The top reported proficiency rate is 21% in English language arts. The lowest is 4% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Rocketship Public Schools
Rocketship Public Schools is a charter network operating two elementary campuses in Fort Worth, Texas, both opened within the past few years. The district serves students from pre-kindergarten through fourth grade, with a total enrollment across both schools. The first campus, Rocketship Dennis Dunkins Elementary, opened in fall 2022 in the Stop Six neighborhood. The second, Rocketship Explore Elementary on Fort Worth's Eastside, launched the following school year. Both are tuition-free public charter schools.
The student body is predominantly Black, with a smaller Hispanic population and a small number of students from other backgrounds. Enrollment is relatively modest and distributed across the early grades, with the largest cohorts in pre-K and kindergarten, declining as grade level increases. Data on free or reduced-price lunch eligibility and special populations such as students with IEPs or English learners was not available.
Academic performance across the district is notably low by state standards. On the most recent Texas STAAR assessments, proficiency rates in both math and reading across tested grades ranged from single digits to the low double digits. In math, third graders showed the highest proficiency rate in the district, though still in the low range; fourth graders performed lowest. Reading proficiency was somewhat stronger, with third graders again at the top. Science proficiency at fifth grade was minimal. When looking across all performance levels including approaching and meeting standards, math remains particularly weak, with the majority of students not yet approaching proficiency. Reading shows somewhat more students in the approaching category, but mastery levels remain very low across subjects. The district ranks in the bottom quartile among Tarrant County's districts on overall proficiency. A parent may want to look further into the school's instructional approach, how it addresses foundational gaps, and what support systems it has in place to move students toward grade-level competency.
Chronic absenteeism in the district is also high, placing it in the bottom quartile among county districts. This may reflect challenges in school stability, family circumstances, transportation, or engagement that could be worth exploring directly with the school.
On the financial side, the district spends more per student than most others in the county, which might reflect the newer infrastructure and design of the campuses or the charter operational structure.
Rocketship's public charter status and personalized-learning model represent a distinct educational pathway for families in these neighborhoods. The network's rapid expansion suggests institutional confidence, though the academic results so far indicate the schools are still developing their instructional systems to serve their student population effectively.
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