Rocketship Wisconsin will receive $2.5 million from the U.S. Department of Education over the next five years to support its students, staff, and families at its two Milwaukee charter schools.
The nonprofit, which is part of the larger, California-based Rocketship Public Schools, said it plans to use the funds to accelerate academic achievement, support family well-being, develop and retain high-performing educators, and elevate parent power in advocating for educational equity and systems-change across Milwaukee.
Rocketship Wisconsin as one of only 30 schools nationwide of the new Full-Service Community Schools Grants from the federal government.
In an email to school supporters, Kadeem Gill, Rocketship Wisconsin’s executive director, said the funding “recognizes the incredible work” the local nonprofits schools – Southside Community Prep and Transformation Prep – to serve as community schools that take care of students, families, and neighborhoods both inside and outside of the classroom.
“Rocketship Wisconsin is the only grant recipient in all of Wisconsin and the only charter school organization in the entire country to be awarded this funding,” Gill added.
The grant will be spread over the next five years in $500,000 annual increments.
“Though we may be the only recipient in Wisconsin, we could not have won this award, nor can we do this work going forward, without our strong partnerships with other community organizations,” Gill said. Those partners include the YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee, Milwaukee Police Department, Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee, Wellpoint Care, Bellwether, City Forward Collective, and University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Office of Charter Schools, Ignite, and Carmen Schools of Science & Technology.
