May 24, 2010
"Teach For America announced today that 75 of the organization’s new teachers will come to the city this fall to teach in the highest-need public schools..."
Get to Know KIPP: Indianapolis College Prep
At KIPP: Indianapolis College Prep, a charter school on the east side of Indianapolis, 250 fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth graders are showing the Indianapolis community what success looks like.
Back in 2008, KIPP: Indy was not a high-performing school. In fact, only 32% of its eighth graders passed the ISTEP in both English language arts and math. Knowing that strong leaders are necessary for strong results, the KIPP board hired a new school leader, Emily Pelino (Eastern North Carolina Corps ‘03), and assistant school leader, Aleesia Johnson (Greater Newark Corps ‘02), to take KIPP: Indy on a transformational journey.
Together, Emily and Aleesia hired a crack team of teachers and instructional coaches, 75% of whom are Teach For America alumni, to build a school culture focused on high expectations and a shared vision of getting all KIPPsters at Indy to and through college.
Over the past two years, the teachers and leaders at KIPP: Indy have achieved dramatic progress. In the spring of 2011, 51% of eighth graders passed the ISTEP in both ELA and math–a nearly 20% increase in just two years. With such unparalleled growth, KIPP: Indy is now on the path to becoming a truly exceptional school.
Region Timeline
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Crispus Attucks High School, the first all-black high school in the state of Indiana, is founded. All teachers are African American and have at least a master's degree, most a Ph.D.
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Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) is found guilty of segregation and begins to integrate its schools. Between 1971 and 2005, IPS loses 70,000 students and closes 100 schools.
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A federal court mandates that 7,000 African American students attending IPS schools be bused to neighboring township school districts.
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The U.S. Department of Justice allows Indianapolis to phase out interdistrict, one-way busing.
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Mayor Peterson becomes the nation's first mayor with the authority to grant and oversee charter schools. He appoints David Harris as the city's director of charter schools.
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David Harris launches The Mind Trust, which establishes a venture fund to attract the highest-impact education organizations to the city and a fellowship designed to incubate new and entrepreneurial education organizations.
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Indianapolis Star columnist, Matt Tully, writes a series on Manual High School in IPS, putting a spotlight on the need to improve public education in Indianapolis.
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Stand For Children launches in Indianapolis and begins to empower parents, teachers, and community members and educate them about how to be advocates for their students and demand excellent public schools.
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The Indiana Department of Education passes legislation that addresses teacher and principal quality, charter schools, vouchers, and collective bargaining. The legislation is viewed nationally as the most comprehensive education legislation ever passed by any state. Since the legislation passed, districts have started implementing teacher and principal evaluation processes, which is driving an increased focus on human capital strategy.
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The Mind Trust releases its Opportunity Schools report, a plan to redesign the governance structure of IPS and move to a system of mayoral control. IPS later responds with its own plan to transform the district, including shrinking the central office and allocating more funding to schools. With the city preparing to engage in a series of community conversations to discuss what governance should look like in Indianapolis, Jason Kloth (Rio Grande Valley '03) is appointed by Mayor Greg Ballard as the city's first Deputy Mayor of Education.
Overheard
An excellent urban school makes a promise—college education, the gateway to increased opportunities and access to the American dream.
Miami-Dade Corps 2005
