WASHINGTON — When prospective teachers interview for a job at Urban Prep Academies in Chicago, they are asked whether they believe all students can go to college and succeed.
“Believe it or not, people actually sit there in an interview and say ‘No, I don’t think they all can,’” said Tim King, founder, president and CEO of the all-male school network, which boasts a 100 percent college enrollment rate and an 80 percent college retention rate among its graduates.
“As soon as they make that response we say, ‘Thank for your time,’ and move on to the next interview,” King said.
King shared the story Monday while making a point about leadership during a panel discussion titled “Providing a Rigorous High-Quality Curriculum and Instruction for College and Career Readiness.”
The panel was part of the annual “Addressing Achievement Gaps” symposium jointly convened by ETS and the Children’s Defense Fund. The theme of this year’s symposium was “Black Male Teens: Moving to Success in the High School Years.”
King stressed the importance of leadership in creating a school climate that is conducive to academic success.
