Problem

Within the U.S. public school system, fewer than one in five low-income students attend college nationally.  Since its conception in 1994, the Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) has worked to challenge this status quo, empowering students from underserved communities by developing free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public charter schools with a track record of preparing students for success in college and in life. There are currently 109 KIPP schools in 20 states and the District of Columbia serving more than 32,000 students. KIPP’s approach to education has created an innovative model that is making a positive impact in communities. All this has been done without a comprehensive facilities design framework. As the KIPP network prepares for significant expansion in both quantity and in new models of elementary and high schools (in addition to their existing middle schools), the development of such an infrastructure could be a critical tool in supporting the overall KIPP model. In 2009, the KIPP Foundation approached Public Architecture about collaborating to develop infrastructural tools.

Response

The framework will consist of a series of products and systems, ranging from model facilities guides to formal linkages with relevant firms within Public Architecture’s 1% pro bono design network. The first to be developed was a model facilities guide for elementary schools. The majority of KIPP schools developed to date are middle schools. Although elementary and high schools are now beginning to be developed across the network, much of the institutional knowledge that does exist around facilities is around middle schools, whose physical layout is ill suited to elementary education. Thus, this guide will serve as a critical resource. Included in the publication are high level strategies for developing and improving elementary facilities such as aligning the school design plan with facilities needs, understanding space considerations, and engaging in issues of sustainability. The guide also provides links to more technical resources. KIPP regional leaders, regional operational staff, and elementary school leaders are all intended to be the audience of this publication.  The goal is to provide a highly flexible framework which will be applicable KIPP as an evolving organization with a diversity of facilities needs in an extensive network of schools.

Public Architecture served as lead consultant, collaborating with Cannon Design, one of our 1% firm participants and a firm with a considerable portfolio in K-12 education. In addition to significant design experience, OWP/P Cannon Design has been a leader in educational research, producing most recently The Third Teacher in collaboration with Bruce Mau Design and VS International.  The publication looks at the relationship between learning experience and physical environments. 

The KIPP Schools project was undertaken as a fee for service project by Public Architecture. To view the publication, please visit the Resources section of our website.