Achievement Doesn’t Have A Zipcode

“Work hard. Be nice.” It’s a very simple message, but one that has had resounding effect for the Knowledge Is Power Program, known as KIPP, which is a national network of charter schools. Started in 1994 by Mike Feinberg and Dave Levin, KIPP now has 99 schools in 20 states and the District of Columbia and serves more than 27,000 students.

“KIPP schools are free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public schools dedicated to preparing students in underserved communities for success in college and life.” Founders Feinberg and Levin understand the importance of education in creating the foundation for future success in the lives of youth, and that principles such as hard work and a no-shortcuts approach to learning are those upon which we can build a better American education system. Students must develop the resourcefulness, confidence, and discipline to excel today academically and professionally, and through KIPP, they are cultivating such critical qualities.

But the onus of student performance doesn't fall solely on the students themselves. Nor should it, according to Feinberg. Teachers must be held accountable for their ability to teach students effectively and uphold the pedagogical standards that are best going to serve their students. At KIPP, there is a tremendous amount of quality control at the school and teacher level. Each prospective principal for a new KIPP school is required to apply for and complete a one-year leadership and teacher-training program to ensure they are equipped with the skills to deliver the results to their students.

With the training and experience comes responsibility. To ensure KIPP standards are met, the principal is allowed to pay, hire, and fire teachers as they see fit imposing policy that keeps faculty focused on commitment to their work and that promotes an egalitarian professional environment. After all, improving American education and student performance at the community level are far from trivial pursuits. Accountability must be upheld and honored.

In speaking with co-founder Mike Feinberg, he maintained that creating a better education system is all about having the will to do it. We have to have the will to do what it takes to create the best learning environments possible for our students, which will help foster the development of the next generation of leaders. We also have to have the will to implement policies that are going to be best for our students’ growth rather than merely pandering to the politics that place the greatest emphasis on national achievement tests. There is a difference between preparing students for an exam and preparing them for life. KIPP understands that difference and is making a difference by doing what is right rather than what is easy.

AIMbitious founder Scott Annan spoke with Mike Feinberg about KIPP and improving American education standards. Excerpts of the interview can be found below. You can also find out more information about KIPP at www.kipp.org.

What are your primary goals and vision for KIPP going forward? It’s really the same thing as our mission, which is to prepare students in underprivileged communities for college and life.

Are you planning on opening new schools? Our goal is to open 10-15 schools within the next few years. But we also have a high sense of quality control. We screen our teachers thoroughly and can only open schools when we have the leaders in place to lead those schools in the direction they need to be led. We have a great sense of accountability within our program and to our students.

If you want to make a difference in education today, what’s the best way to do so if you’re not a teacher? We need a lot of positive mentors to help deliver the right message. We’re all in this together and we need people to continue to get involved in the lives of our youth. There’s a lot of competition for students’ attention, and many of the messages out there are telling students the wrong things about values and hard work. We need better information systems that are going to teach students the right values.

What’s a common misunderstanding about the ability of students to perform well academically that KIPP has proved wrong? That zipcode determines ability to succeed in school and in life. We need to hold ourselves to a higher standard in education. It isn’t about zipcode, but about the values we believe in and that if we set a better standard we will achieve a better result. It really is about our will and not taking shortcuts.

How do you continue to make an impact in the communities you serve?
One of the ways is in continuing to raise the bar in how we view teacher responsibility. Principals should be able to hold their teachers accountable for their work. If there are teachers that aren’t serving their students, then new teachers must be found. There has to be teacher accountability as well as accountability of the students.

What needs to be done to build a better American education system?
Having great determination. There’s no reason why school districts can’t set better standards for themselves and teach not for achieving better test scores for state achievement tests, but for helping students prepare for and excel in college and the workforce. There has to be better out-of-the-box thinking when it comes to doing what’s right for our students to help them grow.

What are a few of the qualities of KIPP that allow it to help its students achieve success?
It starts with our Five Pillars, which are High Expectations, Choice and Commitment, More Time, Power to Lead, and Focus on Results. We teach our students that there are no shortcuts. We need to do whatever it takes to get the results that we need to get. We also believe in the idea that there is no one 100% lever that must be pulled to reach success. Rather 100 1% levers. That is to say, you have to be doing all the little things well consistently to achieve the results you desire.