CCPS Flight Academy shows early academic progress
- Shanda Crosby
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 5 hours ago
Learning doesn’t stop at the final bell for CCPS students. It takes flight.
Through the CCPS Flight Academy, an after-school remediation and enrichment program, elementary students are making meaningful academic gains while staying engaged and inspired.
Assistant Superintendent and Chief Academic Officer Kelly Fithen explained that Flight Academy is made possible through a 21st Century Learning grant, allowing the district to extend the school day by two hours for participating students.
The program operates daily from 2:45 to 4:45 p.m., immediately following dismissal.
Flight Academy provides targeted academic support in both reading and math, along with enrichment activities. In addition to targeted instruction, the grant allows the district to remove common barriers to participation.
“We’re very fortunate to be able to provide transportation and a meal to every student who attends,” Ms. Fithen said. Students receive dinner before heading home, in addition to their regular free breakfast and lunch during the school day.
The program launched earlier this school year with a small group of students as district staff worked through logistics and procedures.
Initial enrollment focused on students who previously participated in the district’s Literacy Liftoff summer program. Since September, enrollment has steadily increased as additional students have been added.
According to Ms. Fithen, enrollment at each elementary school has now grown into the 60–70 student range, with capacity limited by grant requirements that maintain a 15-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio.
To accommodate growth, the district has added teachers at several schools.
Fithen shared data comparing assessment results across multiple testing windows since the program launched in September.
According to the data, the district is seeing a reduction in the number of students performing two or more grade levels below in reading, along with an increase in students performing on or near grade level.
“You’ll notice that we are closing the gap,” Ms. Fithen said, referring to reading results that show fewer students three or more grade levels behind and more students moving closer to grade-level performance.
Similar trends were reported in math, with comparison data showing progress across performance bands. Ms. Fithen said the most promising results are seen when comparing early and later assessment windows, which indicate students are moving out of the lowest performance categories.
The district is continuing to monitor the data and adjust instructional supports for teachers involved in the program. Attendance has also emerged as a key factor in student growth.
“This program does run four days a week, and we’re seeing the most gains for students who attend all four days,” Ms. Fithen said, noting that full participation provides an additional eight hours of instruction per week.
Looking ahead, district leaders are planning to expand Flight Academy into the summer. The program will partner with Literacy Liftoff to offer a Summer Flight Academy throughout the month of June.
The expanded program will run 20 days, up from 18, and will increase instructional time from four to six hours per day, adding math instruction alongside reading.
The 21st Century grant is awarded for five years, though continued funding is dependent on federal appropriations. The district has confirmed funding for the current school year and the next.
Flight Academy reflects a broader effort to provide extended learning opportunities beyond the traditional school day while closely monitoring student outcomes.
“These numbers are very promising and support the structures we’re putting in place,” Ms. Fithen said. “We are continuing to look at the data and what instructional supports we need to put into place for the teachers who are running this program.”
