is no selection process. Any student can attend a local KIPP school as long as they meet the residency requirements of the school district and space is available at that particular grade level.

Some KIPP schools--especially the ones that have been open awhile--are well known and often have waiting lists for enrollment. Other KIPP schools that are newer or less publicized in their neighborhoods may have space available.

How well do KIPP students perform on standardized tests?

Many students begin KIPP in the fifth grade at least one grade level--and in many cases two or more--behind their peers in reading and math.

According to data gathered in 2008, after four years at KIPP, 100 percent of KIPP eighth grade classes outperformed their district averages in mathematics and 94 percent outperformed district averages in reading/English language arts, based on state tests.

How are KIPP schools funded?

All KIPP schools are public schools, so their basic funding comes from the same federal, state and local sources that support other public schools. The majority of KIPP schools are charter schools, which have a slightly different funding structure because they have to pay for facilities and other expenses that are covered for district public schools.

To make up for the gap between state and district revenues and the cost of running KIPP schools, KIPP school leaders and regional directors raise independent funds to help cover their costs. KIPP's funders include local and national foundations, individual donors, and corporate philanthropy.

To learn more about KIPP's funders or how to support KIPP, visit the Support KIPP section.

2. Questions about KIPP's Results

What are KIPP's results? How do KIPP's test scores compare to other public schools?

KIPP schools focus on moving students from where they start, which is usually one to two years below grade level, to higher achievement so they can be ready for college and beyond. With schools in 19 states, the KIPP Foundation does not analyze each school's test scores to determine whether it exceeds the standard deviation. However, we do assess our results for "statistical significance" and have found that the gains made by students in KIPP schools are in fact significant. There have been several independent reports that have concluded that KIPP students have made academic gains at KIPP.

An August 2005 study by the Educational Policy Institute [HYPERLINK] found that, "The Knowledge Is Power Program has posted large and significant gains on a nationally norm-referenced standardized test. This performance is true across schools and throughout the nation. The fact that KIPP fifth grade cohorts showed a dramatic increase well above normal growth rates in reading, language, and mathematics is laudable and worthy of continued investigation and practice."

In 2008, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. was awarded a contract to evaluate KIPP's impact, with funding provided by The Atlantic Philanthropies and the Arnold Family Foundation. This five-year study will examine data from KIPP middle schools to analyze performance on student achievement and other outcomes, compare KIPP schools with other similar schools, and determine whether KIPP students are on a path toward college.

For a list of independent reports on KIPP, go to Independent Reports.

How does KIPP share student achievement data with the general public?

At KIPP, we believe in transparency and accountability. Each spring, the KIPP Foundation releases our annual Report Card, which contains school-level information and test results for all KIPP schools with measurable student achievement results. All KIPP schools administer state accountability tests and voluntary national norm-referenced exams for all grades. The KIPP Report Card provides results on these state and national exams along with individual schools' state rankings and data on adequate yearly progress (AYP), a key measure of the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation.

The KIPP Foundation also analyzes how well KIPP students performed over time on norm referenced exams, such as the Stanford 10 exam. This "apples-to-apples" comparison, known as a matched cohort analysis, allows us to measure growth in student achievement for only those students who have been continuously enrolled at a KIPP school. Students that leave KIPP schools are not included in the matched cohort analyses provided in the KIPP Report Card.

While results vary by school, region, and year, the KIPP Report Card has consistently demonstrated that the majority of KIPP students are making significant academic gains and that KIPP is fulfilling its mission of preparing students for college, and the competitive world beyond.

According to the 2008 KIPP Report Card, the average KIPP student who has been with KIPP for three years starts fifth grade at the 31st percentile in reading and the 41st percentile in math, as measured by the national norm-referenced exams. After three years in KIPP, these same students are performing at the 58th percentile in reading and the 80th percentile in math.

Test scores are significant, but they are essentially an indicator of our students' progress towards the ultimate goal: college. Nationally, over 85 percent of KIPP alumni who graduated KIPP in the eighth grade have enrolled in college, as compared to community averages of fewer than 40 percent.

What is the KIPP curriculum? Is it broad-based or back to basics?

KIPP offers a rigorous, college preparatory education. Due to KIPP's extended day, week and school year, KIPP students benefit not only from extra time in core subjects such as math and reading, but more instruction in courses such as art music and physical education.

Each KIPP school operates autonomously, and teachers and principals have the freedom to design the curriculum to best meet the needs of their students. Several KIPP schools, such as the KIPP Academy in the South Bronx, have award-winning student orchestra programs, while other KIPP schools offer unique elective classes that are of interest to their students.

One of the reasons that KIPP is successful is because of what we call the "joy factor." To motivate kids for extra hours and days, KIPP schools work to provide an extra ‘hook' that will get them excited about coming to school

KIPP's unique culture is something that begins from the first day students come to school, and is the ‘be nice' part of our "Work hard, Be nice" philosophy. Students are taught to help each other learn at the same time that they push themselves to do well academically. KIPP measures success not only by increased test scores but also by the positive change our students bring to the world and the kinds of citizens they become.

3. Questions about Enrolling in KIPP

Who attends KIPP schools?

KIPP opens schools in underserved communities, many of them with a high population of students of color. Because KIPP schools represent the communities they serve, 90 percent of KIPP students are African American and Latino. The particular demographics vary for school to school. At the KIPP school in San Lorenzo, California, for instance, there are over 30 languages spoken by a diverse student body, while KIPP schools in Helena, Arkansas, and Gaston, North Carolina, enroll large numbers of white students.

We believe the quality education that our students receive will greatly determine the opportunities they have to participate in a multicultural society.

Does KIPP only take the most successful students?

KIPP's mission is to set underserved students up for success in college and life. Demographics should not define destiny. We believe that every student, regardless of background, should have the opportunity to choose what they want to do in life.

KIPP schools are tuition-free, open enrollment public schools. Students are accepted regardless of background or academic record on a first-come, first-served basis. If more students apply than spaces are available, students are admitted by lottery. During the 2008-09 school year, over 80 percent of our students were eligible for the federal free and reduced price meals program. Approximately 90 percent of KIPP students are African American or Latino.

KIPP strategically opens schools in underserved communities throughout the country in order to enroll students and families looking for education alternatives. Many KIPP principals recruit door-to-door to make sure that families know that KIPP is an available educational option for their children.

At KIPP, we focus more on the gains that students make while enrolled at KIPP than where students start out when they come to KIPP. According to the 2008 KIPP Report Card, the average KIPP student who has been with KIPP for three years starts fifth grade at the 31st percentile in reading and the 41st percentile in math, as measured by the national norm-referenced exams. After three years in KIPP, these same students are performing at the 58th percentile in reading and the 80th percentile in math.

There is no secret to KIPP's academic success. Students, teachers, and parents all work extremely hard and students learn in a safe, structured environment. While there is always room for growth, we are proud of the accomplishment of our students across the KIPP network.

How can I enroll my child in a KIPP school?

KIPP schools enroll students via their own individual processes. Please visit the For Parents section of our website for information about how enroll in KIPP schools.

4. Questions about Teaching in KIPP schools

What is the experience and background of a typical KIPP teacher?

KIPP teachers are the heart and soul of KIPP schools and their "do whatever it takes" attitude is the main reason for KIPP's enduring success. KIPP recruits teachers who come from- public and private schools serving underserved students, along with career change professionals and anyone else who is willing to commit to the KIPP philosophy and has the necessary credentials for teaching in a public charter school.

KIPP teachers are expected to help all students succeed. To compensate teachers for the additional effort required to teach in a KIPP school, KIPP teachers typically receive 15 to 20 percent more in salary than the average teacher in neighboring public schools for this extra time.

KIPP teachers are a diverse group. Last year, there were almost 1200 teachers employed at KIPP schools: 55 percent were white and 45 percent were people of color (African American, Latino, or Asian. The experience of KIPP teachers extends from first-year teachers to 35-year classroom veterans.

KIPP teachers are expected to work hard. How does KIPP prevent burn out and teacher turnover?

KIPP teachers typically work a nine-hour work day during the week, half days on selected Saturdays, and three weeks in the summer. They also are available via cell phone for homework help in the evening. KIPP puts a high priority on collaboration and professional development and the extended day gives KIPP teachers time during the extended school day for lesson planning and sharing ideas. The KIPP Foundation provides regular training and professional development throughout the year to help teachers exchange lesson plans and gain new skills to improve their classroom practice.

To address teachers' needs, KIPP schools are developing staffing solutions that can allow for a more flexible schedule. For example, some KIPP teachers are young parents who need to leave early to pick up their children from daycare, others job share and work part-time, while some teachers choose to work a full KIPP day and stay past 5pm.

How can teachers apply to KIPP schools?

Potential teachers can apply to work in a KIPP school through the Teacher Section [link to KIPP Teachers] of the KIPP.org website, or by contacting a particular KIPP school in person. To find a KIPP school, go to the KIPP School Directory.

5. Questions about How KIPP is Funded

Are KIPP schools more expensive to operate than regular public schools?

The costs of running KIPP schools and the level of per-pupil funding that KIPP schools receive varies greatly across the country, due to widely divergent funding allocations at the state and local level.

The majority of KIPP schools are public charter schools, and as such they typically receive less funding than district public schools. In most states and districts, KIPP and other public charter schools only receive 60 to 90 percent of the operational revenue and none of the capital expenditure revenue of district schools. As a result, KIPP schools have to use operating funds to pay for non-core education costs such as facilities and busing, which are typically covered for district schools.

This funding structure means that KIPP schools start out with lower revenues, and they also spend more per pupil than other public schools. It costs about $1,100 to $1,500 per KIPP student to fund KIPP's extended school day and calendar, higher staff salaries (KIPP teachers typically earn 15 to 20 percent more than traditional public school teachers) and other KIPP extras, such as field trips and enrichment classes. This added cost also includes the fees KIPP schools pay for facilities, transportation and other logistics as charter schools.

However, even with this structure, KIPP schools generally spend less per student than many large school districts due to their low overhead. For example, the KIPP schools in New York City spend less per-pupil educating their students than the average New York City middle school per-pupil expenditures for public middle schools run by New York City's Department of Education.

Who pays for KIPP's extended school day, week and year?

To learn more about KIPP's funders or how to support KIPP, click here.

6. Questions from the Field about KIPP

Why does KIPP start its schools at grade 5 when apparently most districts where it operates have K-5 feeder schools? Do many students leave the feeder schools after grade 4, or is that to allow a high number of students to repeat grade 5 in the KIPP school? (Fall 2007)

KIPP starts with a fifth grade because of the teaching background of KIPP co-founders Mike Feinberg and Dave Levin.

Feinberg and Levin both served as fifth grade teachers as a part of the Teach For America program, and saw how important it was for students to get on track for college beginning in fifth grade rather than waiting for middle school. As a result, they started KIPP in 1994 as a program for fifth graders at Garcia elementary school in inner-city Houston, TX.

Since most public schools serve grades K-5, we tend to see strong demand for students entering KIPP at the sixth grade level.

KIPP seems to have high attrition rates for students. Why is that and what is KIPP doing about it? (Fall 2007)

We realize that students leave KIPP for a number of reasons, including families that move from the neighborhood, students who leave KIPP voluntarily, and students who are held back a grade. KIPP is in the midst of data gathering and analysis to better understand the causes of student mobility across the KIPP network and how to decrease mobility as our schools mature.

We find that attrition and mobility in KIPP schools is highest in the first few years that a KIPP school is open, and declines rapidly over time. In some of our more developed regions, such as Houston, attrition is less than 10 percent a year, which is much lower than the rate for surrounding district schools.

Read more about KIPP's effort to decrease mobility here. [link to mobility memo found at Results/Student Mobility at KIPP section]

Are 5th grade applicants to KIPP schools tested to determine their grade level? If yes, and they test below 5th grade, are they still admitted? (Fall 2007)

There is no test for KIPP students entering fifth grade, which is our entry point for middle school. Any testing that occurs above fifth grade at KIPP middle schools is conducted to determine grade placement, since that is not the entry point.

Aspiring fifth grade students are admitted on a first-come, first-served basis. If more aspiring fifth grade students enroll than spaces are available, students are admitted through a random lottery.

Students who enter KIPP are performing, on average, one to two years below grade level on national norm-referenced exams.

I know that students who have completed 5th grade at other schools and are applying for 6th grade ARE tested to determine their grade level. What percentage overall are determined to be at 5th-grade level and told that they will need to repeat 5th grade (this time at KIPP) to be admitted? (Fall 2007)

KIPP does not track the percentage of students who enroll at KIPP and are asked to repeat a grade.

We do not turn away any students based on academic achievement at any grade level. At many KIPP schools, students who are looking to enroll in sixth and seventh grades are given a placement test to ensure that they enter KIPP in the upper grade at the appropriate level.

Each KIPP school and region handles admissions differently, but below an example of the policy for upper grades in the KIPP schools in the San Francisco Bay Area:

Sixth grade: If a rising sixth grader at a KIPP San Francisco school scores at two years below grade level (or better), he/she can place his/her name in the lottery for sixth grade. If a rising sixth grade student enters a KIPP San Francisco school more than two years below grade level, that student is invited to enroll in the fifth grade in order to get on grade level.

Seventh grade: Rising seventh graders who are interested in enrolling at KIPP San Francisco schools are also given a placement test. If they test within one grade level in reading and math, rising seventh graders in San Francisco are allowed to enter the lottery for seventh grade. If they are more than one year behind grade level, they are invited to enter the lottery for sixth grade.

Eighth grade: KIPP San Francisco schools do not admit new students in the eighth grade, as it is the last year of KIPP middle schools.

If applicants who complete 5th grade at other school apply to KIPP for 6th grade but test BELOW 5th-grade level, are they still accepted to 5th grade at KIPP? (Fall 2007)

Yes, any students who test below fifth grade level can enroll as a fifth grader at KIPP. All KIPP schools are open-enrollment at entering grades regardless of entering test scores. As mentioned in an earlier question, students enter KIPP middle schools on average significantly below grade level academically.

What are the retention rates for KIPP students who complete the school year but are not yet ready to move on to the next grade level? Do you have information on how that compares to averages at traditional public schools? (Fall 2007)

The KIPP Foundation does not collect or track information about KIPP students that are asked to repeat grades. We also do not have access to enrollment numbers for students at neighboring schools who switch schools because they do not want to repeat a grade.

When we calculate achievement gains at KIPP schools in our annual Report Card, we only track gains of those students who are part of a ‘matched cohort' of students. For example, in the 2008 KIPP Report Card, we reported the gains of students who started KIPP in fifth grade and finished KIPP in eighth grade. The average KIPP student who has been with KIPP for three years starts fifth grade at the 31st percentile in reading and the 41st percentile in math, as measured by the national norm-referenced exams. After three years in KIPP, these same students are performing at the 58th percentile in reading and the 80th percentile in math.

I have often read a claim that a high percentage (though the number given varies) of KIPP students go on to college. However, KIPP mostly runs middle schools, so only students who finished 8th grade in 2003 or earlier would be at college age now (high school graduating class of 2007). However, my question is: Does KIPP have an official mechanism/process for tracking those students? What is it and how does it work? Has KIPP succeeded in following 100% of its alumni who finished Grade 8 in 2003 or earlier, and if not, what percentage has it successfully tracked? (Fall 2007)

We have been tracking the college attendance rates of alumni from the original KIPP middle schools in Houston and New York City since the first students from both schools earned acceptances to college in 2003. Over the past five years, the original two KIPP Academies have an average college matriculation rate of 85 percent.

Mike Feinberg has referred to a college matriculation rate of 91 percent, which was based on graduates from one class of KIPP alumni in 2006. For KIPP Houston students the rate was 97 percent that same year.

KIPP's national college matriculation percentage only includes students who attended the original two KIPP schools in Houston and New York. At this time, those are the only KIPP schools that have been in operation long enough for alumni to progress from eighth grade to college freshmen. When kids from the next generation of KIPP schools that opened this decade matriculate to college in fall 2009, KIPP will have a larger sample of students from which to calculate our success on this important measure.

As for how we track students, we do this through the KIPP to College [link to KTC section] alumni program at both schools. The KIPP to College program aims to empower each middle school graduate to continue using the scholarly habits, knowledge, and skills learned at KIPP schools as they continue on the path to college (and beyond.) Components of the program include:

Extended support and mentoring for students and their families;
Academic support services and programs;
College and financial aid counseling;
Extracurricular activities;
Summer internships, job placement, and other leadership and enrichment opportunities.