KIPP continues MCAS success

LYNN – Students at the KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School put forth another strong showing on the 2008 MCAS exam, improving on the math exam in several grades.For the third consecutive year, KIPP reached state improvement targets, or Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), in every category, scoring above target in math and on target in English/Language Arts.The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education classified the school’s performance on both tests as “high,” once again leaving the school free of No Child Left Behind accountability status.KIPP serves students in grades 5-8 by offering a longer school day and more disciplined classroom environment than traditional public schools, focusing on a student’s long-term education with a final goal of graduating college.With a majority population of immigrant and minority students, KIPP managed to meet AYP in every single subgroup in 2008, excelling in math.In the school’s first-ever graduating class last spring, more than 75 percent of students scored proficient or higher on the eighth grade ELA exam, while 19 percent scored advanced and 51 percent scored proficient on the math exam.As was the case with most of the state’s public and charter schools, KIPP eighth graders did struggle with the new science and technology exam, with 60 percent scoring in the needs improvement category.Seventh grade students struggled a bit more in ELA than in 2007, falling from 79 percent proficient to 71 percent, but excelled in math, increasing the percentage of students scoring advanced from 19 to 23 percent and proficient from 49 to 57 percent.Sixth graders also took a hit in ELA, dropping in advanced and proficient and increasing the number of students who need improvement, but again scored high in math with 33 students scoring advanced.Scores among sixth graders traditionally fluctuate the most at KIPP, as students tend to improve their scores from fifth grade, their first year in the school.In the fifth grade, new students outperformed the group that came directly before them, also improving math scores in 2008.The percentage of students scoring advanced in math skyrocketed from eight to 29 percent in math while ELA scores held steady.KIPP Principal Josh Zoia was unavailable for comment Thursday.