Frequently Asked Questions

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?

KIPP is a national network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public charter schools with a track record of preparing students in underserved communities for success in college and in life. The KIPP Foundation is a national organization created to help expand KIPP's success nationwide.

The KIPP Foundation does not manage KIPP schools. Each KIPP school or region is run independently by a KIPP-trained school leader and governed by a local board of directors.

The KIPP Foundation focuses its efforts on recruiting, training, and supporting outstanding leaders to open locally-managed KIPP schools in high-need communities, and to step into leadership roles in existing KIPP schools. It is also responsible for supporting excellence and sustainability across the network, as well as leading network-wide efforts to innovate and share best practices. 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, governance, operations, communications, marketing, and development.   

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 with students 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 Middle School 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.

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 by training aspiring school leaders to open and operate new KIPP schools.

Since their founding, the two original KIPP Academies have sustained track records of high student achievement. While less 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, KIPP students and alumni have earned millions of dollars in scholarships and financial aid since 2000.

How many schools does KIPP have?

There are currently 109 KIPP schools in 20 states and the District of Columbia serving more than 32,000 students. All but one of these KIPP schools are public charter schools

What kind of student attends a KIPP school?

KIPP schools are tuition-free, open enrollment public schools. Students are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, regardless of socioeconomic background or academic record. If more students apply than spaces are available, students are admitted by lottery.

Nationally, more than 85 percent of KIPP students are eligible for the federal free or reduced-price meals program, and 95 percent are African American or Latino.

Is it hard to get into a KIPP school?

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

Some KIPP schools--especially the ones that have been open for many years--are well known in their communities, 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?

On average, students enter KIPP as fith-graders performing well below grade level in reading and math, but make great academic strides while at KIPP. By the time these students graduate eighth grade at KIPP, they routinely match or outperform their peers on state standardized tests.

In June 2010, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. released the first report from its five-year study of KIPP middle schools, the most comprehensive and rigorous examination of KIPP schools to date. Researchers concluded that the vast majority of KIPP schools made significant and substantial gains in mathematics and reading. The report also found that KIPP does not achieve these gains by attracting high-performing students; in fact, KIPP schools most often enroll students whose average fourth-grade achievement is lower than the average achievement of students in neighboring district schools.

2. Questions about KIPP's Results

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

Each spring the KIPP Foundation releases its annual Report Card, which contains school information, student demographics, and test score data for all KIPP schools that have produced measurable student achievement results. All KIPP schools administer state accountability tests at required grade levels and nationally norm-referenced exams in grades 2-8 (some primary schools also administer the norm-referenced exams to grades K and 1); the KIPP Report Card provides results on these state criterion and nationally norm-referenced exams.

KIPP also works with independent researchers to evaluate the KIPP network’s results. In 2007, KIPP commissioned Mathematica Policy Research to conduct a multi-year longitudinal study of KIPP schools. The first report from the study was released in June 2010. Mathematica’s researchers found that the vast majority of KIPP middle schools are achieving “positive, statistically significant, and educationally substantial” academic gains in math and reading, while serving a student population that has lower entering test scores and a higher percentage of low income students than neighboring public school districts.

What kind of achievement scores do students have before coming to KIPP?    

Most students enter KIPP as fifth-graders performing well below grade level in reading and math, but make great academic strides while at KIPP. By the time these students complete eighth grade at KIPP, the majority of students are at or above grade level. View our annual Report Card to see school-specific results.

What do we know about the gains that students make at KIPP? 

The 2010 Mathematica report concluded that that KIPP schools typically have a positive, statistically significant, and educationally substantial impact on student achievement.

Over a three-year period, researchers found that academic impacts were equivalent to 1.2 and 0.9 years of additional instruction in math and reading, respectively.

Are KIPP students going on to earn college degrees?

According to U.S. Census data, only 30 percent of all Americans aged 25-29 have earned a four-year college degree. For students whose families are in the bottom economic quartile, only 8 percent hold a four-year college degree by their mid-20s.

By contrast, 36 percent of KIPP students who finished eighth grade at KIPP ten or more years ago have completed a four-year college degree. This rate is higher than the average for all students across all income levels nationwide, and four times the college completion rate of students from low-income communities. For more information about this data, please read our College Completion Report.  

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, more than 90 percent of KIPP students are African American and Latino. The particular demographics vary for school to school. In San Lorenzo, California, for instance, our schools have a diverse student body speaking over 30 languages, while schools in Helena, Arkansas, and Gaston, North Carolina, enroll larger numbers of white students.

Does KIPP only take the most successful students?

KIPP most often enrolls students who are underperforming at their current schools. We open 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.

According to the 2009 KIPP Report Card, the average KIPP student enters fifth grade at the 33rd percentile in reading and the 45th percentile in math, as measured by national norm-referenced exams. After three years in KIPP, these same students are performing at the 57th 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 our schools work to provide a safe, structured learning enviroment. 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. There are currently more than 2,000 KIPP teachers nationwide, and while their experiences and backgrounds are varied, each shares the fundamental conviction that all children can and will learn.

Our teachers are a diverse group. The experience of KIPP teachers extends from first-year teachers to 35-year classroom veterans, but they are all committed to the KIPP mission and philosophy. Across our network, nearly 40 percent of our teachers are African American or Latino, about 30 percent are Teach For America alumni, and more than 35 percent hold master's degrees.

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

KIPP teachers are expected to help all students succeed, and they 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. To compensate for the additional time required to teach in a KIPP school, KIPP teachers typically receive a higher salary than the average teacher in neighboring public schools.

KIPP puts a high priority on collaboration and professional development, and the extended school day gives KIPP teachers time for lesson planning and sharing ideas. The KIPP Foundation provides regular training and professional development throughout the year, in which teachers exchange lesson plans and gain new skills to improve their classroom practice. Learn more by visiting our Professional Development page.

How can teachers apply to KIPP schools?

The application process for teaching jobs is handled by individual schools or regions. Potential teachers can apply to work in a KIPP school by visiting the Careers section of our website, or by contacting a KIPP school directly. To find the contact information for an individual KIPP school, go to the  KIPP School Directory.

5. Questions about How KIPP is Funded

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 public charter schools, which have a slightly different funding structure because they have to pay independently for facilities and some 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 funds from local and national foundations, individual donors, and corporate philanthropic initiates.

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. On average, it costs about $1,100 to $1,500 per student to fund KIPP's extended school calendar, higher staff salaries and other KIPP extras, such as field trips and enrichment classes.

The majority of KIPP schools are public charter schools, and as such they typically 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. Schools then raise independent funds to cover the rest of their expenses.

However, even with this structure, KIPP schools generally spend less per student than many large school districts, due to their low overhead and administrative costs. For example, the KIPP schools in New York City spend less per pupil every year than the average middle schools run by New York City's Department of Education.

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

6. Questions from the Field about KIPP

Why does KIPP start its schools in fifth grade, when most surrounding districts operate  K-5 elementary schools? Do most entering KIPP students leave their feeder schools after fourth grade, or do they repeat fifth grade at KIPP?

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.

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?

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, like Houston, attrition is less than 10 percent a year, which is much lower than the rate for surrounding district schools. Nationally, in the 2008-09 year, 88 percent of our students returned in the fall or completed the highest grade in their schools.

Read more about KIPP's effort to decrease mobility in the 2010 KIPP Report Card.

Are fifth grade applicants to KIPP schools tested to determine their grade level? If yes, and they test below fifth grade, are they still admitted?

There is no test for KIPP students entering fifth grade. However, we find that students who enter KIPP are performing, on average, one to two years below grade level on national norm-referenced exams. If a student does not seem ready for KIPP's college prep curriculum, KIPP may meet with his or her parents to discuss options, including grade retention.

If applicants who complete fifth grade at other school apply to KIPP for sixth grade but test BELOW fifth-grade level, are they still accepted to fifth grade at KIPP?

Yes. Any student who tests below fifth grade level can enroll in fifth grade at KIPP. All KIPP schools are open-enrollment regardless of entering test scores.

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? How do these rates compare to those at traditional public schools?

The KIPP Foundation does not collect or track information about KIPP students who are asked to repeat grades. However, the 2010 Mathematica report found that KIPP retained students at a higher rate than neighboring public schools. The researchers wrote that this "capture[s] KIPP's philosophy that students should be promoted to the next grade level only after they have demonstrated mastery of the current grade material."

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.

Does KIPP have an official mechanism/process for tracking its alumni who go on to college?

KIPP carefully tracks the students who graduate eighth grade from KIPP middle schools and/or have entered KIPP high schools, as reaching college is our ultimate goal and we hold ourselves accountable for our results. Since KIPP began in 1994, 95 percent of students who finished eighth grade at KIPP have graduated from high school, and more than 85 percent have matriculated to college.

We track these students through the KIPP Through College alumni program. KIPP Through College aims to empower each middle school and high 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:

•    High school and college placement services
•    Extended support and mentoring for students and their families
•    Academic support services and programs
•    College and financial aid counseling
•    Summer internships and other leadership and enrichment opportunities
•    Career services

There is interest across the country in having outside charter school groups like KIPP "take over" or "turn around" failing public schools. Will KIPP ever take over an existing public school rather than starting a school from scratch?

KIPP's success to date is based on following our model of opening schools with one grade and growing them over time, and our expansion will continue to come through new KIPP schools. However, we are willing to explore ways we can support the Department of Education's effort to improve school quality, whether that be through leadership development or sharing our practices with others. 

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has visited several KIPP schools and has expressed his support for KIPP. He is interested in bringing the KIPP approach to more students across the country, but he also respects KIPP's disciplined approach to innovation, which follows a 'design, pilot, rollout' approach.

We will not grow KIPP in a way that undermines the integrity of the KIPP model, but if conditions are right on the local level, there is a possibility that KIPP could partner with another organization to take over an existing school.