KIPP Sharp College Prep - Houston, TX

KIPP SHARP in Houston, Texas is a college preparatory open-enrollment elementary charter school in the national Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) network. Founded in 2008, KIPP SHARP serves Pre-K through 4th grade, and students enroll through a lottery. KIPP SHARP espouses the HEART Values - an acronym which stands for Honor, Explore with Enthusiasm, Always with Excellence, Ready to Try Again, and Together. KIPP focuses on college readiness and completion, which has translated to higher four-year degree completion rates for KIPP students in Houston (50%), as compared to their peers of the same socioeconomic background (8%).

KIPP SHARP is situated in the Gulfton neighborhood, which is one of Houston’s most ethnically diverse and densely populated areas and often referred to as a "Modern Ellis Island." KIPP SHARP’s student population closely mirrors this diversity: 80% of students are Hispanic, 15% are African-American, and 5% are of other ethnicities. Approximately 85% of KIPP SHARP’s students are English language learners and 96% are economically disadvantaged. KIPP SHARP’s leaders and teachers leverage their belief that diversity is an asset in providing culturally relevant instruction.

KIPP SHARP’s curriculum rests on the philosophy that academics is the foundation that allows students to discover their passion. Although academic performance is KIPP SHARP’s highest priority, the school also places significant emphasis on the development of students’ character and their artistic ability through the pursuit of a fine art of their choice while also exposing them to fabulous learning opportunities outside of the classroom.