Public Charter Schools Send Thousands of Students to HBCUs Every Year

ByGarilyn Vause

As a proud Spelman College student and KIPP Public Schools alum, I urge Sen. Kamala Harris to support public charter schools.

Nearly 90% of Black Democratic primary voters support expanding access to more public school options, including charter schools. In Atlanta, where I live, 83% supported providing “more choice in the public school system,” including charters.

So, when Sen. Harris’s running mate, former Vice President Joe Biden, proposes to give districts control of how many new charter schools get approved, he is pushing to disrupt a thriving educational community that empowers African American students to achieve higher rates of college completion and success.  For students like me who went from public charter schools to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), having the education options to excel has made all the difference. As an HBCU alum herself, Sen. Harris should know that public charter schools send thousands of students to HBCUs every year. And that’s a good thing.

More than 2,100 KIPP alumni are currently enrolled at HBCUs around the country. KIPP has also provided many scholarships for students like me to further their education. And KIPP board members like Martha Karsh and Reed Hastings have thrown their weight behind HBCUs, making historic gifts to support not just KIPP alumni, but all African American students at these institutions.

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