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Unleashing Potential Across the Bay Area
Rocketship offers 13 tuition-free Bay Area schools, open to any student who wishes to attend. We don’t believe one size fits all when it comes to student learning, because each child is unique. We use personalized learning to meet every student at their own level. We partner closely with parents to understand the needs of their child, and welcome parents on our campuses at all times. As a result, Rocketship consistently ranks in the top 10% of all California public schools serving a similar population.
US News & World Report has named seven Rocketship California schools as among the Best Elementary Schools in the nation! US News has been the authority in ranking universities and high schools for many years, and this year is the first they’ve started ranking elementary and middle schools. These rankings are based solely on test scores – meaning that our schools are among the top in the nation, even compared to schools in wealthier zip codes. As the most populous state in the country, we are competing against an enormous number of schools – yet we come out ahead.
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We are now accepting applications for the 2025-26 school year. Apply here!
What Makes Rocketship Unique?
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Search AgainAmong Best in the Nation
US News & World Report named seven Rocketship California schools as among the Best Elementary Schools in the nation for the 22-23 school year! US News has been the authority in ranking universities and high schools for many years, and this year is the first they’ve started ranking elementary and middle schools. These rankings are based solely on test scores – meaning that our schools are among the top in the nation, even compared to schools in wealthier zip codes. As the most populous state in the country, we are competing against an enormous number of schools – yet we come out ahead.
The Rocketship Story
Our award-winning charter network has come a long way since launching our first school in 2016. We created a storybook of Rocketship Public Schools spotlighting the parents, teachers, students, and leaders that are working together to transform the future for resilient communities across the country. Watch the video of our story here!
Rocketship Parents Spark Change
A parent is a child’s first teacher and lifelong advocate. Parents hold extraordinary power to change outcomes for their children and improve the quality of their community. We believe every parent can become a parent leader – that’s why we create spaces for family and staff members to create change at the school, city, and state levels through each campus’s California Leadership Organizing Committee. Parents who get involved in this work aren’t elected and don’t need any past experience, yet they spark meaningful change. These committees organize everything from speaking with elected officials in Sacramento to hosting candidates running for local office to ensure parent voices are heard. Together we hope parents use their experiences at Rocketship to build power and create change in their communities for generations to come.
Lottery & Application Information
Rocketship is a tuition-free TK-5 public school and we accept applications from students entering grades TK-5. The application is free, there is no interview process and students are admitted by random lottery. All students who are residents of the Bay Area, including students with IEPs and English Language Learners, are encouraged to apply.
Families can apply to our schools through SchoolMint, the application system for Rocketship Public Schools California. Start your application online and remember to select your preferred Rocketship school when you submit your application!
Lottery Open & Application Launch: November 8th, 2024
Lottery Closes: March 12, 2024
Lottery Selections Made: March 13, 2024
Lottery Announcement to Families: March 17th, 2025
Our Executive Director
Maricela Guerrero is the California Executive Director. Maricela leads our Bay Area Region – overseeing all aspects of our 13 California schools. Maricela was a founding teacher at the first Rocketship school that opened in 2007 and has served as principal at two Rocketship schools in San Jose – including as the founding principal of Rocketship Fuerza Community Prep, a California Distinguished School. Under her leadership, Rocketship’s California schools routinely rank in the top 10% in the state in both math and English Language Arts performance among all districts and charter networks serving a similar student population. Guerrero’s focus on equity, diversity of teachers and leaders, and parent engagement continues to push Rocketship to new heights of success.
A daughter of Mexican immigrants, Guerrero first discovered the inequity of education as a student in south central Los Angeles. Zoned to a failing school, her talent as a musician earned her a spot at a high-performing public school across the city. Her steadfast belief that students shouldn’t have to leave their neighborhood to access a quality public education led her to become a teacher in 2001 in the Alum Rock Unified School District. She then joined Preston Smith as part of the founding team at L.U.C.H.A., an innovative, new elementary school in Alum Rock. In 2007, Guerrero and Smith launched Rocketship Mateo Sheedy Elementary, the first campus of Rocketship Public Schools.
Maricela received her B.A. in Latin American Studies with a minor in education from the University of California, Santa Cruz and a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Phoenix. After college, Maricela served as the executive director of the Boy Scouts of the Bay Area Peninsula – a role which further revealed the deep inequities in the Bay Area and the lack of opportunities for students of color in California.
Interested in enrolling your child?
Get more information about our tuition-free schools and the application process.
Ready to apply?
We’re currently accepting applications for our lottery. Submit yours today!
East Bay
2 Schools
Delta Prep
1700 Cavallo Road, Antioch, CA 94509
Delta Prep Rocketship Delta Prep is a high-performing public school in Antioch that uses our state-of-the-art, net-zero energy facility to teach students about environmental stewardship and STEM. We challenge each student to develop intellectual independence, creativity, and a sense of responsibility towards their community. At Delta Prep, we believe that teaching students to be courageous…Futuro Academy
2351 Olivera Rd, Concord, CA 94520
Futuro Academy At Futuro Academy, we partner closely with parents to create a school that is deeply connected to the community we serve. By showing our Rocketeers that we believe in their potential from the moment they start school, they learn to believe in themselves. They learn that they are in control of their future.…National
0 Schools
Peninsula
1 School
Redwood City Prep
909 Roosevelt Ave, Redwood City, CA 94061, USA
Redwood City Prep Over 400 parents came together to help bring Rocketship to Redwood City. The persistence, grit, and bravery these parents demonstrated in their fight to open our school, continues to define our school's culture today. Our teachers, students, and parents are relentless in their pursuit of excellence. And together, they are transforming our…San Jose
10 Schools
Spark Academy
683 Sylvandale Ave, San Jose, CA 95111, USA
Spark Academy We celebrate curiosity at Rocketship Spark. By nurturing and developing our students' natural curiosity, they learn to become critical thinkers who develop their own ideas, express their feelings, make responsible choices, and achieve success in school and life. At Rocketship Spark, our Rocketeers learn to love learning and our outcomes show exactly that!…Sí Se Puede Academy
2249 Dobern Ave, San Jose, CA 95116, USA
Sí Se Puede Academy At Rocketship Sí Se Puede we believe the true work of teaching is to foster a love of learning in all students. When students learn to love learning, they stay engaged in school, explore their passions, pursue their dreams, and grow to become productive and informed citizens who contribute to the…Rising Stars Academy
3173 Senter Road, San Jose, CA 95111, USA
Rising Stars Academy Rocketship Rising Stars builds the strong habits and critical skills that all students need to succeed in the 21st century. We empower our Rocketeers to develop and embrace their inner drive to pursue learning that meets and exceeds their needs. Deeper learning requires students to think, question, pursue, and create—to take agency…Mosaic Elementary
950 Owsley Ave.San Jose, CA 95122
Mosaic Elementary Rocketship Mosaic is built on the idea of taking full advantage of the wonderful diversity of our vibrant community. We celebrate our similarities and differences as we learn from one another about the world around us each and every day. The rich mix of ethnic groups, languages, and cultures in our school, make…Mateo Sheedy Elementary
788 Locust St., San Jose, CA 95110
Mateo Sheedy Elementary The school where it all started. In 1999, Father Mateo Sheedy created a scholarship to Santa Clara University. He was surprised to discover that of the hundreds of children in his parish, not one of them met the basic academic requirements to qualify them to attend a top-tier university. So he started…Los Sueños Academy
331 S 34th St, San Jose, CA 95116, USA
Los Sueños Academy At Rocketship Los Sueños Academy, we believe that every student is unique and that all students deserve the right to dream, discover, and develop their potential. Our approach to personalized learning combines individualized instruction, targeted tutoring, parent engagement, and robust social, emotional, and behavioral supports that enable our students to unleash their…Fuerza Community Prep
70 S Jackson Ave, San Jose, CA 95116, USA
Fuerza Community Prep Rocketeers at Fuerza Community Prep are inspired to relentlessly achieve excellence. Through rigorous instruction, deep partnership with parents, and ganas, we unleash independent, critically-thinking, and socially-active citizens who transform themselves and their community. US News also previously ranked Rocketship Fuerza Community Prep in the top 20% of all elementary schools in the…Discovery Prep
370 Wooster Ave. San Jose, CA 95116
= Discovery Prep At Rocketship Discovery Prep, we believe that teaching students creative expression has a profound impact on their social, emotional, and academic development. In addition to rigorous instruction in math, science, reading, and social studies, our Rocketeers are exposed to visual art, musical foundations, and dance. Our emphasis on creative expression helps shape…Brilliant Minds
2960 Story Rd, San Jose, CA 95127, USA
Brilliant Minds Rocketship Brilliant Minds is a proud and powerful community of parents, teachers, and students working together to build a brighter future for our kids and community. We celebrate "initiative" at our school and teach our Rocketeers to stand up, speak up, and take control of their future.Alma Academy
198 West Alma Avenue, San Jose, CA 95110, USA
Alma Academy Community spirit helped open Rocketship Alma in 2012 and it remains a cornerstone of the school’s identity today. Rocketeers at Alma learn to become change makers in their community who are fearless in their pursuit of equity and excellence. At Rocketship Alma, our soul is committed to service.Now Hiring Elementary Educators
All kids need a positive role model in their life. Someone who inspires them to strive for greatness and encourages them to unleash their full potential. Our teachers pride themselves on being role models to every student they serve. They lead by example and show our students that they have the power to change the world. And just as our teachers invest their time and energy in the growth of their students, we invest our time and energy in the growth of our teachers. We create countless opportunities for growth throughout the year. Our team of school leaders provides instructional frameworks, professional development, and real-time coaching for teachers every single week.
