About KIPP Baltimore

Organization Information

Founded in 2002, KIPP Baltimore operates joyful, academically excellent schools and alumni support programming that prepare students with the skills and confidence necessary to successfully pursue individual pathways to careers of highest aspiration. KIPP Baltimore enrolls approximately 1,400 prekindergarten through eighth grade students in two schools on a shared campus in the former Walbrook High School building in West Baltimore: KIPP Harmony Academy (grades PreK-5) and KIPP Ujima Village Academy (6-8).  Including our signature KIPP Forward program, we support more than 3,000 current students and alumni.

KIPP Baltimore is part of the national KIPP Public Schools network. KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) began in 1994 with 47 fifth-graders as a college-preparatory program housed within a public middle school in Houston, Texas; today, we are a network of 279 schools, more than 16,000 educators, and 210,000 students and alumni. All KIPP public charter schools are locally-run, non-profit organizations; each region is governed by a board of directors.

2 Schools

On One Campus PK-8

70% of Kippsters

From Park Heights and Rosemont Communities

2.200+ Alumni

70% College Matriculation Rate

1,400 Students

98% Identify as Black/African-American Descent
100% of Students Eligible for Free and Reduced Meals (FARMS)
14% of Students with Learning Needs (504 and IEP)
20% of Middle School Students Enrolled in Advanced Classes

The KIPP Five

The KIPP Five

  • Expect Greatness

    All KIPPsters have boundless potential. We reject excuses that place limits on what our students can achieve. While good intentions matter, results matter most. We expect to prepare our students to excel in the nation's most competitive colleges and careers and hold ourselves accountable to deliver outcomes reflecting that expectation.

  • Bring Joy

    Joy and rigor go hand in hand --and we pursue both. Our schools are vibrant, demanding places -- alive with discussion, laughter, and deep thinking. Rooted in love for and belief in our children, our schools are places students and adults run to -- where joy fuels excellence.

  • Do the Right Thing

    We pursue not only extraordinary achievement, but extraordinary character. Without character, achievement fails. We act with honesty, integrity, and respect for one another -- because our character ultimately defines who we are, individually and collectively. We strive to embody the best version of ourselves, and to bring out the best in others.

  • Lead Together

    Leadership lives at every level of our KIPP community. United by a shared vision, we bring the best of KIPP to all of KIPP. We learn from one another, support one another, and scale what works. We are stronger together, and we use that strength to deliver more consistent outcomes for students and communities nationwide.

  • Fully Commit

    Joining KIPP means committing fully to one another and to our mission. Our work is hard, and that's what makes it purposeful. It calls for perseverance in the face of adversity. We show up every day and do the hard work required to achieve our high expectations.