In 2013, Brittany Kinser, executive director of Rocketship Public Schools Milwaukee, assembled a team, including a coalition of families to launch the largest charter school opening in the history of Milwaukee: Rocketship Southside Community Prep.
Kinser has been at the forefront of the effort to collectively advocate for greater equity and excellence in public education, according to Lauren Taylor, regional director of operations for Rocketship Public Schools Milwaukee.
“Even as the (COVID-19) pandemic has disproportionately affected our Rocketship Milwaukee communities, Brittany ensured that Rocketship launched a high-quality distance learning and Care Corps program from day one,” Taylor said. “She has supported our Rocketeers and families through the pandemic, making sure that families connected to services and community organizations to meet basic needs beyond academic support.”
Core to the mission at Rocketship is activating “parent power” and ensuring that parents are equipped to advocate for their student throughout their education. Most recently, Kinser has helped organize parents from multiple charter schools in Milwaukee and Madison in conjunction with the team at City Forward Collective to create a coalition of schools and parent leaders to advocate for more equitable funding in public education for all students, Taylor said.