Like a Charter
We believe that every student deserves the opportunity for a great public education, at a school that puts their needs first regardless of zip code, income, or ability level. At KIPP SoCal, we see ourselves as partners with traditional school districts to ensure that this dream becomes a reality for all.
Charter public schools have the freedom to take creative approaches, offer greater personal attention, and meet the needs of students from all backgrounds. And there has never been a more profound need for and benefit of this flexibility, creativity, resilience, and innovation than we've seen evidenced during school closures.
An important part of a much broader effort to revitalize public education in America, charter public schools continue to lead public education to unprecedented levels of academic and social achievement by fostering a strong learning and emotional growth environment.
Because charter public schools operate with more flexibility than traditional public schools (in exchange for increased accountability, stringent financial, academic, and managerial standards), during school closures, we have been able to prioritize a dedicated academic program and provide support for a trauma-informed social-emotional distance learning program, led by our team of 180+ Mental Health & Support Service professionals.
Though held accountable to the same standards as our district peers, during this COVID moment, our operational autonomy allows us to continue to dedicate ourselves to our communities' needs through the weekly operation of 15 Grab & Go meal distribution sites at our schools. To date, we have provided over 600,000 socially distanced community meals and will continue to do so until no longer necessary.
As COVID-19 has highlighted the impact of the digital divide, we have been able to ensure that every KIPPster has access to the technology they need for our Distance Learning program, through access to our families at our Grab & Go meal sites. To this end, we have distributed 4,000+ chromebooks, and 1,100+ hotspots to our KIPPsters in need, enabling our teachers to connect bi-weekly with 99.6% of our students to keep the learning going.
We know that one size does not fit all within the world of Distance Learning. As a charter public school, we were able to customize a holistic approach for all 23 schools through 5 connected pillars: standards-based math and english/language arts adaptive programs, independent reading, weekly learning packets, bi-weekly progress teacher check-ins and google classroom lessons. Each school able to customize to meet the needs of their individual student communities.
Our extraordinary KIPP Through College program continues to support our high school and college alumni with individualized, personalized counseling on their journeys to and through college. During this incredible time, KIPP Through College is also able to provide access to micro-grants and scholarships to ease the financial burdens of our alumni.
KIPP SoCal operates 23 charter public schools across Southern California. We educate more than 9,800 students, and support 5,100 alumni. Our community is 82% Latinx, 16% black. 89% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. 21% of students are english learners. 14% of student receive special education services. And we proudly embrace higher percentages across all of these demographics vs. our district peers.
Together with families and communities, we create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose -- college, career and beyond, -- so they can lead fulfilling lives and create a more just world.
How do you continue a robust after school program when schools are closed? During school closures, KIPP SoCal's 68+ after school instructors immediately pivoted to launch an equally robust virtual enrichment program, with dozens of music, sports, arts & crafts, wellness, cooking, lessons, available to all kippsters to continue to extend the learning remotely.
At KIPP SoCal, we lead with love. We are consistently at work building trusting relationships by being curious, vulnerable, and truly valuing diversity. We exhibit kindness, compassion, and empathy and are guided by our love of people and love of learning.