KIPP NYC is a non-profit network of free, public charter schools that prepare students for success in college and life. In 1995 we started our first middle school, KIPP Academy, in the Bronx. Our goal was to graduate students with the strength of character and academic abilities needed to succeed in life – and in so doing, to prove what is possible in urban schools. We promised to do whatever was necessary to help our students succeed, and we asked them, and their parents, to make similarly rigorous commitments.
Fifteen years later, KIPP NYC is still making – and keeping – the same promises. KIPP NYC has grown to serve more than 2305 students and 750 alumni; 87% come from low-income families, 97% are African American or Latino and all are selected by lottery.
We are relentlessly focused on results – academic results, character development, and the outcomes that ultimately matter most: graduating from high school and college, embarking on a career and becoming self-sufficient and happy. Here’s what our students have achieved so far:
- 95% of KIPP NYC students scored at or above grade level in state math testing (2009); 83% tested at or above grade level in English language arts (2009).
- 93% of KIPP NYC students have graduated from high school (twice the New York City average for our demographic group).
- 85% of our students go to college (more than twice the national average for low income students).
- To date, 35% of KIPP NYC alumni have earned bachelors' degrees within six years of high school graduation. Our objective is to have 75% of our students graduate from college. We’re currently on track to hit a 50% 6-year graduation rate in the next two years; nationally, the college completion rate in low income communities is under 10%.
A culture that inspires students and teachers to achieve
KIPP NYC's success is rooted in a few core principles that guide everything we do:
- High expectations. We raise the bar for students and teachers alike. We believe that all of our students are capable of remarkable learning and growth and that our talented team can and will find a way to achieve those results.
- Empowered Staff. We value the can-do entrepreneurial spirit of our principals and teachers; we give them the authority and flexibility to make key decisions about staffing, curriculum, and instruction. Every school team is challenged to use its skill and creativity to drive continuous improvement and success for every student.
- More Time. There are no shortcuts at KIPP NYC. Our day starts earlier and ends later than at other schools. We hold half-day classes on many Saturdays as well as summer school for all students. Extra time allows for more rigorous academic preparation – and for fun, diverse co-curricular activities and field trips to round out the learning experience and motivate our students.
- Character Counts. We believe that success in school and in life depends on character. During each school day, in every lesson and every interaction, we focus as much on developing character – traits such as zest, grit, self-control, hope, love, gratitude, social intelligence and humor – as we do on academic preparation.
- Through College – and Beyond. A dedicated KIPP Through College team supports our students after they graduate KIPP NYC schools – to help them meet the challenges of getting a college degree and becoming successful professionals. We deliver education for life.
Serving more students, kindergarten through college
KIPP NYC has embarked on a major expansion to create a powerful kindergarten-through-college continuum of services. By 2013, each of our middle schools will have a K-4 elementary program, to bring KIPP inspiration, dedication and preparation to our students’ first years in school. In 2009, we opened the KIPP NYC College Prep High School to serve the students who graduate from our middle schools and to ensure they attain the highest levels of college readiness.
