Ground was broken on Wednesday, October 13th, where the new Rocketship Public Schools will be located in Fort Worth. According to Fox 4, the school will be situated in the Stop Six neighborhood at 3520 East Berry Street.
This “high-tech two-story campus” will have 22 classrooms, a physical education gymnasium, and two learning labs. The labs will be for projects and for collaborative learning. The campus should be open by next school year, in the fall of 2022.
According to NBC DFW, Rocketship Public Schools Texas was first approved to build in June 2021 by the Texas Commissioner and the State Board of Education. Not everyone agreed with the Rocketship landing in the Stop Six area.
The Texas State Teachers Association President, Ovidia Molina, disagreed, and “opponents have argued that allowing more charter operators will drain money from traditional public schools.”
Charter schools are not funded by property taxes, but by the State. Traditional public schools receive funding from property taxes and the State. When a student goes to a charter school, a public school loses the allocation for that student because they are no longer responsible for educating them.
Molina explained her views by stating, “Our stance has always been to support our public schools more. In this case, it was the same.” She added, “we have a California-based charter coming into Texas during a pandemic when we know that our schools who are already underfunded are going to need more funding and you’re taking that away, and you’re starting a new business of sorts.”
Fox 4 mentions that Dr. Walter Dansby used to be the Superintendent for Fort Worth ISD and will now be on the board for Rocketship Texas. He said that “Rocketship will focus on the needs of children from diverse socio-economic backgrounds.”
Dansby also stated, “This is not a knock on Fort Worth ISD. Our plan is to work with Fort Worth ISD and collaborate to make sure the kids, the K-5 years continue to middle school in Fort Worth ISD to make a better school district for the entire city. Not just for Rocketship. So it’s a team effort.”
The principal of this charter school will be Dr. Christine Hanson, who, according to Fox 4, was born and raised in Stop Six. Hanson stated, “Systematically, things were done to our community, for our community, instead of with our community, so thank you for engaging with Rocketship and engaging in this work.”
SaJade Miller was also born and raised in Stop Six, and he will be the Superintendent of Rocketship Public Schools Texas. He said, “I’m excited to celebrate the official breaking of ground of our first school.”
Rocketship Texas will offer “personalized learning, parent leadership teams, and support from mental health professionals.” NBC DFW mentions that Miller said, “They will operate with an emphasis on personalized learning and welcome students from all communities through open enrollment. The choice between schooling options has been in long need in Stop Six.”
A mother of four children, Yolanda Seban, talked about some of the challenges her older children went through with other public schools and how she is looking forward to sending her five-year-old son to kindergarten at Rocketship. “It’s like coming into a community who’s thirsty and nobody has ever cared that they have been thirsty in the area of education, wanting better for our children and it’s like someone says ‘hey, would you like ice in this water?’ What would you do?”
Seban spoke about her older daughter, saying, “I have had schools look at me and say, oh nothing is wrong with her. Actually, no, her letters were dancing around. That’s dyslexia.”
FWTX shared that Superintendent SaJade Miller said, “I’ve spent my entire career working with students and families to eliminate the achievement gap in Tarrant County, and this new school is another big step to make that dream a reality.”
“Rocketship is a national network of elementary schools placed in underserved communities across the country, from Washington D.C. to California,” according to Fox 4.
The Rocketship Public Schools website states that around 70% of third-grade students in Tarrant County are not at the appropriate reading level for their grade. The website mentions, “If students don’t learn to read by third grade, they can’t read to learn in fourth grade and beyond – putting them at high risk of falling chronically behind.”
They claim that students and parents who will be involved with Rocketship will gain the tools needed for when they go on to middle school. School leaders are dedicated to creating a solid partnership with educators, and continuing to advocate for their children.
“Mr. Miller has a deep understanding of the strengths, opportunities, and challenges with public education in Tarrant County and he fervently believes in the power and promise of Rocketship Texas,” the website shares.
