KIPP Bayview Academy: News & Events

News & Events

KIPP Charter Schools Show Remarkable Progress,
ABC7, Sep. 2005

Sep. 7 - For the last three years, we've been following the progress of a group of public charter schools called KIPP. There are 45 KIPP schools in the nation, five here in the Bay Area. In this ABC7 Focus on Solutions report, we bring you up to date on their remarkable progress.

It's breakfast time at KIPP Heartwood Academy in East San Jose. These middle school students are just starting their 10-hour school day. Everything at KIPP is about getting to college. Each class is named after a university.

There is school on many Saturdays and three weeks in the summer. The schools do constant fundraising to pay teachers extra for the longer hours. There are strict rules and high expectations. And when one student talks, everyone better be listening.

Jessica Aldama, sixth grader: "It's very important to be polite to other people and respect them."

KIPP stands for "knowledge is power program." KIPP is a chain of charter schools offering free public education from fifth to eighth grade. The first KIPP school in the Bay Area opened in Oakland four years ago. There are now two in San Francisco and one in San Lorenzo. The newest opened last year in San Jose.

Principals walk door to door to recruit students.

Sehba Zhumkhawala, principal, San Jose KIPP Heartwood Academy: "You get to know the kids a different way. We get to know them as individuals, personally. We get to know their families. We spend time in their homes."

KIPP recruits primarily low income students from low performing schools.

Sergio Baez says he had a hard time adjusting at first.

Sergio Baez, sixth grader: "I felt like quitting, but I said I would keep trying. I knew I would get used to it and I got used to it."

From the start, KIPP schools have shown very strong results on California state testing.

Beneatha Williams, mother: "Some of these kids think they can't learn or they can't do this task or that task, but they've shown them that they can."

Jonathan Cawley, seventh grader: "You learn more here, but it's way harder here, but you reap the rewards."

And there is more than just academic achievement. At the San Lorenzo KIPP school, every student is required to play in the orchestra. They've made great progress since they started, just one year ago.

Loretta McBride, music teacher: "Our students are taught that excellence in any area is always part of the KIPP culture."

That culture also includes teamwork, kids helping each other.

KIPP's most dramatic success this year is the San Jose school's math scores. Ninety-three percent of the students scored at proficient or advanced on state tests, beating many of the state's highest performing schools in high income areas.

Teacher Lolita Jackson says hard work by the entire school paid off.

Lolita Jackson: "It was just... it was an awesome feeling for me."

Sadly, this is the first time in four years KIPP is not opening a new California school. The problem of course is money.

California gives KIPP three to four thousand dollars less per student than other states with comparable cost of living. So instead of new schools, this year, KIPP will focus on fundraising to keep the existing schools strong.

For more information on KIPP, call (415) 531-5396 or visit them online at www.kipp.org.

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