Nation’s Top High Schools Visit Kipp Ascend Middle School To Recruit Students

Oct. 11, 2007 - PRLog -- CHICAGO, IL –Prestigious high schools from across the nation will come to recruit students at KIPP Ascend Charter School’s High School Fair being held on Wednesday, October 17, 2007 from 3:00 to 4:30 pm at 715 S Kildare in Chicago.  High schools are impressed with KIPP Ascend’s track record:  KIPP Ascend’s 8th graders last year placed first in the City of Chicago in ISAT (Illinois Standards Achievement Test) math scores, and are currently all attending college-preparatory high schools.  This year’s high school fair participants include:  Kent and Miss Porter’s of Connecticut; Concord and Groton of Massachusetts; and Stevenson and Cate Schools of California.

Founded in 2003, KIPP Ascend Charter School is a free, public, open-enrollment, college-prep middle school serving 320 students in Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood.  100 percent of KIPP Ascend’s students are African-American or Hispanic, and 90 percent qualify for the federal free and reduced-priced meals program.  Students spend 70 percent more time in class than traditional public schools, and are subject to high expectations with a relentless focus on results.  KIPP Ascend is proving that the achievement gap can be closed for traditionally underserved students.  

Out of the 463 schools in Chicago with 8th graders that took the ISAT exam, KIPP Ascend was one of eleven schools ranking  first; each reaching 100% achievement in math.  Eight of these schools have selective entrance requirements, while KIPP Ascend’s doors are open to any student.  In addition, KIPP’s composite scores for reading, math, and science were the highest in the 24th Ward and in North Lawndale.  

KIPP Ascend is one of 57 KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) schools serving over 14,000 students nationwide.  While fewer than one in five low-income students typically attend college nationally, KIPP’s national college matriculation rate stands at nearly 80 percent for students who complete the eighth grade at KIPP.  In addition, KIPP alumni have earned over $12 million in college scholarships.  KIPP’s success in raising student achievement in low-income neighborhoods has been heralded by national media moguls such as the Oprah Winfrey Show, 60 Minutes, The New York Times, and Washington Post.

KIPP Ascend gives hope to students traditionally ‘left behind’, by putting in the time, effort, and commitment to help them succeed.  School Leader Jim O’Connor states, “It’s exciting to watch the trajectory of these students’ lives change, as they gain access to the skills needed to qualify for the best educational institutions this nation has to offer.”

# # #

About KIPP Ascend Charter School:  KIPP Ascend is a tuition-free, college preparatory middle school located on Chicago’s West Side. As a charter school, we offer a free, public education to any student, grade 5-8, who chooses to enroll.

Our mission is to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and character traits necessary to succeed in top-quality high schools, universities, and the competitive world beyond.  At KIPP Ascend, students "climb the mountain" to college!

Website: www.kippascend.org