Good news, bad news.
Out of 22,000 high schools evaluated in 49 states, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Helena's KIPP Delta Collegiate High School, an open enrollment public charter, Arkansas' second best.
According to the report, KIPP "students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement coursework and exams. The AP participation rate at KIPP Delta Collegiate High School is 91 percent. The student body makeup is 41 percent male and 59 percent female, and the total minority enrollment is 96 percent."
Arkansas's best high school - Farmington's Haas Hall Academy, also a charter - is America's 353rd best (top 1.6% in country). KIPP was 404th (top 1.8%).
Bentonville High School was third in Arkansas and 731st in America (top 3.3%).
For perspective, the 23rd best high school in Arkansas (the last ranked by U.S. News) - West Fork High School - came in at No. 2,003 in the nation (top 9.1%).
No Little Rock, North Little Rock or Pulaski County Special School District high schools or Pulaski County public charters were ranked or recognized.
What's not written is that a large percentage of KIPP's 16 teachers (10:1 student ratio) are from Teach for America.
They, their fellow teachers, students, parents, guardians, the community, Executive Director Scott Shirey, and the KIPP leadership are to be congratulated...and emulated.
By federal definition, Pulaski County is in the Delta. KIPP anyone? At the very least, we should be throwing open our school doors to Teach for America.
Good for the students. Thanks for acknowledging them and TFA.
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