We already have that system with the affluent and low-income district inequity in per student funding and quality of program. We cannot inadvertently create a system of public education that is two-tier. With some districts approaching financial solvency issues, the state budget in disarray, and a resistance on the part of some in the educational community to work collaboratively for each and every one of our children, we face a tumultuous time ahead. Rocketship Education is rumored to be coming to the Santa Clara County Board of Education in the next 60 days for a request to authorize several more Rocketship Charter Schools in Santa Clara County during the next five years.
The names include Reed Hastings, CEO Netlfix, Sheryl Sandberg, COO Facebook, Jonathan Chadwick, CFO Skype, and Bill Gurley, General Partner, Benchmark Capital. Their philanthropic partners listed on the website tell an important part of the story. The key components of the Rocketship model include an 8am to 4pm school day, individualized computer lab instruction, high degree of instructional differentiation, an uber talented teaching faculty, and an administration that holds all accountable for high degrees of success.
#ROCKETSHIP SAN JOSE FOR FREE#
These schools do so with a population of students where 80 percent qualify for free or reduced lunch and 75 percent are English Language Learners. These three school’s students demonstrate, and in most cases outperform, their sister traditional public school students on STAR/Content Standards Tests. Three are currently up and running: Mateo Sheedy, Si Se Puede, and Los Suenos. On appeal the Santa Clara County Board of Education authorized the first Rocketship School in 2006.
San Jose Unified Board of Trustees denied a Rocketship petition to open their first school in 2005. The Santa Clara County Office of Education has already authorized 5 Rocketship Charter Elementary Schools county-wide. Through the diligence, risk-taking and creative work of the two founders of Rocketship Education, Preston Smith and John Danner, we are facing systemic change like Santa Clara County public schools have never witnessed. No miracles here just hard work and belief that all students can perform to grade level if given proper instruction, guidance, and time to do so. This dynamic school culture of high expectations for all learners, many come to Rocketship 3 years behind in English and Math, is working beyond most educators’ expectations.
#ROCKETSHIP SAN JOSE PROFESSIONAL#
Preston Smith extolled the virtues of the hybrid model of instructional design within a college preparatory culture, longer school day, performance pay for faculty (10 percent of base salary), strong parental engagement, innovative professional development model, subject matter specialization, and an esprit de corps of the student body. Public school choice for parents and students is growing exponentially-a good thing if you believe like I do that the current system is badly broken. Obama and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan are encouraging the opening of high-performing charter schools throughout America. These include such things as tenure, senority, requirements that teachers visit student homes and other education-code bureaucratic mandates charters are exempt from meeting. The differences between traditional public and charter education are not in a funding model, but in their ability to work with teachers without restrictions imposed by collective bargaining contracts. (Minnesota passed the first charter school legislation in 1991 and California passed it in 1992.) I tried to explain that charter schools are public schools. Some of my EdPsych students did not understand the reason why we are giving state money to charter schools when our public schools need the money. Most of my students were excited about what they heard from Preston and many were hoping someday they would be able to teach at one of Rocketship’s schools. Once Preston left class I continued to lead a discussion. Preston and I also attempted to answer their questions and clarify issues of interest in the subjects we broached. I conducted an interview with Preston in front of 36 graduate students who are all intent at becoming K-8 teachers. Thursday of last week I invited Preston Smith, Chief Academic Officer of Rocketship Education, to come to an Educational Psychology graduate class I have been teaching this semester at SJSU. Will each child’s educational opportunities be enhanced by the shake-up? Or will there be winners and losers?
I am not intending to be hyperbolic I’m simply stating the truth as I know it. Santa Clara County is on the verge of the beginning of the end of public education as we have known it for the last 100 or so years.
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