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In March 2006, John Danner submitted a charter school application to the San Jose Unified School District, which was filed accordingly by school officials without much comment or fanfare, marking the first attempt to launch what would eventually become the Rocketship charter network.

This seemingly nascent moment however, doesn’t take place until pg. 54 of On the Rocketship: How Top Charter Schools Are Pushing The Envelope written by veteran reporter Richard Whitmire.

To borrow an Internet meme, one does not simply apply to open a charter school, as Whitmire makes abundantly clear in this story full of successes, failures and the culmination of distinct personalities that built Rocketship to what it is today.

Whitmire structures the book with short chapters, in which a different part of Rocketship’s development is told. The eclectic, almost lyrical descriptions of each personality in the Rocketship saga provide the book with a vital human element.

In each section there are brief moments, some more innocuous than others, that piece together Rocketship’s founding, and what drove Danner, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, and other allies to send shockwaves through the American education system.

To be sure, the inspiring stories from Rocketship are characteristic of charter schools both large and small across the country, wherever an elevation of school culture positively affects students.

Arguably the book’s most heartwarming moment was the story of Daniella Martinez, a third grader reading at a first grade level, ambiguously labeled ‘special needs’ by the traditional school she attended prior to Rocketship. Upon first arriving to her new school, Daniella was understandably shy and rarely spoke. The Rocketship reading teacher had Daniella repeat three sentences: “I am smart. I am able. I will read,” creating an incredible turning point. The experience even galvanized Daniella’s mother Karen to become a parent leader and secure a better opportunity for her daughters that she never had.

Within just a few paragraphs, Whitmire captures the remarkably positive cultural shift that so many charter schools offer to students.

Of course, with Rocketship’s successes came setbacks. After bringing in Silicon Valley fixture Andy Stern to crack open the financial books, it became clear that the Rocketship rise would not be as meteoric as some would have hoped, and changes would have to be made to meet realities on the ground. Whitmire delves into much greater detail about Rocketship’s numerous challenges upon venturing out of San Jose.

Perhaps the book’s greatest strength is the intermittent presentation of enacted policies, speeches and announcements during Rocketship’s journey, providing a useful backdrop to the actions taking place in San Jose, Milwaukee, and elsewhere. Whether it’s a brief snippet about Race to the Top or Danner’s predisposition to enter jurisdictions with charter-friendly environments, Whitmire illustrates the importance of policy safeguards and strong laws that allow for quality charter growth.

Through the use of a single case study in Rocketship, Whitmire effectively issues commentary on the state of charter schools writ large, what’s working in districts nationwide, and how to truly make charters and the students they serve ready for liftoff.

On the Rocketship: How Top Charter Schools Are Pushing the Envelope is available here.