Our Program

KIPP DC's mission is to prepare our students with the academic and character skills necessary to succeed in high school, college and the competitive world beyond. Our program adheres to KIPP's model of more time and high expectations.

KIPP DC offers our students a rigorous curriculum that prepares our students for success in college-preparatory high schools. In their first year, KIPP DC students focus on performing at or above grade-level in reading and mathematics, as many students enter KIPP DC schools two years below grade-level. Our fifth graders make average gains of 40 percentile points in reading and 63 percentile points in math in just one year at KIPP DC.

In subsequent years, students are challenged with upper-level classes such as algebra, advanced literature, hands-on science labs, Spanish and orchestra. By the end of 8th grade, KIPP students have completed Algebra I, taken two years of Spanish, and have read high school and college level texts such as Things Fall Apart, 1984 and The Autobiography of Malcolm X.

It is with this phenomenal preparation that we send our students to college-preparatory high schools, including some of the most prestigious in the nation.

Students attend school from 8 am to 5 pm Monday through Thursday and until 3:30 pm on Friday. Students also attend mandatory Saturday School from 9 am to 1 pm for special enrichment activities such as ballet, African dance, rock climbing, drum line and football. KIPP DC's school year begins in July with a 3 week mandatory summer school session in July. Our program's extended days, hours, and school year amounts to about 65% more class time for our students.

The Five Pillars

KIPP Schools share a core set of operating principles known as the Five Pillars:

1. 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 reinforce a culture of achievement and support through a range of formal and informal rewards and consequences for academic performance and behavior.
2. Choice & Commitment. Students, their parents, and the faculty of each KIPP School choose to participate in the program. No one is assigned or forced to attend these schools. 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. 
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Focus on Results. KIPP Schools relentlessly focus on high student performance on standardized 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.