SCHOOL FOR THOUGHT

Only in the US? Pity!

Frequently educators shrug their shoulders when asked about their students’ poor results and say nothing can be done because students from poor backgrounds just can’t learn very well. But the success of some American schools proves that this excuse is baseless. Take, for example, Knowledge is Power (KIPP) schools. The vast majority of KIPP students are low-income and black or hispanic. KIPP students are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Yet more than 80 percent of KIPP grade 8 graduates go on to matriculate from a college or university. If 66 KIPP schools serving more than 16,000 students can do it, then other schools can do it too. 

And, by the way, KIPP schools are free.