Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Charter Renewal topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board approves KIPP charter renewals after debate over attrition and special‑education supports
Summary
The board considered renewal petitions for KIPP Bayview Academy and KIPP SF Bay Academy, heard extensive public comment praising KIPP and criticism about attrition and special‑education oversight, and recorded roll‑call votes (see transcript tallies).
The San Francisco Unified School District Board of Education heard staff recommendations and extensive public testimony on Nov. 12 before voting on renewal petitions for two KIPP charter middle schools.
Staff recommended five‑year renewals under California Education Code Section 47607 for KIPP Bayview Academy (recommended term beginning 07/01/2020 through 06/30/2025, serving approximately 325 students) and KIPP SF Bay Academy (recommended term 07/01/2020–06/30/2025, serving approximately 388 students in grades 5–8). The staff report and presentations summarized program performance, enrollment data and statutory requirements.
Dozens of parents, students and community leaders urged the board to renew both petitions, describing improved outcomes and extensive family engagement. Ellen Bray, principal of KIPP SF Bay Academy, said the school ‘‘meets the criteria for charter renewal’’ and highlighted growth in state measures. Community speakers including pastors, alumni and members of public housing tenant associations described KIPP’s long presence in the Bayview neighborhood.
At the same time commissioners and some speakers pressed KIPP on questions that have been raised in prior renewals: Commissioner Collins asked for disaggregated suspension and expulsion data and raised concern about higher attrition rates in KIPP cohorts, suggesting the possibility that counseling‑out or differential discipline could affect apparent achievement. Collins asked specifically for suspension and expulsion data disaggregated by subgroup and by special‑education status.
KIPP representatives responded that the petitions included suspension data disaggregated by in‑school and out‑of‑school suspensions and by race, and that they reported no expulsions in the last five years. Andrew Evans (KIPP) said the organization was expanding family engagement and complying with new SELPA meeting requirements noting that some governance meetings would be held telephonically to be accessible to families.
The board took separate roll‑call votes. The transcript records a 4‑yes tally on 1 renewal vote and a 5‑yes tally on the other (roll‑call counts recorded in the public record). Several commissioners said they supported renewal while urging KIPP to provide clearer public records of attrition and discipline trends, and to demonstrate services for students with IEPs.
Next steps: staff will implement monitoring commitments included in the renewals and will follow up on data requests raised by commissioners. The district indicated it will continue reviewing special‑education placement and SELPA arrangements as part of the oversight for charter renewals.
