Rocketship Education has made a promising name
for itself in recent years, working diligently to grow and expand their system
of public charter schools for kindergarten through fifth grade. Their mission
is, realistically, relatively simple - they want to provide the same high
quality, top-tier education to all students, regardless of their family's
ability to afford private schools - which, in California, can be exceptionally
pricey. Their statistics boast that approximately 85% of their students are low
income, however, they are ranked in the top 10 percent of all public schools,
as far as performance goes.
The ability to receive a top-quality education
is, admittedly, something that many families never truly expected their
children to have. Many low-income California residents have said in the past
that they didn't expect their children to be able to attend schools where
education was truly valued, as private education is often exceptionally
expensive, difficult to get into, and religiously affiliated. This combination
of attributes has made it difficult for low-income families to have the ability
to see to it that their children are properly educated.
However, it's no longer limited to just
California. As the Rocketship Education method has taken off, new schools are
opening across the nation, with locations in Milwaukee, Nashville, and
Washington D.C. New schools are opening each year, providing further
opportunities for students to grow their knowledge in new, unique, and creative
ways.
More than this, Rocketship Education is empowering students - their curriculum is tailored to each and every individual student,
truly taking to heart the meaning of "no child left behind" -
students are allowed to learn and grow at their own pace, with chances to ask
questions and explore topics they find interesting, while also staying
consistent with state-mandated expectations for student excellence. Students
who find themselves struggling, furthermore, are given the necessary resources
to ensure they are staying on track and learning at their expected, or even
accelerated, pace that fits their own approach.
Another great aspect of this public charter
school is their approach to working with teachers. They follow a talent
pipeline method, allowing teachers who display leadership attributes, and who
desire to move up within the organization and grow as educators with the
charter school to follow an expected career path. They provide training for
teachers, for instance, who are interested in becoming principles at a
Rocketship school - they call it their principal in training program, and it
allows these individuals to learn and grow and acclimate to what may become
their new position, which has proven to be effective as it gives each new
prospect the ability to test the water and learn from their peers before
assuming the role.
And, of course, there is the aspect of parents -
Rocketship schools pride themselves, as well, in being able to give parents a
voice in their student's education. This aspect is one of many that drive home
the choice of schooling for many parents, as they feel as though they have the
ability to actively partake in their children's education - something that many
public schools alienate parents from.
Each of these aspects has brought on a new,
unusual, and fasicnating change to the education system. Rocket schools are
slowly rearranging the way public schooling, as well as the public charter
school, is seen - it's provided individuals who may have been in low performing
schools the ability to learn and grow as they need, turning apathetic young
students into bright young scholars. Their time, dedication, and excitement to
see students succeed has been a driving factor behind the Rocketship schools,
allowing them to change the face of education on a whole.