Rocketship Education’s 2013 - 2014
YEAR IN REVIEW Building, Growing & Innovating with our Rocketeers
@RocketshipEd
RethinkingElementarySchool
R
R
page 1 • rsed.org/blog/rethinking
ocketship Education is a network of public elementary charter schools serving primarily low-income students in neighborhoods where access to excellent
schools is limited. We are driven by the belief that every child deserves an excellent
education. Today’s public schools were designed over one hundred years ago and are not effective for all kids and their unique needs today. That’s why at Rocketship Education, we’re rethinking elementary school from the ground up to eliminate the achievement gap in our lifetime. By developing and supporting excellent teachers & leaders, personalizing learning and engaging parents, we are working towards a future where all students graduate from school prepared to thrive in college and beyond.
Our Rocketeers In 2013 - 2014, Rocketship served 5,000 Rocketeers across one Milwaukee and eight San Jose campuses. Rocketship opens campuses at close to full capacity, making an immediate, large scale impact on the communities we serve. As we grow, Rocketship continues to open high quality schools in areas where access to a great education is limited.
85%
of Rocketeers qualify for Free or Reduced Lunch
63%
of Rocketeers are English Language Learners
85%
of Rocketeers are African American or Latino
Our Communities
SAN JOSE MILWAUKEE NASHVILLE
San Jose lies in the heart of Silicon Valley. Against this backdrop of affluence and
opportunity, there’s a growing achievement gap separating the children of tech entrepreneurs from those of low-wage service workers. The South Bay is where we opened our first Rocketship school in 2007 and we’re proud to have grown to eight schools and 4,700 students in 2013 - 2014.
Home to the nation’s oldest school reform movement, Wisconsin has the second largest
achievement gap in the country, surpassed only by the District of Columbia. Milwaukee remains the most racially segregated city in the country and, in spite of decades of school reform efforts, parents remain hungry for change.
In 2013 - 2014, we put a team on the ground in Nashville, Tennessee in preparation for the
launch of Nashville Northeast Elementary. We are working in close partnership with Metro Nashville Public Schools and the statewide Achievement School District to provide an excellent education to more than 450 Nashville Rocketeers in 2014 - 2015.
CEOMessage
page 2 • rsed.org/blog/preston
Rocketeer Supporters and Friends, The 2014 – 2015 school year is off to a strong start as we welcomed back 6,000 Rocketeers and their families. One of those Rocketeers is my son Zeke, who is now a kindergartener at Fuerza Community Prep. I am elated to finally be a Rocketship parent! Amid all the excitement the new school year brings, I want to reflect on the incredible successes of our network this past year. Success for us means more than just running top tier schools for our Rocketeers. For us, it means making significant strides towards eliminating the achievement gap in our lifetime. We have continued to grow with quality in the Bay Area, opening our largest school yet, while celebrating a third year of being in the top five percent of school districts serving low-income students in California. We also opened our first school outside of California. Southside Community Prep welcomed 300 Milwaukee Rocketeers and their families. After just one year, these students have achieved significant academic gains, proving that exceptional teachers and personalized instruction can overcome even one of the largest racial achievement gaps in the country. Success for us means that we continue to innovate our school model and learn quickly. Moving forward with our lessons from the flexible classroom, we are poised to even more purposefully integrate technology with teacher-led instruction. Success for us means parents effectively advocate for the great schools all kids deserve. Hundreds of Rocketship parents came out in force last year to petition for the opening of Fuerza and a future Rocketship school in Redwood City. After several hearings, our parents succeeded on both fronts with unanimous votes from two separate school boards. I am truly humbled by the power of our Rocketship community. Success for us also means that our teachers and leaders transform their communities. Rodney Lynk Jr. returned to his hometown of Milwaukee to open Southside Community Prep last year. Fourth grade teacher Juan Mateos is entering his first year as a school leader in San Jose, the community where he grew up. After six years opening and leading Rocketship schools, Adam Nadeau is now back home in Nashville, opening our third region. In 2016, a current school leader in San Jose, Amy Zapatka, will return to DC, the community she’s called her home away from home for more than five years. I am grateful for how far we’ve come at Rocketship — and I’m even more excited by what we have yet to accomplish. Together, we will eliminate the achievement gap in our lifetime. Let’s get it done.
Preston Smith Cofounder and CEO
BlastingBeyond
page 3 • rsed.org
W
e were founded in San Jose, but we know the achievement gap stretches across the nation. Every day, millions of students across the country aren’t getting the education
they need. There’s absolutely no difference in the academic potential of these students
6,000
compared to students in high performing schools. All kids deserve an excellent education.
# of
Rockeers
5,000
To eliminate the achievement gap, we must continue to open high quality schools in
TN
school
neighborhoods where options for an excellent education are limited.
WI
school
3,800
CA
schools
“
We know only one in ten students who grow up in low income communities will make it to college. This is why there’s an urgent need to eliminate the achievement gap in our lifetime. 325 160
2,500
1,350 900
Dr. Frederick J. Ferrer
Chair, Rocketship Education Board of Directors Chief Executive Officer, The Health Trust 2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Eight Years of Rocketship Growth
2011
Rocketship grows to five schools in the Bay Area, serving 2,500 Rocketeers
2012
Rocketship commits to serving the new regions of WI, TN and Washington, DC
BEGINNINGS and BEYOND In 1999, Father Mateo Sheedy of Sacred Heart Parish realized none of the students in his parish met the basic requirements to attend top-tier universities. This troubling realization inspired his San Jose based parish to seek solutions. A community initiative began that would eventually lead to the founding of Rocketship Education. In 2005, parishioners from Sacred Heart approached our soon-to-be cofounders John Danner and Preston Smith. One year later: Blast off.
2013
First school outside of California, Southside Community Prep, opens in Milwaukee
2006
Rocketship Education is founded
2014
Nashville Northeast Elementary opens in Tennessee
2007
First school, Mateo Sheedy Elementary, opens to 160 Rocketeers
2016
First Rocketship school in DC will open in Ward 8
2009
Tutoring & online learning time is integrated into the school day
Achievement : PersonalizedLearning
page 4 • rsed.org/blog/PersonalizedLearning
R
ocketship serves students who often arrive many grade levels behind their affluent peers. Targeted instruction is absolutely essential to getting our students back on track. Rocketeers
engage in personalized instruction tailored to their unique learning needs and styles. Our blended learning model combines traditional instruction, technology and tutoring, allowing every Rocketeer to learn at his or her own pace. And best of all, this model works for all students, whether they are catching up or racing ahead.
Personalized Learning Drives our Results Traditionally, schools are expected to deliver one year of academic growth for every year a student is in school. But for many of our Rocketeers who come to us behind grade level, one year of growth simply isn’t enough. Rocketeers are growing far more, eliminating the achievement gap between them and their peers across the country.
π
1.5 years
1.3 years
on the NWEA MAP
on the NWEA MAP
average Rocketeer growth in math
average Rocketeer growth in reading
831
For the third year in a row, Rocketship is in the top 5% of CA school districts serving low income students.
758
778
767
783
817
817
833
841
California Academic Performance Index (API)
Rocketship Surrounding Districts CA Elementary Average Statewide Goal (800)
All Students
Low-Income
English Learners
Each California school receives an Academic Performance Index (API) score based on California standardized test results. Surrounding Districts in this chart include the aggregate average of API scores from elementary schools in Alum Rock Union Elementary, San Jose Unified and FranklinMcKinley school districts. The CA results are a weighted average of all CA elementary school API scores. Because of the state-wide shift to Common Core, the most recent data for CA and surrounding districts is from 2012 - 2013. The most recent data for Rocketship is from 2013 - 2014.
Achievement : NetworkProgress
N
page 5 • #RocketshipEd
etwork wide, Rocketship has grown from serving 3,800 Rocketeers in 2012-2013 to 5,000 Rocketeers in 2013-2014, an enrollment increase of 32 percent. In testing grades, we increased
enrollment by 29 percent.
2012-2013
= 200 Rocketeers
2013-2014
Rocketship API
+
5,000
Rocketeers
Rocketship is building momentum, gaining 18 points in our Network API while serving 32 percent more students.
841 823
2012-13
=
2013-14
While growing significantly in size, we have achieved excellent results with our Rocketeers.
78%
π
of Rocketeers are Proficient or Advanced in mathematics, far exceeding the state average of 67%
+18 points
increase in students advancing from Basic to Proficient or Advanced in English Language Arts
School Spotlight In 2012 - 2013, 76 percent of Mateo Sheedy’s third graders were Proficient or Advanced in mathematics. One year later, Mr. Colon led fourth grade Rocketeers from our first school to exceptional gains.
100%
of 4th grade Rocketeers at Mateo Sheedy are Proficient or Advanced in mathematics!
Achievement : NewSchools
page 6 • rsed.org/blog/growth
S
ince 2012, Rocketship has opened four new schools. These new schools are knocking it out of the park. We are immediately making a big impact in our communities and maintaining momentum
as these schools grow to full capacity in California and Wisconsin.
San Jose
In the Bay Area, we opened our eighth school: Spark Academy. Spark and our year two schools — Alma Academy & Brilliant Minds — made impressive gains with our Rocketeers.
Spark Academy Year One
π π π
2 years
1.6 years
on the NWEA MAP
on the NWEA MAP
average Rocketeer growth in mathematics
average Rocketeer growth in reading
904 Spark Academy Alma Academy
Alma Academy
1.5 years
1.4 years
on the NWEA MAP
on the NWEA MAP
Brilliant Minds
1.4 years
1.3 years
on the NWEA MAP
on the NWEA MAP
Year Two
Year Two
average Rocketeer growth in mathematics
average Rocketeer growth in mathematics
API Scores for San Jose 1st & 2nd Year Schools
average Rocketeer growth in reading
872
Brilliant Minds Statewide Goal (800)
849
average Rocketeer growth in reading
Milwaukee Our Milwaukee students entered Southside Community Prep further behind than any other cohort of students in our network. After just one year, these
π
1.6 years
average Rocketeer growth in math on the NWEA MAP
Rocketeers made great progress. Additionally, Southside Community Prep launched a pre-kindergarden literacy program for 117 four year olds. Ninety percent of these young Rocketeers graduated reading at a midkindergarten level.
“ The achievement gap in
Milwaukee is one of the largest in the nation. Therefore, opening a great school for our Rocketeers was critical.” Rodney Lynk Jr. Assistant Principal, Southside Community Prep Milwaukee Native
1.4 years
average Rocketeer growth in reading on the NWEA MAP
StudentEngagement
page 7 • @RocketshipEd
O
ur Rocketeers’ long-term success hinges on both a strong academic
foundation and the enduring habits and drive to propel them through middle school and beyond. We work to create an environment where students are deeply engaged in their learning and bonded with their teachers and peers. This year, we introduced expanded enrichment Every year, fourth and fifth grade Rocketeers participate in an outdoor education program developed by Rocketship teachers to help bring science concepts to life. Watch the science camp video rsed.org/sciencecamp.
offerings and new social-emotional curricula to better serve our Rocketeers.
“ We take seriously our responsibility to develop our Rocketeers’ social-emotional
competence. Our Rocketeers learn to take responsibility for their learning and actions, demonstrate empathy towards others and persist in the face of challenges.” Genevieve Thomas Sr. Director of Integrated Special Education
95%
96%
of parents regularly talk to their kids about college
average daily attendance
91%
of Rocketeers return every year
Student Experience This past year, we conducted our first student survey in partnership with YouthTruth. All third through fifth graders were given an opportunity to give us feedback on their school on a one to five scale. Here’s how they tell us we’re doing!
Student Survey Results Rocketship
National Average
4.47 4.22 3.98
Academic Expectations
Personal Relationships
Student Engagement
4.39 4.00
“ I love to learn how to read. I
4.16
love to learn about the states. I love to learn how cookies are made. I love to learn about different countries. I love to learn about my world.” Ruben 4th grader, Brilliant Minds
ParentEngagement
page 8 • rsed.org/blog/EngagedParents
R
ocketship is deeply aware that our Rocketeers’ first teachers and life-long advocates are their parents. We
“ Rocketship parents who go
investing in parents as leaders and advocates who will fight for
on to become KIPP parents continue to advocate for their own children, and for all children’s right to a great education.”
their children’s education and exercise school choice ensures
Susana Mena
that our Rocketeers are set up for success in middle school and
Principal, KIPP Heartwood Academy in San Jose
partner with parents on their children’s education and engage parents both within the school and in the community. In addition to supporting their academic achievement today,
beyond. This past year, our parents successfully petitioned for two new KIPP middle school options for our Rocketeers and other students across San Jose. In total, our Rocketship families have helped launch 14 secondary schools of choice.
Daniella Muna and her husband Vince speak at an Alum Rock Board meeting in support of Rocketship’s newest school in San Jose: Fuerza Community Prep. “I hope the ARUSD Board will pass the charter giving my future doctor, firefighter or engineer the opportunity to start preparing for college and making a future for himself that he, along with the community, can be proud of,” Muna said.
Rocketship parent Karen Martinez and her daughter Daniella pose for a picture with Richard Whitmire, author of “On the Rocketship: How Top Charters are Pushing the Envelope.” In his book, dedicated “to the true disruptors: Rocketship parents,” Whitmire profiles Martinez’s transformation from a parent discouraged by her children’s underperforming local schools into a proud Rocketeer and a powerful community advocate. Today, Martinez is a first term ARUSD Board Member and a founding parent of Alpha: Blanca Alvarado Middle School.
Maricela Guerrero, now principal of Fuerza Community Prep, talks with a crowd of parent advocates before a charter hearing. After the charter was denied by the local district, Rocketship parents continued to advocate for choice and their students, taking their cause to Santa Clara County where the school was unanimously approved and opened in fall of 2014 to nearly 500 Rocketeers and their families.
Parent & Teacher Partnerships Rocketship teachers and families are in constant communication about how Rocketeers are progressing in school. Our parents regularly engage in school events, providing critical input on school decisions. This past year, an average of 3,116 Rocketeer parents attended community meetings each month.
93%
of parents would recommend Rocketship to a friend
92%
of parents attended 2+ parent-teacher conferences last year
93%
of families welcomed teachers into their homes for a home visit
ExcellentTeachers&Leaders
page 9 • rsed.org/blog/Excellent
G
reat teachers and leaders are at the heart of our model and fuel our success. Rocketship invests deeply in their development to ensure our teachers and leaders are prepared to lead
transformational schools. We provide dedicated coaching, professional development and leadership programs to ensure all of our educators, regardless of experience level, thrive. Each school leader coaches about six teachers. Our low teacher to school leader ratio allows us to provide a tremendous amount of coaching, training and feedback to all of our teachers. Our newest teachers benefit greatly from this intensive support. Last year, first and second year teachers led their Rocketeers to make an average of 1.4 years of growth.
300+
:
hours of professional development for each teacher each year
6:1
teacher to school leader ratio for maximum support & development
“
We truly believe that iron sharpens iron – we bring our best and give our best to strengthen each other.” Dr. Wendy Noble Vice President of Schools, Bay Area
2013 - 2014 Investments in our Teachers & Leaders • doubled teachers’ planning periods and developed common planning time protocols to build teacher collaboration and sustainability • added a business operations manager position at all schools, giving 270 hours, or 34 days, back to our leaders to devote to instructional leadership instead of to daily operations • created new lead educator roles to expand the impact of our most successful teachers
90%
of school staff say someone at work supports them in their professional growth
89%
of school staff say someone provides them with direct feedback on their performance
Join the Conversation blog.rsed.org
84%
of school staff say they have had the opportunity to grow professionally in 2013-14
ethinking
elementary school from the ground
up.
Excellent Teachers & Leaders build great schools
Personalized Learning
meets every student where they are
Engaged Parents
transform communities
@RocketshipEd