Tulane University will reserve 10 spaces in its freshmen class each year for students from the KIPP system of charter schools and provide them with scholarships to meet their financial needs, officials announced Tuesday. KIPP schools — which include a campus on South Carrollton and two in Central City among its nine in New Orleans, as well as 100 other schools in about 20 other states — focus on preparing underprivileged children for a college education, co-founder Mike Feinberg told a Tulane audience in September. As part of this new agreement, KIPP will adjust its curriculum to better match Tulane’s first-year coursework, and provide opportunities for students in Tulane’s teacher-training courses. The full news release follows:
Tulane University, KIPP New Orleans Schools, and the KIPP Foundation will sign an agreement today to enroll more graduates of KIPP K-12 schools at Tulane and facilitate their successful transition from high school through college. The agreement will also have Tulane and KIPP partner to assist Tulane students interested in pursuing a teaching career as part of the university’s teacher certification program. The agreement, the first of its kind in the nation, will be signed by Tulane President Scott Cowen, KIPP Foundation CEO Richard Barth and KIPP New Orleans Schools Executive Director Rhonda Kalifey-Aluise in the library on the second floor of KIPP Believe College Prep middle school, 1607 South Carrollton Ave. With this partnership, Tulane promises to enroll and provide scholarships for 10 KIPP students annually beginning in the 2012-13 academic year. These students will be selected from KIPP schools throughout the country.