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Applications Now Open for the 2024-25 School Year!

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Applications are required for all potential students not currently enrolled in a KIPP Texas school. The lottery for the 2024-25 school year will take place on March 4, 2024. On lottery day, students are selected for offers through a random, automated process, and families are notified of their admission status.

Families can log into their SchoolMint account to see the status of their child’s enrollment at any time – save your username and password. SchoolMint is also where families will complete the registration process after accepting their offer.

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Questions On Our Application Process?

Watch this step-by-step video guide where we walk you through it.

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the kipp texas
Experience

JOY is at the heart of everything we do at KIPP Texas. Our schools provide a safe and positive learning environment, where excellence, equity, and empathy are at the core of the student experience. We offer:

Free Pre-K – 12 Public Schools

Free Bus Transportation

Free, Healthy Breakfast & Lunch Daily

Social-Emotional Wellness & Whole Student Growth

Extracurricular in Academics, Arts, & Athletics

Highly Skilled Teachers & Leaders

Learn more about why you should choose KIPP Texas Public Schools.

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KIPP Texas
is a Team & Family

Together with families and communities, we create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose — college, career, and beyond — so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world.

Explore Grade Level Offerings

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Our students, families, teachers, and staff create a community we call Team & Family. Through this community, our students are supported in every step of their education journey, build long-lasting relationships, and feel prepared to pursue post-secondary success.

Students are offered extracurricular and athletics opportunities to broaden their interests, including sports, film production, dance, debate, theater arts, communications, and more. Offerings vary by school.

Personalized learning approaches address each child’s individual needs and support the growth of the whole child. We want to ensure our students feel safe and understood.

KIPP Texas is intentional in providing service and support to the whole family. We offer support to our community in many ways – from technology access to providing free, healthy meals to counseling services – we ensure the needs of our students and families are met.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What makes KIPP Texas different?

At KIPP, teachers, students, and families are all united around the same goal—college graduation. Through our collective hard work and commitment, KIPP students complete college at a rate that is comparable to the national average for all students and four times higher for students from low-income households. Our success is driven by:

High Expectations: KIPP has clearly defined high expectations for academic achievement and conduct that create and reinforce a culture of accomplishment and support.

Strength of Character: Success in life depends on more than academic learning. We help students foster character strengths that are essential for their own success. We empower our students to express their voice with power and to improve the world around them.

Highly Skilled Teachers & Leaders: Great schools require great teachers and school leaders. We empower our school teams and invest in leadership and training.

Safe & Structured Environments: Physical and emotional safety is necessary for students to feel comfortable taking risks and learning from their successes and their mistakes. Our schools provide a safe, structured, and nurturing environments with minimal distractions so our students love school and maximize their learning.

KIPP Forward: KIPP schools ensure each student has the skills and confidence to pursue any path that leads to their highest aspirations. Our counselors support students to choose and prepare for a right-fit college or education path and a meaningful career.

Are KIPP Texas schools public schools?

Yes, our schools are free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public charter schools.

Does KIPP Texas use social-emotional learning?

Yes, KIPP Texas incorporates the four key cognitive, affective and behavioral competencies of social-emotional learning: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.

What is KIPP Forward?

KIPP Forward is a program designed to help our KIPPsters go to and through college and lead a choice-filled life. KIPP Texas counselors work with students starting in middle school to select the right classes, fill out the FAFSA and other college scholarship forms, prepare to take the ACT, and support them as they prepare for and select the right college and career based on their interests and passions. After high school, KIPP Texas advisors help alumni navigate the academic, social, and financial challenges they might encounter while in college or pursuing a career. Learn more about KIPP Forward!

How do I apply for my student to attend KIPP Texas?

Fill out the online application on SchoolMint or by contacting your regional Student Recruitment Team.

Austin
Email: ApplyAustin@kipptexas.org
Phone: (512) 953-7107

Dallas-Forth Worth
Email: ApplyDFW@kipptexas.org
Phone: (214) 448-5866

Houston
Email: ApplyHouston@kipptexas.org
Phone: (218) 879-3051

San Antonio
Email: ApplySA@kipptexas.org
Phone: (210) 880-8080

What is SchoolMint?

SchoolMint is our online enrollment system. We use this tool to manage and track your application throughout the student enrollment process. You’ll use your account to:

Manage school applications for all of your children.
If offered a seat, accept the offer and complete all documents required for registration.
If waitlisted, check the waitlist position for all of your children.
Once enrolled at KIPP Texas, SchoolMint is also the account where you will complete the annual re-enrollment process each year.

I am having trouble submitting an application on SchoolMint. What do I do?

Austin – ApplyAustin@kipptexas.org or (512) 953-7107
Dallas-Fort Worth – ApplyDFW@kipptexas.org or (214) 448-5866
Houston – ApplyHouston@kipptexas.org or (281) 879-3051
San Antonio – ApplySA@kipptexas.org or (210) 880-8080

Or try to resolve it yourself.
Try logging in from a different browser:

Option 1 – Try logging in through a different internet browser: Edge, Chrome, Firefox, Safari. A new browser will not have the old cookies stored.

Option 2 – Try logging in from an incognito window

If you don’t want to change browsers, open an incognito window and try logging in. File > New Incognito Window

Option 3 – Watch this step-by-step guide where we walk you through it.

Is there a monetary charge to send my child to a KIPP Texas school?

KIPP Texas is part of the free public school system in Texas. There are no admission fees or tuition, with the exception of Pre-K. Fees for Pre-K are based on income and other factors. Please visit our Pre-K page for more details to know if you qualify for free Pre-K.

Are entrance exams required to attend a KIPP Texas Public School?

KIPP Texas students qualify for enrollment through our random, one-time lottery, with no advanced testing for admission and no pre-screening. KIPP Texas is open to all students!

Are there admission requirements at KIPP Texas schools?

No, there are no academic or behavioral requirements for enrollment in Pre-K – 12.

When is the deadline to apply for the 2024-25 school year?

Applications must be received by February 26, 2024 to be included in the lottery. Applications received after February 26, 2024 will be placed on the waitlist in the order in which they are received. Our lottery for the 2024-25 school year will take place on March 4, 2024!

When will I find out if my student's application was selected in the lottery?

After the lottery occurs on March 4, 2024, families will be notified via phone, mail, and/or email of their application status. There is no lottery event that parents must attend. From there, families can log into SchoolMint to see their status and take further actions if given an offer.

What happens after I submit an application?

All applications received by February 26, 2024 will be placed in a lottery on March 4, 2024.

Applications that are not selected in the lottery will be placed on a waitlist for that school year. If spaces become available, they will be filled from the applications on the waitlist. You will receive continuous email updates through the lottery, until the start of the new school year.

How does the waitlist work?

If the number of children interested in a specific grade at a KIPP Texas school exceeds the number of seats available for that grade, names are drawn through a random, automated lottery process. If there are not enough open seats available, children will be placed on a waitlist. If and when seats become available at each KIPP school, we will notify families in the order of the waitlist.

Waitlists are dynamic! If a student is called off any of our waitlists and accepts, and if that student has a sibling on the waitlist, the sibling is moved up the waitlist with other new to KIPP siblings. This puts siblings ahead of any non-sibling waitlist students.

What should I expect? SchoolMint keeps track of where your student is on the waitlist. To see the status of your child, log into your account here. Be aware that your student’s position on the waitlist may be affected by other students who accept a position and also have siblings on the waitlist. As explained above, waitlist siblings of accepted students are moved ahead of non-sibling waitlist students.

What if I applied after the application deadline? Applications received after February 24, 2024 will be placed on the waitlist in the order in which they are received.

How do I apply if I live in Spring Branch ISD?

If you live in Spring Branch ISD and wish to apply to KIPP Courage College Prep, please visit and follow the directions on the Spring Branch ISD website. If you have questions, please call (713) 251-3800.

How can I prepare to complete the re-enrollment documents once my child becomes a KIPPster?

CURRENT FAMILIES: Is your child going into Kindergarten or 7th grade next year? If so, you will be required to upload an updated vaccine record that includes the appropriate age-level immunizations. If you do not have this, we recommend that you reach out to your child’s doctor or check your child’s online medical file (e.g. MyChart, if you use Texas Children’s). You will not be able to continue to the next step of the re-enrollment process without this record. If vaccinations are still needed and you are looking for a provider, please contact your school’s health team for more information.

Did you move during this school year? If you moved, please contact your child’s school to provide them with your updated address. You will need to also upload a current utility bill, mortgage statement, or lease.

Is your parent/guardian ID expired? We require a photo of a current parent or guardian ID. Please make sure your ID, drivers license, or visa is not expired.

Are you planning to not return next year? If you select that your child is not returning to KIPP next year, you will receive an email from us to help us learn what led you to this decision and how could we better support you and your child. Please keep in mind that if you select that you are not returning, your child’s spot may be released to a new KIPPster via the lottery process.

What if I’m moving to another city within Texas or outside of Texas? If you are requesting to transfer to another KIPP Texas school, please contact your school directly.

Bus Transportation: The re-enrollment documents include all of the yellow bus stops available for your school, and allow you to select a bus stop for your child. It is our goal to offer the best transportation services to our students! If a bus stop is not available in your area please submit a “Bus Stop Request Form” to your school’s front office, which will be reviewed by our transportation department.

What grades are available for the 2024-25 school year?

KIPP Texas – Austin will offer Pre-K3 to 12th grade in 10 schools. Explore schools near you!

KIPP Texas – Dallas-Fort Worth will offer Pre-K4 to 12th grade in 7 schools located in East and South Dallas. Explore schools near you!

KIPP Texas – Houston will offer Pre-K3 to 12th grade in 33 schools located throughout the city. Explore schools near you!

KIPP Texas – San Antonio will offer Pre-K4 to 12th grade in 7 schools located in West and Central San Antonio. Explore schools near you! **Pre-K4 is only available at KIPP Somos Primary.

Are there extracurricular activities, clubs and sports at KIPP Texas schools?

Yes! KIPP Texas believes in a well-rounded student experience, and each school offers a variety of activities, extracurriculars, clubs, and sports. Programs can vary by campus and grade level. Please contact your desired KIPP Texas school near you for more information on specific offerings.

Will transportation be offered?

KIPP Texas is proud to offer free bus transportation across all our regions! Transportation options vary by school. For more details and to identify the best bus stop for your family, please go to kipptexas.org/transportation.

Do you have Pre-K programs at all KIPP Texas schools?

We currently offer Pre-K programming in all four regions:

KIPP Texas – Austin offers half-day Pre-K3 (AM / PM) and Full-Day Pre-K4.
KIPP Texas – Dallas-Fort Worth offers a full-day Pre-K4 program.
KIPP Texas – Houston offers half-day Pre-K3 (AM / PM) and Full-Day Pre-K4.
KIPP Texas – San Antonio offers a full-day Pre-K4 program. (Pre-K4 is only available at KIPP Somos Primary.)

Get more details by visiting our Pre-K webpage.

Is there after-school care at KIPP Texas schools?

KIPP Texas does provide after-school care at our primary school campuses. Many times, the programs are offered by a third-party organization authorized by the school. Please contact your desired school directly for more details.

Who is eligible for free Pre-K at KIPP Texas Public Schools?

To be eligible for enrollment in a free Pre-Kindergarten class, a child must be at least three years of age on or before September 1 of the current school year (if a 3-year old program is available) or four years of age on or before September 1 of the current school year (if only a 4-year old program is available) and meet at least one of the following eligibility requirements:

Is unable to speak and comprehend the English language; or
Is educationally disadvantaged (which means a student eligible to participate in the national free or reduced-price lunch program); or
Is homeless, as defined by 42 U.S.C. Section 1143a, regardless of the residence of the child, of either parent of the child, or of the child’s guardian or other person having lawful control of the child; or
Is the child of an active duty member of the armed forces of the United States, including the state military forces or a reserve component of the armed forces, who is ordered to active duty by proper authority; or
Is the child of a member of the armed forces of the United States, including the state military forces or a reserve component of the armed forces, who was injured or killed while serving on active duty; or
Is or ever has been in the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services (foster care) following an adversary hearing held as provided by Section 262.201, Family Code; or
Is the child of a person eligible for the Star of Texas Award as: a peace officer under Section 3106.002, Government Code; a firefighter under Section 3106.003, Government Code; or an emergency medical first responder under Section 3106.004, Government Code.

For more information on our Pre-K programs, please visit kipptexas.org/pre-k.