grantee spotlight
KIPP: Stand Academy: “Work hard. Be nice.”
KIPP, the Knowledge Is Power Program, is a national network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public charter schools with a track record of preparing students in underserved communities for success in college and in life.
Watch KIPP’s story
KIPP builds a partnership among parents, students, and teachers to put learning first. Its emphasis on outstanding educators, more time in school learning, and a strong culture of achievement lead to outstanding results.
There are 125 KIPP schools in 20 states and the District of Columbia serving more than 41,000 students. More than 87 percent of KIPP students are from low-income families and are 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.
While each KIPP school is unique, all are united in a common mission: to get all KIPP students to and through college. To date, 36 percent of KIPP students who finished eighth grade at KIPP ten or more years ago have completed a four-year college degree. This rate is higher than the average for all students across all income levels nationwide, and four times the college completion rate of students from low-income communities.
KIPP: Stand Academy, Minnesota’s first KIPP school, was established in 2008. It serves 5th-8th grade students, primarily from low-income neighborhoods in and around North Minneapolis. The 2013 report on Minnesota’s Best Schools by MinnCAN lists KIPP: Stand Academy in the Top Ten Middle Schools based on black student performance. The school's first graduates are now 9th graders at rigorous high schools including Cristo Rey, Minneapolis College Prep, Breck, DeLaSalle, Patrick Henry and the St. Paul Conservatory.
Learn more at www.kippminnesota.org, and watch KIPP: Stand Academy in action at http://vimeo.com/kippstandacademy/ksa.
