KIPP Texas board upholds expulsion of student from KIPP Dream Prep

KIPP Texas’s Board of Directors upheld the expulsion of a student from KIPP Dream Prep following an executive-session appeal, the board announced May 7.

Patricia Ponton opened the meeting at 5:01 p.m. and turned control over to the board chair. The board moved into executive session at 5:03 p.m. to hear the appeal; the chair cited Texas Government Code sections 551.071 (consultation with counsel) and 551.0821 (deliberation regarding personally identifiable information of a public school student) and said the student’s identity would be withheld for privacy.

Back in open session at 6:03 p.m., a board member moved to uphold the expulsion, saying, "I make the motion that the board uphold the expulsion of student JM from KIPP Public Schools." Another board member seconded the motion. Board chair Darla Whitaker announced, "The motion to per decision as presented in the board preread and the agenda for this meeting passes by unanimous vote."

The board’s public materials for the meeting referenced the decision as presented in the board preread; the board did not discuss the underlying disciplinary facts in open session, citing student-privacy protections. The transcript shows the appeal was considered in executive session with the student’s confidentiality preserved and that the board adopted the preread recommendation in open session.

The meeting record shows no public comments were entered for the item and that attendees and staff—who were identified during roll call—moved to an executive-session Zoom link to conduct the confidentiality-protected hearing. The board adjourned at 6:05 p.m.

The board did not provide additional public details about the conduct leading to the expulsion during the open meeting. Next steps were not specified on the public record.