From one fifth grade program to 82 schools – in 15 years.
In 1994, two teachers, Mike Feinberg and Dave Levin, launched a fifth-grade public school program in Houston, Texas after completing their commitment to Teach For America. Their goal: do “whatever it takes” to help their students develop the character and academic skills for college and life. They believed that high expectations coupled with creativity, rigor and sustained student, parent and teacher commitment could generate transformational results for kids and prove what is possible is schools in underserved communities. Mike and Dave named their program KIPP – the Knowledge is Power Program.
In 1995, they decided to expand. Mike remained in Houston to lead KIPP Academy Middle School; Dave and his colleague Frank Corcoran returned to New York City to establish KIPP Academy in the South Bronx.
Fifteen years later, KIPP has grown into 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 approximately 20,000 students. Eighty percent of our students come from low-income families, and 90 percent are African American or Latino.
After four years at KIPP, 100 percent of KIPP eighth grade classes have outperformed their school district averages in both mathematics and reading/English language arts, based on state tests. While fewer than one in five low-income students attend college nationally, KIPP’s college matriculation rate stands at more than 85 percent. For more information, visit www.kipp.org.
