7/30/2019 Kipp Delta Op-ed

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KIPP Delta Op-EdWord Count: 425

As the debate over charter schools heats up in Mississippi,successful charter schools across the river in Arkansas have beenplaced under the microscope. With understandable urgency, electedofficials and journalists have focused their lenses on organizations likeKIPP Delta, to determine whether there are valuable lessons that canbe applied to Mississippi public education.

I, for one, am glad. In the decade since I founded KIPP Delta, I havewatched our methods grow and adapt to serve 1150 students at fourschools. We are proud of our results, most recently our high schoolbeing named one of five exemplary schools in the state, but we also

consider it a healthy development that Mississippi leaders are askingus the tough questions. We are playing our part by inviting visitorsfrom the Magnolia state to our schools, to see charter schooling inaction. But, since not everyone can visit, I would like to clear up someof the myths and misconceptions that have been circulating.

There is an established sentiment among charter skeptics that charterschools are open-enrollment in name only, and that we are reallyexclusive institutions working to attract the highest-achieving studentsthe cream of the crop. At KIPP, the reality is very different. A recentreport by Mathematica Policy Research, from perhaps the most

comprehensive study to date on KIPP charter schools, found thatstudents actually come to KIPP with lower average test scores thantheir peers in neighboring districts. Often, KIPP Deltas students cometo us two to three grade levels behind.

Another perception is that charter schools like KIPP have strict rulesdesigned to force out students who are troubled or dont conform. Thisis the exact opposite of KIPPs philosophy. We are dedicated topreparing all students who come through our doors for success incollege and liferegardless of their academic or behavioralbackground. We commit to getting these students to and throughcollege, and that means keeping as many of them with us as we can.Over the years, KIPP Delta has focused on bringing down our studentattrition rates to 15 percent, and over the past two years we haveexpelled only three students at any of our four schools.

At KIPP Delta, we are proud of the work we do to support students andfamilies from traditionally underserved backgrounds. We are honored

415 Ohio

Helena-West H

Arkansas,

Phone: 870.753

Fax: 870.753

www.kippdelt

7/30/2019 Kipp Delta Op-ed

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KIPP DELTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS |

to be considered a model for charter schooling in Mississippi, and wehope that advocates and skeptics alike will rely on facts instead offictions in drawing their conclusions about us.

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