Knowledge is Power Program moves forward

KIPP: Endeavor Academy, a tuition-free, open-enrollment public school, opened its doors in Kansas City in 2007 as a fifth grade school. After five years, KIPP expanded into a 5-8th grade middle school. From there, they blossomed into a K-8th grade school. Now, KIPP has an elementary, middle and high school where students are finding their passions, while having the support of staff and faculty.

Head principal Josh Swartzlander is in his 13th year at KIPP schools, which are located in the historic 18th and Vine District.

“KIPP is an abbreviation for ‘Knowledge is Power Program,’ KIPP is also a national charter network with several hundred schools,” Swartzlander said. “It originated in Houston in the 1990’s. We have pre-k through 10th grade, and a full 9-12 school.”

KIPP was founded in 1994 by Mike Feinberg and Dave Levin in Houston, Texas. They were two Teach for America members, and opened two middle schools in Houston and New York City. Both schools were some of the highest performing schools in their communities by 1999.

“We have three values: homeplace, instilling the students’ identity at school; grow, we want students to grow academically and socially; launch, we want students to launch their career from our high school,” Swartzlander said.

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