Posted by Andrea, a resident of the Old Mountain View neighborhood, on Feb 3, 2010 at 3:14 pm

Great article!

At first glance, I'd think a K-8 charter in Mountain View, especially a Knowledge is Power Program for low income kids is a great idea.

I don't know many parents who believe that the currently mandated NCLB standards (and standards-based testing) are good for anything other than a ensuring a minimum baseline education. My understanding is that KIPP sets higher goals and has a proven method for achieving them.

It seems like the freedom a charter would offer to educators, parents & students to both reach for the stars and eat their own dogfood could find more success than the one-size-fits-all, hands-tied neighborhood school approach.

Posted by Ted, a resident of another community, on Feb 3, 2010 at 6:14 pm

Interesting...I don't ALL Charter Schools are open to all students though....Bullis Charter School in Los Altos does not allow all students to attend. They have high test scores because they only allow students "certain students" in. Bullis Charter school thinks of themselves as an elite school serving the students of Los Altos Hills. I don't get it, Los Altos school does a great job in educating our children, why did they feel the need to start their "own" school in such a great district? Bullis Charter School has also sued Los Altos school district (over non-important matters) which has costed us (tax payers) thousands of dollars.

Posted by MV parent, a resident of the Old Mountain View neighborhood, on Feb 4, 2010 at 12:07 am

Interesting that they're talking about a K-8 charter and mention of the KIPP model. KIPP's focus has been around 5th-8th grade middle schools although they've created about a dozen pre-K-4th elementary schools, mostly as feeders into the core 5th-8th middle schools from what I understand. It would be more strategic for MVWSD to start a KIPP middle school and then build on that to develop a feeder elementary program.

I volunteered at a KIPP school in the Bronx. KIPP has longer school days for all kids, longer school year and very focused curriculum particularly to bring 5th graders up to grade level. Impressive results and in many places the focus is placing the KIPP grads into elite high schools on scholarships.

A KIPP middle school in the Castro neighborhood would make a lot of sense in MVWSD as a place to begin.

If they're serious, MVWSD should be sending one or more of their teacher leaders off to the KIPP Leadership Program next year - that's the way that KIPP immerses potential school directors in a year of experiences within the KIPP network, then they are ready to consider starting a new KIPP school -- deadline is Feb 10th to apply.

Web Link

In 2000, the non-profit KIPP Foundation began training prospective principals to replicate the success of the two original KIPP Academies in Houston and the South Bronx. Over the past eight years, KIPP has trained over 80 principals through the KIPP School Leadership Program to open and run KIPP schools in 19 states and the District of Columbia.

The KIPP School Leadership Program looks for exceptional teachers and school leaders who have achieved dramatic results with their students and who want to build a school of excellence from the ground up. We seek individuals from all backgrounds who believe in KIPP's mission and who have the potential to excel as school leaders within our network.

Doesn't the PACT program want to be a K-8 program? Reading the article, I imagined that it was a story about PACT converting to a K-8 charter school within the district.