Original Schools of KIPP at Houston and New York - Case Study Example

A most noticeable feature of the success of the students of KIPP schools was that despite having special education status, bilingual status, and other such learning impairments, the students do not claim any exemption and qualify for the test with flying colors. The key enabling factor of the KIPP schools is the intrinsic belief in the children’s ability to work hard and strive for academic excellence. The teachers have high expectation from the students that greatly motivates them to put more hours in school and try to excel in the areas that they find difficult.

The total commitment from teachers, students, and parents collectively contributes to students’ academic achievement. The parents and students were required to sign KIPP commitment forms. Apart from these, the managerial freedom to follow their model of teaching, design their curricula, and recruitment of teachers not necessarily relying on teachers’ credentials were important operational imperatives that set them apart from the standard schools.

Answer b
Yes. KIPP schools should be replicated. In the increasingly pluralistic society, the diversity of race, income, and nationality has greatly contributed to the emerging social problems of conflicting ideologies, wide income disparity, and lack of understanding. The children living in impoverished conditions in the neighborhood colonies have become innocent victims of the time. KIPP schools provide them with facilitating an environment that helps to exploit their academic competencies to improve and improvise the standard of living.

Their inclusion into the mainstream population is facilitated by their academic progress which is achieved through hard work accompanied by longer and extended periods of teaching.
Yes, they can be replicated primarily because KIPP schools fundamentally rely on the commitment of teachers and parents to oversee that students are given opportunities and platforms to prove their academic merit. There is no dearth of committed teachers and the increasing success of KIPP schools has revealed that given the opportunities, the five principles of KIPP schools are capable of producing remarkable scholastic success.

The major challenges KIPP would face while launching high performing national network of KIPP schools across the nation are that of recruiting and training principals and teachers who would continue to lead the schools with the same zeal and unique commitment and leadership initiatives as shown by Feinberg and Levin. Apart from this, funding resources, adequate infrastructure, and the managerial freedom to evolve new methodologies of teaching and curricula design would be the important factors for replicating Houston and New York’s model of KIPP schools.

Answer c
My main advice to Feinberg, Levin, and Hamilton vis-à-vis management of a national network of KIPP schools would be to ensure that recruitment of principals and teachers should remain the major focus area. The training of Principals and teachers should encompass leadership traits, identification, and evaluation of individual creative input, and the commitment to the wider goals and objectives of KIPP academia principles. Hence, teachers and the management must be adequately equipped with the necessary knowledge and skill to sustain the high standard of Feinberg and Levin.

One of the outstanding features of Feinberg and Levin is their intrinsic ability to connect with the children and generate a bond of mutual trust and respect. The teachers, through the self-example of a high standard of ethics, must be able to inculcate a sense of self-worth and self-confidence so that students are motivated to higher achievement in academia and life. The five principles of KIPP schools are the defining aspect that must be incorporated within the core business strategy of the national network of KIPP schools.

There should also be two separate steering committees: one that could oversee the supervision of modules of academic success and training and development of educational leaders; the second would ensure smooth management of various KIPP schools. The autonomy of the schools and the operational efficiency of the academic and non-academic staff are vital ingredients of success. Hence, separate committees would significantly help to delineate the areas so that each could apply an innovative approach to improve the performance outcome of KIPP schools. Read More