The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Indiana Holiday Commission recently held its 20th Annual King Holiday Celebration at the Indiana Statehouse.
This year’s featured speaker was Tim King, founder and president of Urban Prep Academies, a nonprofit organization operating a network of public college-prep boy’s schools in Chicago.
In 2006, Urban Prep Academies opened the nation’s first all-male charter high school, and achieved an extremely rare 100 percent graduation rate. All of the African-American male students, mostly from low-income neighborhoods, were admitted to four-year colleges and universities.
King has been asked to speak nationally about increasing success among students, and here are statements from what he had to share with the Recorder:
On success at Urban Prep Academies:
“Our students are encouraged to believe in their full potential, so they don’t fall into the trap of negative stereotypes or low expectations. We created an environment where excuses are not encouraged and we expect more out of students. Kids would arrive to class late and say they didn’t know the time. Part of our creed reads we make no excuses, so we removed that excuse. The students know now that there is no excuse for being late.”
What is the philosophy that has guided Urban Prep, and can help other schools?
Our school culture is based on respect, ritual (support activities), responsibility and relationships; I don’t think that that is anything new.
But the key to achieving success in education is building a relationship with your student. You’re going to have success if you have school spirit and you have students who feel like they’re really engaged. You’re going to have success if students respect one another and respect themselves.
Should parents have school choice?
“Yes. Real equality occurs when all parents have the opportunity to send their child to a school that best meets their needs, whether it is a traditional public school, a charter school, private school or a parochial (religious) school. A healthy education system or school district embraces a variety of options. At the same time, we should not allow income status to determine whether or not a family has education options.”
What is the biggest obstacle to success?
A lack of focus on academic success. Too often students are distracted from influences in the media, neighborhoods or the home. We have to create a ‘college going’ environments where students are automatically placed on track for higher education and receive the support they need to stay on track.”
How would you encourage schools struggling to raise graduation rates?
Again, I think it goes back to emphasizing things such as mutual respect between students and teachers, making sure students take responsibility for their own education, making students feel like they are part of something special and building positive relationships between the adults and the students within the schools.
