Charter operators see opportunity in district restructuring

The two most successful charter operators in Philadelphia - Mastery and KIPP - want to expand and hope to be part of Superintendent Arlene Ackerman's plans to change the district.

Mastery's chief executive officer, Scott Gordon, called Ackerman's Imagine 2014 draft calling for converting more troubled district schools into charters "a breakthrough opportunity." The proposal is so promising, he said, that Mastery had halted talks with school officials in Washington, Baltimore, New York, and elsewhere.

Though KIPP, which stands for the Knowledge Is Power Program, has opened only new charters, the superintendent's plan is so intriguing that the company for the first time in its 15-year history might consider trying to turn failing public schools into charters, said Marc Mannella, CEO of KIPP Philadelphia.

"I'm really looking forward to digging in and figuring out how we can make what we do well help what the district needs," Mannella said.

Ackerman's suggested blueprint for revamping schools still awaits approval from the School Reform Commission.

Nonetheless, the CEOs of Mastery and KIPP said they were excited by the broad outlines of Ackerman's bold proposal to allow charters or other private operators to take over up to 35 failing schools.

They said their organizations had shown they could take students who are two grade levels behind and help them excel. They believed they were ready to tackle new challenges and open more schools.

Mastery, whose portfolio includes the successful conversions of three district middle schools into charters, has even put on hold expansion plans it developed before Ackerman arrived. That plan called for trying to convert six more district schools by 2012, including elementary schools that feed its middle schools.

KIPP's local and national boards had signed off on KIPP Philadelphia's long-range plan to apply to the SRC to open eight more KIPP charters in clusters in North and West Philadelphia over the next eight years. Now KIPP is trying to figure out how to mesh its plan with Ackerman's vision.

"We feel really good about the fact that we think we're going to be able to fit somewhere in this plan," Mannella said.

Ackerman has said only those with proven track records of boosting the test scores of low-income students would be considered to run schools. The only charter examples she offered were Mastery and KIPP. She said of KIPP: "I really like their model."

"I'm hopeful we can work together to address the needs of our young people," she said. "Both have said they are willing to work with the district."

The two nonprofit organizations have a lot in common. Both prepare students for college and require them to sign contracts pledging to work hard. Both have longer school days and Saturday sessions. Both aim to create school cultures of high expectation for students and reward effort and good behavior. They also raise additional money for their programs from grants, philanthropies, and donors.

Yet Mastery and KIPP differ in the scale of their operations and histories.

Mastery is a small charter operator based in Philadelphia that was spawned by a Center City high school that opened in 2001. Mastery aims to prepare students for college and careers by fostering self-discipline, critical thinking, teamwork, and cooperation.

Mastery has been named an exemplary charter by the U.S. Department of Education. Last week two of its four schools won national honors for producing dramatic academic gains among low-income students.

"By placing an emphasis on effective management and proven practices, Mastery is growing into a leader in urban education," said New Leaders for New Schools, a New York nonprofit.

KIPP Philadelphia is part of a national network of 66 schools in 19 states and the District of Columbia and is one of the best-known charter organization in the country. Its successes preparing low-income children for college have been detailed in magazine and newspaper articles and on 60 Minutes.

Washington Post education columnist Jay Mathews profiled KIPP in the book Work Hard. Be Nice: How Two Inspired Teachers Created the Most Promising Schools in America, published in January.

KIPP Philadelphia opened its fifth-through-eighth-grade middle school in North Philadelphia in 2003. A second KIPP charter will open in West Philadelphia in the fall with fifth graders. Camden's Freedom Academy, which opened in 2004, is a KIPP school.

Although Ackerman mentioned KIPP and Mastery, she insisted others could bid for schools, including successful principals.

"There are going to be site visits to outside providers to take a look at their success, not only here but in other places," she said.

Ackerman has attended a meeting at one of Mastery's schools but has not toured Mastery or KIPP Philadelphia. As a former superintendent in San Francisco, she said she was familiar with KIPP, which is based there.

As the former chief operating officer at Mastery, Benjamin W. Rayer, associate superintendent for charter schools, partnership schools, and new schools, said he would not participate in any talks involving Mastery.

Gordon said Mastery would raise foundation and philanthropic support for each new turnaround school.

"If we're selected, we would invest $1 million in every school we turn around," he said.

A $2.65 million grant from the NewSchools Venture in California helped underwrite Mastery's conversion of Thomas, Shoemaker, and Pickett Middle Schools into charters.

All the Mastery schools met academic targets of the federal No Child Left Behind Act in 2008 except Pickett, which was in its first year as a charter.

KIPP Philadelphia has met all the targets of the act in most years. In 2008 the school received a warning because its special-education students did not meet the reading standard.

Headquarters: Philadelphia.

Motto: "Excellence. No Excuses."

Charters in city: Lenfest Campus, 35 S. Fourth St., Center City; 420 students, grades 9-12; opened 2001.

*Thomas Campus; 927 Johnston St., South Philadelphia; 450 students, grades 7-11; converted district school, 2005.

*Shoemaker Campus: 5301 Media St., West Philadelphia, 420 students, grades 7-10; converted district school, 2006.

*Pickett Campus, 5700 Wayne Ave., Germantown; 350 students, grades 7-9; converted district school, 2007.

Longer school day and year: 8 a.m.- 4 p.m.; classes begin Aug. 27.

Program: Students and parents sign contracts promising to do "whatever is necessary" to succeed; eighth period and Saturday school; art, music, technology and sports; interpersonal skills courses; passing requires 76% to show "mastery"; 18-week internships for llth graders.

Test score snapshot: eighth grade Shoemaker, 76 percent proficient or higher in math, 79% in reading, compared to school district average 49% math and 60% reading.

* Becoming grades 7-12.

Sources: Mastery Charter Schools; Pa. Dept. of Education.

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Headquarters: San Francisco.

Motto: "Work Hard. Be Nice."

Charters: 66 schools in 19 states, District of Columbia.

Charters in Philadelphia: KIPP Philadelphia, 2709 N. Broad St.; 330 students, grades 5-8; Opened 2003.

KIPP West Philadelphia, address not set; opening summer 2009 with 90 fifth graders, expanding to 345 students grades 5-8.

Longer school day and year: 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.; 16 Saturdays sessions 9 a.m.-1 p.m. for enrichment; classes begin Aug. 17.

Program: Performance contracts signed by students, parents, and school staff during home visits; two hours of homework; art and music; annual educational trips; on call to answer homework questions until 9 p.m.

Test score snapshot: Eighth grade 68% proficient or higher in math, 75% in reading, compared to 49% school district average for math and 60% reading.