Rocketship Delta Prep students achieve rapid academic growth in school’s first year
Rocketship Delta Prep school in Antioch. Herald file photo.
New school in Antioch helping students close achievement gaps
Antioch, Calif. – Rocketship Delta Prep announced today that in their very first school year (2018-2019), students grew an average of 1.4 years in math and 1.3 years in English language arts. This means that at Rocketship in Antioch, students are learning an entire school year’s worth of material plus 40 percent (in math) and 30 percent (in English language arts) of another school year, as measured by the nationally-normed NWEA MAP exam. In the very first school year, Rocketship Delta Prep also more than tripled the percentage of students in the top third of achievement in math and more than doubled the percentage in the top third of achievement in English language arts. The vast majority of Rocketeers at
Delta Prep came into the 18-19 school year multiple grade levels behind standard. By growing significantly more than one grade level in a single school year, Delta Prep Rocketeers are well on their way to achieving at and above grade level standards.
“I am so proud of all of our Rocketeers – from TK up through fourth grade,” said Principal Lauren
Hilliard. “Our teachers, parents, students, and entire Rocketship Delta Prep community built a solid foundation in the 2018-2019 school year for even greater academic success this year and beyond. I can’t wait to see all the amazing things our Rocketeers will do in the 2019-2020 school year.”
Rocketship Delta Prep is a free, public charter school open to all students. Approved by the Antioch
Unified School District Board of Education in December 2016, Rocketship worked with parents and community members to build a state-of-the-art, net-zero energy charter school facility. Community support also helped Rocketship gain approval for the school design by unanimous decisions at both the Antioch City Planning Commission and Antioch City Council in fall 2017.
Delta Prep opened at 1700 Cavallo Road in Antioch in August 2018 with more than 400 students.
Overwhelming parent demand for a high-quality elementary school led Rocketship Delta Prep to open transitional kindergarten to fourth grades on day one. While challenging, opening such a big school in its very first year reinforced Delta Prep’s commitment to serve all Antioch students with excellence in order to eliminate the achievement gap. This school year, Rocketship Delta Prep will again serve over 400 students in grades TK-fifth.
“I could not be happier to have found an excellent school right here in my community of Antioch,” said Founding Rocketship Delta Prep Parent Cynthia Cathey. “My daughter has grown so much in just the first school year – not only academically, but also in her behavior, living out Rocketship’s core values of respect and responsibility, and she’s made amazing friends. I’ve also found a tight-knit community of parents who advocate for our kids’ needs and for the future of our city.”
Rocketship’s California network of schools ranked in the top 10 percent of all school districts and charter schools serving similar students on the 2017-2018 California state assessment in both math and English language arts. Rocketship Delta Prep in Antioch is the second Rocketship school in the East Bay, joining Rocketship Futuro Academy in Concord which opened in August 2016. Rocketeers across the national network achieved remarkable gap-closing results last school year, averaging 1.36 years of growth in math and 1.29 years of growth in English language arts.
