Introduction
The importance of education in any country cannot be overemphasised. Quality education is a fundamental pillar of all sustainable economies in the world. As such, there are several educational programs in different countries that aim to improve the quality of education. One such program is the Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) whose goals are anchored in its catchy slogan “college from day one”. The aim of college-preparatory educational programs should be to increase the college acceptance rates and KIPP schools have succeeded substantially in meeting this goal.
Overview of KIPP schools
KIPP is an American nationwide network of non-profit college-preparatory schools targeted to help underserved communities in the United States. The schools are established under the state charter school laws with KIPP being the largest network of charter schools. KIPP was started in 1994 by Mike Feinberg and Dave Levin in Houston, Texas after the two completed their 2-year commitment to another program Teach For America. Information from KIPP’s schools’ website (kipp.org) indicates that Feinberg transformed the KIPP academy in Houston into a Charter school while Levin established the KIPP Academy in New York at South Bronx. There are currently 125 KIPP schools in 21 states with a total enrolment of more than 41,000 students (kipp.org, 2013). The schools have over the years gained massive philanthropic support and they collectively raise more than $40 million annually. This money is used to run the program in all the schools. These schools include 37 elementary schools, 70 middle and 18 high schools (kipp.org, 2013).
The role of KIPPs schools in the society
KIPP schools are beneficial to the society and by attending these schools; students from underprivileged communities can gain skills and characteristics that are necessary to get them into higher education programs that would otherwise have been locked to them (Rothstein, 26). The KIPPs methods of preparing students for further education should be applied on a larger scale and shut down other college-preparatory methods.
KIPP schools were founded on the principle that there is a specific route to academic success. This route is characterised by spending ample time in school, quality educators, a rigorous college-preparatory curriculum grounded in a strong culture of support and achievement (kipp.org, 2013). These ingredients according to the founders are the key ingredients to helping underserved students to develop skills, knowledge and character that are essential to succeeding in top quality colleges, high schools, universities and even in the competitive world outside the classroom (Thernstrom, Abigail & Thernstrom, 24). Students are for instance required to attend school for longer days, years and are exposed to a college-going culture right from the time they enrol in elementary school.
The aim of KIPP schools is to serve the communities that are underserved by social services such as education, health, social security among others. Education comes out as the single most effective and sustainable way to end endemic poverty and alleged discrimination in the provision of social services. Over the years, a lot has changed and racial profiling and segregation has almost been decimated but it is apparent that African Americans, Latinos and other foreigners remain in dire need of better social services (Leschly, 12). It is for this reason that the KIPP program was started and to date the program boasts of having more than 95% of its students being Latino or Hispanic and African American. Of this population, more than 87% of these students are eligible for federally-subsidized meal programs (kipp.prg, 2013).
The admission into KIPP schools is easy and accommodating to students from backgrounds. First of all, students are accepted into the schools without much regard to their previous academic performances, socioeconomic backgrounds and conduct (Rothstein, 26). There is however a notable characteristic in KIPP schools in that they have a lower number of English proficiency (LEP) students and special education as compared to other public schools from which they draw their students.
Statistics from educational stakeholders indicate that KIPP Schools have been largely successful in increasing college acceptance rates especially for students from underserved communities. There is a direct relationship between in the change of individuals who attend KIPP schools with ample figures to attest to this fact.
First of all, 33% of students who completed a KIPP middle school at least 10 years ago now hold bachelor’s degrees. Following a report on the progress of KIPP schools, Rotherham (2011) an educational columnist with the New York Times magazine questioned this degree acquisition rate. Was the rate a substantial achievement given the challenges that the KIPP program operates in or should it be higher given the enormous support KIPP schools receive? The success and transition rates from KIPP schools are impressive and satisfactory though the program can achieve more. At the moment, KIPP schools record a 95% high school graduation rate for all students who complete middle school. This statistic is inclusive of those students who opt to complete high school in different institutions. There is a 46% college completion rate out of Ney York’s schools for all students who at some point in their earlier schooling got education from KIPP schools and particularly from KIPP Academy in New York at South Bronx. There is also an 89% college matriculation rate (kipp.org, 2013).
The principal focus of KIPP schools is to have its students gain acceptance and graduate from various colleges in the United States and abroad. In addition to the 33% who were reported to have graduated from colleges in 2011 since 2001, a further 19% were still pursuing their degree programs while 5% had already earned a community college degree. According to Rotherham, (2013) more than 80% of KIPP alumni have gone to college.
The success of KIPP schools in increasing college acceptance rates has been lauded from several quarters. According to Kati Haycock, the president of the Education Trust which is a national advocacy group focussing on low-income students, “KIPP remains steadfast in holding itself accountable to the college completion rates of its graduates and continues to work fervently towards increasing the current college completion rates.” The The model on which the KIPP schools are run is fit to replace the traditional college preparatory programs and methods. The schools are supported by a central government, and governed by a common local board which is led by a local executive director.
KIPP having been in existence for a significantly long time since 1994 has grown and established concrete structures to support itself in the coming years. The Program has gained the support of numerous reliable funding from Gap Inc. and other organizations and individuals. With gap founders, assuring KIPP schools of a substantial amount of money per year, the schools can afford to meet all their costs of operation. KIPP also has several alumni who are now in positions to support the schools financially and also act as mentors to the current students. This ensures the wholesome development of students going through KIPP schools and thereby contributes to higher college acceptance rates.
The revenue used to run KIPP and other related schools comes from local, state, federal and private organizations and individuals. The state and federal funding varies greatly across the KIPP network of schools. Information from KIPP’s schools’ website (kipp.org) show that, in California for instance, the average expenditure per student is $5,000 while in some states in the East Coast, the expenditure per student goes as high as $14,000 (kipp.org, 2013). KIPP and other charter schools receive lesser funding as compared to district schools. The federal and state governments fund less than 15% of the schools’ budgets and even then the amounts fluctuate and are not reliable. Gap Inc. founders Don and Doris Fisher are some of the most significant supporters of the schools having donated more than $65 million to KIPP over the last 10 years (kipp.org, 2013).
The federal government provides limited grants to high-quality charters in the country and that schools have to source for the funds from philanthropists. In 2010, the Obama administration awarded $50 million to all the approved high-quality charters in the country. The number of charters has increased from one in 1992 that was based in Minnesota to about 5,000 in 40 states in the year 2010 (Rotherham, 2013). The amount of money obtained from the federal government is therefore largely inadequate to fund charter schools. As such only the well-established and properly run schools are able to survive harsh economic times when the government subsidy fluctuates to even lower amounts.
The instructors at KIPP schools earn an average of $60,000 per year while those in other schools such as the Lynn Public School (LPS) earn an average of $69,000 (Rotherham, 2013). Other schools run through such a program spend higher amounts on teacher salaries and this impact on their expenditures thereby limiting the amount of money they can spend on expanding the quality of their educational curriculums. Other expenses such as transportation and meals, field lessons, infrastructure and administration expenses keep on increasing each year. This means that only the well funded schools are able to keep up with the increasing economic pressures while ensuring that they do not compromise the quality of education that they offer. KIPPs schools have a reliable financial base to launch them towards increased college acceptance rates towards their envisaged 75% from the current 33% (kipp.org, 2013).
The cost per pupil are highest in the early years of learning and the ability of a charter school to fund this education, greatly impacts on its efficiency in the entire education chain. KIPP schools have exercised prudence in financial management and in spite of the demand for education increasing over the years, KIPPs schools have continued to offer quality education. The fact that the schools admit an increasing number of students into elementary school each year has not compromised the teacher-student ratio, the accessibility to books and other learning material among other necessities of learning.
KIPP schools have also introduced collaborative programs with prestigious colleges and universities in the US and beyond to help nurture its students and increase college acceptance rates. The KIPP School Leadership Program (KSLP) which includes an intensive program at New York University helps mould students into leaders capable of taking over leadership positions in the society (kipp.org, 2013). The program is also facilitated in collaboration with other KIPP schools to enhance student exchange and increase positive socialization. These aspects serve to prepare KIPP students for life in diverse cultures and as such increases the students’ adaptability to different geographical, climatic and cultural conditions. Students exposed to diverse settings have a wide range of colleges they can fit in and this exposure increases the college acceptance rates of KIPP alumni.
The success currently enjoyed by KIPPs schools is hinged on five key pillars. The first if these is high expectations where students are encouraged to aim high. The second is choice and commitment-no student is forced to participate in the program. The third pillar is more time-students must be prepared to spend time in school in order for them to achieve their academic goals. The fourth pillar is power to lead- the principals in KIPP schools are great leaders who instil in their students the power to be effective leaders in future. The fifth of these is Focus on results- KIPP schools focus on high student performances on standardized tests and other objective measures (kipp.org, 2013). These pillars have guided KIPP schools to among the most successful schools in the US in increasing college acceptance rates and should be adopted to replace the traditional methods of preparing students for higher education and he life afterwards.
Conclusion
Quality education is fundamental in sustaining the economy of a country and some educational programs started towards this end have achieved great results. KIPP schools were established in 1994 by Mike Feinberg and Dave Levin. The program has expanded to 125 schools in 21 states with a population of 41,000 students. Some of the pioneer schools of the program are the KIPPs Academy in New York at South Bronx and the KIPPS Academy in Houston, Texas. The schools currently record 33% college acceptance rates though the record show that more than 80% of their students including those who graduate from high school in other schools get acceptance into college. The schools receive less than 15% of their funding from state and federal sources with the amounts fluctuating die to varying national and regional economic demands. The schools obtain their 85% funding from philanthropists. KIPPs schools are able to raise $40 million annually to cater for the operations costs. The schools’ biggest funding comes from Gap Inc. founders Don and Doris Fisher who over the last 10 years have given more than $65 million to the schools. KIPPS schools also have elaborate social structures such as the KIPP Foundation to mentor current students. The KIPP School Leadership Program (KSLP) which includes an intensive program at New York University helps mould students into leaders capable of taking over leadership positions in the society. These aspects coupled with a strong organizations culture anchored on the five pillars; high expectations, more time, focus on results, choice and commitment and power to lead make the KIPPs method of college preparation suitable for adoption in replacement of the tradition method.
Works cited
Leschly, Stig. \KIPP National, 2002 (B): Managing a School Network." Harvard Business School Case 9-804-049. 2003. Print
Rotherham, Andrew. "KIPP Schools: A Reform Triumph, or Disappointment? - TIME." Breaking News, Analysis, Politics, Blogs, News Photos, Video, Tech Reviews - TIME.com. N.p., 11 Apr. 2011. Web. 1 May 2013.
Rothstein, Richard. Class and Schools: Using Social, Economic, and Educational Reform to Close the Black-White Achievement Gap. New York: Teachers College Press. 2004, Print
The Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) Annual Report Card. Retrieved 1 May 2013 from: http://www.kipp.org/reportcard
Thernstrom, Abigail & Thernstrom. No Excuses: Closing the Racial Gap in Learning. New York: Simon & Schuster. 2003. Print
