How KIPP Bridged the Education Gap

The No Child Left Behind Act, which became law in the United States in January 2002, promised that the educational achievement between Whites, Blacks and Hispanics, and rich and poor would be bridged by 2014.

This was a hugely ambitious claim for the federal government to make at the time, and with just six more years until the 2014 deadline arrives, there remains a lot to be done if this goal is to be achieved.

There have been some remarkable achievements in bridging the education gap over the years but they seem to be more isolated examples than the norm. However, the encouraging thing is that it can be done. It takes a lot of work and a lot of motivation on the part of both educators and students, but it can be done.

However, it remains to be seen if the lessons that can be learned from the success stories will spread to close the education gap at a national level. Surely then the answer is to follow the example and the methods of schools that have bridged the education achievement gap.

One such success story is the Knowledge Is Power Program. KIPP has been around since 1994 when Teach For America participants Mike Feinberg and Dave Levin launched a fifth grade public school program in inner city Houston aimed at raising the achievement levels of students there. After some initial success KIPP spread to other areas of the country. Even in areas where very few students go on to college or university, those who reach eighth grade in KIPP schools have an 80 per cent chance of going to college.

However, this success for KIPP students called for a lot of hard work, from both students and teachers. Teachers at KIPP schools go the extra mile and make a serious commitment to doing whatever is necessary to see students succeed. Indeed, the students have to give it their all too, spending about 60 per cent more time in class than the average public school student. Not only this, teachers even give students their cell phone numbers so they can be contacted at night for advice on homework.

The impressive results at KIPP schools led to increased exposure and funding for the program over the past ten years, and the establishment of many more KIPP schools. However, whether this level of success can be achieved at a national level remains to be seen. However, the KIPP model does provide a good template to work from.

 

Written by: Frank J Klein - CIO

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