Pros
Watching special ed students who were deemed unteachable, learn and grow academically was a beautiful sight.
Cons
Overall Environment:
KIPP Columbus looks great from the outside, but my experience working there was very different. The environment often felt disorganized and unsupportive. Teachers don’t always feel valued, and discipline isn’t handled consistently, which makes it hard to teach or feel safe. I wouldn’t recommend it as a positive place to work or to send kids who truly want to learn.
Special Education Department:
As someone who worked closely with special education, I felt like that department was often an afterthought. Professional development rarely applied to special ed, and important details—like my caseload—were given at the very last minute. Communication was inconsistent, and the support staff weren’t always engaged with the students the way they needed to be. The program could really benefit from better structure and clearer expectations.
Student Behavior and Discipline:
Discipline is one of the biggest issues. There’s little consistency, even when serious behavior incidents happen. It often felt like the same students could repeatedly disrupt class without real follow-up. Instead of helping them learn better coping or accountability skills, the school often excused the behavior, which made it tough for everyone—students and staff—to feel secure and focused.
Support and Coaching:
I didn’t receive much coaching or guidance, especially when I was new to certain student needs. I was never observed or given feedback that could help me grow. When I brought up concerns about safety or behavior, they weren’t taken seriously, and communication afterward was poor. It left me feeling dismissed and frustrated.
Communication and Culture:
Overall, communication across teams could be much stronger. Important information wasn’t always shared in a timely or clear way, and at times it felt like teachers were blamed even when problems were out of their control. The focus often seemed more on keeping up appearances and keeping parents happy than on supporting teachers and students in a meaningful way.