Our Schools

Like all public schools, charter schools are open to any student who lives in the enrollment area. There is no entrance requirement, such as testing or prior academic record. At KIPP, if a school has more families wanting to attend than spaces available, we choose applicants at random through a blind lottery.

The enrollment process is relatively simple and is managed at the school level, so the process is different depending on where you live. Use our KIPP School Directory [link to Find a School] to find a KIPP school near you, and learn more about how to enroll.

New KIPP schools start with a single grade level and then admit one additional grade level each year until reaching full enrollment. New KIPP high schools open with just a ninth grade, then admit ninth and tenth graders in year two, then admit ninth, tenth, and eleventh graders in year three, and ninth through twelfth graders in year four.

Yes, any student can attend KIPP! There are no admissions requirements. KIPP schools are tuition-free, public schools open to all students, including English Language Learners and students with special education needs. Twenty percent of KIPP students are designated ELL and 13 percent receive special education services. 

Yes, we proudly educate all students! KIPP schools ensure full educational opportunity, services, and success for all students regardless of disability, limitation, or circumstance. We are committed to providing rigorous, thoughtful services and support so students with varying levels of ability can attend our schools.

When parent demand exceeds enrollment capacity at the school, students are admitted based upon on a lottery. Lotteries are typically held in the late winter or early spring.

If students apply after the date of the lottery, they will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis, as spaces become available.

Use our School Finder to check with a KIPP school near you for specific dates and details.

KIPP began in 1997 when two former Teach For America teachers, Mike Feinberg and Dave Levin, launched a fifth grade learning program within a public elementary school in Houston, Texas. The program they launched had five core pillars: high expectations, choice and commitment, more time, power to lead, and a focus on results. The following year, Mike and Dave used these principles as the foundation for two new public schools, both named KIPP Academy Middle School. In 2000, the non-profit KIPP Foundation was established to recruit and train outstanding school leaders to open and run KIPP schools in more communities across the country. The five founding principles are guiding over 275 KIPP schools today.