KIPP HOUSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Case Study 9
HAFIZ DABEER
059 (2017-19)
Major Issues & Recommendations
• Financials
• Revenue Restrictions
• High Expenditures

• Teacher Recruitment
• Heavy Reliance on Teach for America (TFA)
• Nationally, 32 percent of KIPP teachers are alumni of Teach for America, the same route through which Feinberg and Ali came to
the profession, and KIPP Houston depends heavily on former TFA corps members.

• Teacher Retention
• Lowest among competitors

• Regional Distinction
• KIPP Houston – Lost Identity
• First Class Leadership Development Organization
Major Issues & Recommendations - Revenue Restrictions:

Revenue
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

State Federal Contributions Program Special

• Most of funded money is raised from State through local property

taxes, which can be levied by school districts. Districts use two
kinds of property tax: maintenance and operations, or M&O, and
interest and sinking, or I&S.
Major Issues & Recommendations - Expenditures:

[CELLRANGE] For the Year Ended June 30, 2018  

13,434,812 Expenses:    
Program services:    
[CELLRANGE] Network Growth & Sustainability 13,434,812 18%
19,126,440 Leadership Development 12,676,488 17%
[CELLRANGE] Research, Design & Innovation 8,304,620 11%
12,676,488 Teaching & Learning Labs 6,367,242 8%
[CELLRANGE]
KIPP Through College 2,130,634 3%
1,941,508
External Impact 860,381 1%
Total program services 43,774,177 58%
[CELLRANGE] Support services:    
10,818,894 [CELLRANGE] Administration 10,818,894 14%
8,304,620
[CELLRANGE] [CELLRANGE] Fundraising 1,941,508 3%
860,381 [CELLRANGE]
2,130,634 Total support services 12,760,402 17%
6,367,242
Grants 19,126,440 25%
Total expenses 75,661,019 100%
Major Issues & Recommendations - Teacher Recruitment
& Retention
• KIPP Houston has still facing challenges finding enough qualified teachers and leaders to
continue its plans for rapid expansion.
• KIPP Houston employees work full time to prepare and support students.
Major Issues & Recommendations - Teacher Recruitment
& Retention
• In the 2011–12 school year, KIPP Houston had a teacher retention rate of 58
percent, compared with 68 percent for YES Prep charter schools, and 83
percent for Houston Independent School District.
• Over a longer time span, KIPP Houston reports a 72 percent retention rate,
which is 6 percent below what charter management organizations nationally are
getting.
• To fill teaching roles for the upcoming school year (2012 to onward) the
recruitment office has started new initiatives, including a social media
campaign, billboards on Houston’s highly trafficked freeways, recruitment
events around the city, and the offer of a $1,000 referral bonus for anyone who
successfully recruits someone to fill an instructional position.
 Major Issues & Recommendations - Teacher Recruitment &
Retention
Management Staff Reviews
 14
- 20
12
20
 1 8
-2 0
15
20
 19
20
Overall KIPP Houston Current Performance -Niche.com

https://www.niche.com/k12/d/houston-public-school-district-mn/rankings/
Major Issues & Recommendations - Teacher Recruitment
& Retention
• Hire The Right People
• Hire employees who are behavioral and cultural fits for the job. You can ask employees
behavioral interview questions to find out how they react in certain situations.
• Give Praise
• Your employees need encouragement and recognition. The goal here is to create an
encouraging, positive work environment. When employees feel respected,
acknowledged, desired, and motivated, they are more likely to stay. 
• Implement a mentorship program
• Expand partnerships with local Universities to both assist teachers and attract the next
generation of KIPP teachers.
Major Issues & Recommendations - Teacher Recruitment
& Retention
• Allow Flexible Work Schedules
• If it’s possible, allow flexible work schedules. Flexible work schedules let employees
adjust their work time and location. Employees can create a work-life balance for
themselves. Your workers can pursue things beyond work, go to appointments, and take
care of their families.
• Don’t waste Money & Time for recruiting new teachers.
• Sometime retain existing teachers by resolving their matters.
Major Issues & Recommendations - Organizational
Change

• Evolve the Business Model

• Partner with other Charter and Public School Districts where possible.
• Feedback mechanism regarding the evaluation of the work
• Involve employees from all levels of your organization in the planning stage. Solicit
feedback from key front-line managers and employees/teachers to gain deeper insight into
practical operational issues. Invite one or two influential front-line employees to participate
in planning meetings. In addition to offering unique insights, these employees can help to
keep other employees informed of the planning process while spreading excitement about
the change.
Major Issues & Recommendations – Technology

• Raise Organization Effectiveness

• Embrace technologies that allow for collaborative curriculum development and
plaining.
• Partner with educational technologies (eLearning websites) such as Open
Culture, W3 Schools, coursera that can allow for more increasingly dynamic
course subject matters.