Knowledge is Power Program Comes Under Fire

KIPP progams have shown results in raising acheivement for low-income students and closing the so-called achievement gap between white and their African American counterparts; but not so fast says the research. Although this research from Western Michigan University was released nearly two years ago, this idea about the failures of solely  preparing students for high-stakes testing is as relevant than as it is today. In what was perhaps the most comprehensive, third party evaluation of it's highly touted school model, the Knowledge is Power Program, also known as KIPP, was questioned on several key areas most notably: school attrition, school finance and long term effects of its programming. Perhaps, what is most startling is that nearly 40 percent of African American males leave KIPP schools within two years of enrolling and while competeting districts receive an average of $6500 per pupil KIPP programs receive nearly triple that amount. Is there power in only one kind of knowledge? Lets honor value for more than just filling in a bubble on a sheet and teach empathy, curiosity, and leadership and measure these factors. Lets consider the research of Dr. William Sedlacek who has conducted decades of research on the admission factors that determine college success. How might we align our teacher preparation programs to ensure that current and future educators build these competencies in our young people? 

Bigotry of Low Expectations

Quoting former President George W. Bush is usually reserved for late night comedy and his educational policies, particularly his infamous No Child Left Behind policies, did more harm than good in so many of our urban and inner city schools; however, if there is a silver lining in his work it's one particular quote that seems to resonate so deeply with me as I build with others exemplary schools in urbanized areas. In his run for the 2000 candidacy, President Bush published a 300+ page manifesto entitled, "Renewing America's Purpose: Policy Address of George W. Bush, July 1999 - July 2000" in which he spells out his vision for building on his so-called success in his home state of Texas where as Governor he claims to have raised student achievement across race and class. Rather than read the entire document let me share with you what is perhaps the most poignant excerpt from his manifesto. Justifying his push to develop rigorous standars, words that are far too overused in todays discourse, the former President states:

"Some say it is unfair to hold disadvantaged children to rigorous standards. I say it is discrimination to require anything less. The soft bigotry of low expectations. Some say that schools can't be expected to teach, because there are too many broken families, too many immigrants, too much diversity. I say that pigment and poverty need not determine performance. That myth is disproved by good schools every day. Excuse-making must end before learning can begin." (Bush, G. "Renewing America's Purpose, p. 205, July 1999).

What Bush fails to address is the stark reality that many folks living in urbanized areas homes do have REAL challenges that go well beyond this notion of low expectations. Many teachers simply dont believe that African American and Latino students can succeed. Many of those same students have never experienced success in school and neither have any of their family members. Education in many places is seen as being something that "white people do" and if one really wants to make real money that the street corner and serving crack cocaine and marijuana to their own people is a much more realistic endeavor to pursue rather than learning a subject as meaningless as Algebra (my apologies to all the math teachers out there).  Furthermore, our culture in American society is enamored with everyone believing that one can gain celebrity status in our instant gratification give it to me now world that we live in. What I do appreciate about this excerpt however, is that given these and so many other real-life obstacles (i.e., our school systems are completely outdated and not equipped to provide students the wrap around services) we can and believe in our students doing great things in our classroom, but how do we get to those space? Great teaching? Sure. Developing compassionate and caring relationships with our students? Even more essential.