Case 9: KIPP Houston Public Schools C-97CASE 9
KIPP Houston Public Schools
Dane Roberts
Rice University, Jones Graduate School of BusinessSehba Ali, the recently selected superintendent of KIPP
(Knowledge Is Power Program) Houston Public Schools,
prefers that people do not refer to KIPP as “a miracle.”
Yes, it has effectively quadrupled the rate at which its
low-income students attend college compared to tradi-
tional public schools. Yes, it has created a new model for
public education that has spread throughout the United
States and beyond. And, yes, visitors to the schools are
often astounded by the focus and character shown by its
students—often called KIPPsters—in comparison to the
chaos that sometimes prevails in other schools serving
neighborhoods of high poverty. But Ali believes there is
no magic or miracle to it.
Instead she attributes KIPP’s success to “a lot of smart
people working hard and being nice. It’s about innova-
tion. It’s about creativity. It’s about being as smart as we
can and being willing to take risks and make change.”^1
Despite the organization’s dedicated staff members
and students, who have committed with their signatures
to “do whatever it takes” to succeed, there is no guarantee
the future will be an unqualified success. KIPP Houston
has faced challenges finding enough qualified teachers
and leaders to continue its plans for rapid expansion.
Securing adequate funding for its programs and facilities
is also a perennial challenge. Finally, some lapses in qual-
ity among the 21 elementary and secondary schools in
the Houston metro area are forcing Ali and other KIPP
Houston leaders to grapple with the trade-off between
campus autonomy and top-down management.
Setting the Scene
KIPP Houston is a network of charter schools located
in Houston, Texas, the fourth largest city in the United
States. Charter schools are public, taxpayer funded,
and open to all students; however, they operate inde-
pendently of traditional school districts. The 21 schools
KIPP Houston operates are among 125 nationally that
use the KIPP name. While all KIPP schools have a high
level of autonomy, they share the imprimatur of the
KIPP Foundation in San Francisco, California, to whomthey pay a licensing fee and which is responsible for the
year-long leadership training program that all school
principals attend before founding a new KIPP school.
KIPP schools also adhere to a set of common oper-
ating principles known as the “Five Pillars,” which the
KIPP Foundation describes as:■■HIGH EXPECTATIONS—KIPP schools have
clearly defined and measurable high expectations
for academic achievement and conduct that make
no excuses based on the students’ backgrounds.
Students, parents, teachers, and staff create and rein-
force a culture of achievement and support through
a range of formal and informal rewards and conse-
quences for academic performance and behavior.
■■CHOICE & COMMITMENT—Students, their par-
ents, and the faculty of each KIPP school choose
to participate in the program. No one is assigned
or forced to attend a KIPP school. Everyone must
make and uphold a commitment to the school and
to each other to put in the time and effort required
to achieve success.
■■MORE TIME—KIPP schools know that there are
no shortcuts when it comes to success in academics
and life. With an extended school day, week, and year,
students have more time in the classroom to acquire
the academic knowledge and skills that will prepare
them for competitive high schools and colleges, as
well as more opportunities to engage in diverse
extracurricular experiences.
■■POWER TO LEAD—The principals of KIPP
schools are effective academic and organizational
leaders who understand that great schools require
great school leaders. They have control over their
school budget and personnel. They are free to
swiftly move dollars or make staffing changes,
allowing them maximum effectiveness in helping
students learn.
■■FOCUS ON RESULTS—KIPP schools relentlessly
focus on high student performance on standard-
ized tests and other objective measures. Just as there
are no shortcuts, there are no excuses. Students are
expected to achieve a level of academic performance
that will enable them to succeed at the nation’s best
high schools and colleges.^2