Zach Meisner

This document outlines the strategic priorities for 2020. The plan focuses on ensuring monumental growth and achievement for all students through aligned high-impact instructional practices and a culture of learning. It also aims to align and scale organizational capacity to meet student and family demand, and to embed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) into mindsets and anti-racist practices. Additional priorities include building and executing a clear talent strategy, improving data practices, and increasing the clarity and consistency of operations.

The KIPP MA Development Committee meeting addressed development updates, including fundraising progress, recent donations, and outreach to lapsed donors. The discussion covered the rationale behind internal and external goals, updates on recent appeals, and the Executive Director's donor outreach efforts, highlighting the impact of KIPP Forward. The committee planned for the upcoming year, considering strategies for major gifts, donor attrition, and potential Board or donor circles. Strategies to increase Board fundraising, including setting benchmarks and involving Board members more meaningfully, were also discussed. The committee explored bringing in students to share their experiences and potentially recruiting Board members with significant giving capacity.

The meeting included updates on staffing, such as new principals for KAL and KALC, and the start of the search for KIPP's next Chief Finance Officer. There was a discussion about the organization's retention status, including designating some roles as 'senior' to incentivize retention and the RO restructuring. KIPP MA will be modifying job postings to adjust to external trends.

The meeting included a presentation of the FY25 financials through Q3, noting that KIPP Lynn is missing its debt service covenant. There was also a discussion about the FY26 budget, with the organization budgeting more conservatively to meet its financial goals and the leadership team working to reduce budgets.

The meeting focused on KIPP Academy's MCAS prep approach and performance data, including strategic student and staff assignments and practice pre-tests. Data highlights showed progress in specific grades and subjects, with concerns about 5th-grade performance and talent instability, particularly at KIPP Academy Lynn. The discussion emphasized the need for a balanced narrative, highlighting growth in Boston and addressing challenges in Lynn. Strategies for improving performance and addressing concerns were discussed, including the challenges of talent instability and new curricula. The Chief Academic Officer outlined the lifting strategy and its impact on student growth in Boston, focusing on high-frequency testing standards and targeted instruction.