KIPP Schools: An Exploration
Once you are sold on the KIPP school model, you can
click on Schools in order to search for one in your area. This section of the website
once again reasserts the statistics for the indicators that define the rarity of their model as one last reminder
of what makes them stand out as the school to choose for your child.
“More than 86 percent
of our students are from low-income families and eligible for the federal
free or reduced-price meals program, and 95 percent are African American
or Latino. Nationally, more than 90 percent of KIPP middle school students have
graduated high school, and more than 80 percent of KIPP alumni have gone on to
college.”
After that, there is a brief overview of the types
and quantity of each school available in which to enroll your
child---Pre-K-Elementary, Middle and High School. The drop down menu also
brings you to the directory of every school in the nation. If you click on a
specific school, you will find the contact information for each school, a link
to the report card for the latest results on the Six Essential Questions for that
school, a map of the school’s location, a link to the school’s homepage, and a
link for interested teachers to apply for work. This section is very easy to navigate
and is also careful to highlight the statistics for each school to reinforce
its successes.
The KIPP Foundation
Interestingly, this section (like the first section—About)
has a link for The KIPP Foundation. So, I wonder why the KIPP Foundation
is a selling point. Let’s explore.
This webpage highlights the history and breadth of
the foundation. It also emphasizes the KIPP Foundation Mission, Vision and
Values.
Mission
"To create
a respected, influential, and national network of public schools that are
successful in helping students from educationally underserved communities
develop the knowledge, skills, character and habits needed to succeed in
college and the competitive world beyond."
Vision
"Our
vision is that, one day, all public schools will help children develop the
knowledge, skills, character, and habits necessary to achieve their dreams
while making the world a better place."
Five Values
Sense of
Purpose, Results, Respect, Constant Learning and Humility, and Diversity and
Inclusivity
The mission, vision and values seem to fortify what other aspects of the website have already covered in great detail. The re-emphasis on these items helps to tie it up into a nice neat package where all parties converge to accomplish the same goals for the benefit of the children.
The focus on the fact that the school is a foundation brings to mind several things. The first is that the term- foundation- conjures different meanings. A foundation is a base of a building---something that gives support and structure to something much much bigger. A foundation is also a basic principle or tenet that is the basis of which something stands. To be a foundation in these senses creates a sense of importance and gravity for the cause it represents. In addition, to be a foundation puts one in association with the likes of other notable foundations such as the Carnegie Foundation or the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundations (in this case literally, as BMGF is a partner amongst many other notable names that can be found here). By highlighting the fact that it is supported by the KIPP foundation rather than the KIPP Association of KIPP Non-Profit helps give it an air of reputability and strength that other names would not.
It also brings to mind the idea of philanthrocapitalism. While KIPP still remains a non-profit, it is still funded by agents of the new philanthropy-- which promotes a return on its investment and an emphasis on assessments and evaluations of which KIPP is more than happy to provide. This has also not gone unnoticed as KIPP tries to expand internationally (See Dora's blogpost on the failure to sell the KIPP brand in New Zealand) Furthermore, KIPP and its foundation do promote a silver bullet solution in order to solicit parent and funding agency buy-in which, thus far, seems to be largely a successful venture.
The focus on the fact that the school is a foundation brings to mind several things. The first is that the term- foundation- conjures different meanings. A foundation is a base of a building---something that gives support and structure to something much much bigger. A foundation is also a basic principle or tenet that is the basis of which something stands. To be a foundation in these senses creates a sense of importance and gravity for the cause it represents. In addition, to be a foundation puts one in association with the likes of other notable foundations such as the Carnegie Foundation or the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundations (in this case literally, as BMGF is a partner amongst many other notable names that can be found here). By highlighting the fact that it is supported by the KIPP foundation rather than the KIPP Association of KIPP Non-Profit helps give it an air of reputability and strength that other names would not.
It also brings to mind the idea of philanthrocapitalism. While KIPP still remains a non-profit, it is still funded by agents of the new philanthropy-- which promotes a return on its investment and an emphasis on assessments and evaluations of which KIPP is more than happy to provide. This has also not gone unnoticed as KIPP tries to expand internationally (See Dora's blogpost on the failure to sell the KIPP brand in New Zealand) Furthermore, KIPP and its foundation do promote a silver bullet solution in order to solicit parent and funding agency buy-in which, thus far, seems to be largely a successful venture.
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