Our weekly look back on everything Oakland education; the OUSD budget and enrollment numbers, good looks at homelessness in Oakland and beyond, the latest CA poll numbers, recaps of OUSD meetings, opportunities to help educators and more, please take a look
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Contents-Oakland
The Good the Bad and the Troubling in the OUSD Budget
Opinion: It Should Not Take A Natural Disaster in Oakland
The Report Oakland Needs to Read
Oakland shelter gives homeless teen hope for a future
Amid affluence, youth homelessness surges in the Bay Area
Opinion | The Wrong Way to Fight Gangs
GO Oakland Roundup: October 5, 2017 Digest
Breaking the Cycle in Oakland- A Woke Grandparent’s Story – Great School Voices
For Oakland youth and Families
Radio and Podcasting Class for Youth from KALW and EOYDC
Free Flu Vaccine Available For All Participating Oakland Elementary Schools
Meeting recaps
OUSD audit Committee
Measure N – College and Career Readiness Commission
OUSD Budget and Finance committee
Community Advisory Committee for Special Education
California
New poll: ‘Safe and positive school environment’ more important than higher test scores
Lawsuit: Foster child died after ingesting meth for second time
Schools face challenge bringing homeless children out of the shadows.
Shelters, cars and crowded rooms
LA County Office admits it shouldn’t have approved Long Beach’s LCAP
Best of the Rest
Civil-Rights Protests Have Never Been Popular
Latino dropout rate hits new low as college enrollment hits record high
Educator Opportunities
School Retool Fellowship Application
How you can help
Help an Oakland student and educator whose home was destroyed by fire
Support students with Listening Tools
Bring Coding and Engineering to Life with Lego Robots
Oakland
The Good the Bad and the Troubling in the OUSD Budget
Oakland Unified finally got some good news in its enrollment numbers, but there is still a financial crisis and given some statements by staff there is an even larger cultural crisis.
The Report Oakland Needs to Read
OUSD’s predicament of being a declining enrollment district while charter schools grow is not unique and it needn’t be so painful according to a new report out.
Oakland shelter gives homeless teen hope for a future
An audio story on the challenges facing homeless students in Oakland and the resources available to them, like the Dreamcatcher Youth Shelter.
Amid affluence, youth homelessness surges in the Bay Area
Nearly 15,000 children living in shelters, motels, cars or “doubled up” with other families.
Opinion | The Wrong Way to Fight Gangs
The administration thinks law enforcement is the answer, but education works better. Their story looks at Oakland International High School.
OUSD Audit Committee meeting was held on 10/2, you can see the agenda here
GO Oakland Roundup: October 5, 2017 Digest Dear GO Supporter, Welcome to the GO Oakland Roundup for the first week of October. In this edition, we’d like to update you on some tough decisions being faced by OUSD, as well as exciting developments within.
To honor Latinx Heritage Month, Latinx Literature read in we hosted a citywide appreciation of Latinx writers and illustrators from October 2-6, schools across Oakland will host volunteer read-alouds in classrooms, Family Literacy Nights, cross-grade buddy reading, and more.
Measure N – College and Career Readiness Commission met on 10/3, you can see the agenda here
OUSD Budget and Finance Committee had a meeting on 10/4; you can see the agenda here
ACOE Program and Agency Budget Committee Meeting were held on 10/6.
Community Advisory Committee for Special Education met on 10/6 at Bret Harte Middle School. Committee members and other participants heard learning’s from the September Study Session and discuss initiatives and changes currently underway for Special Education in OUSD
Breaking the Cycle in Oakland- A Woke Grandparent’s Story – Great School Voices
Connie Williams is a mother and grandmother of Oakland public school children, she also graduated from Oakland public schools.
Opinion: It Should Not Take A Natural Disaster in Oakland
The wake of the disasters that are plaguing our sister states and countries around the world, students, faculty, and staff from across Laney College.
For Youth and Families
Free Flu Vaccine Available For All Participating Oakland Elementary Schools. Shoo the Flu program will return this fall for teachers and students at elementary schools throughout Oakland.
Radio and Podcasting Class for Youth from KALW and EOYDC – Calling all East Oakland Youth 14-18! Tell a story you care about, in your own voice– take the Radio and Podcasting class from KALW and EOYDC.
California
New poll: ‘Safe and positive school environment’ more important than higher test scores A survey of California registered voters also shows strong support for school districts to devote more funds and resources to addressing the needs of the state’s.
Lawsuit: Foster child died after ingesting meth for second time. Attorneys for the family of a foster child who died after ingesting methamphetamine filed a federal lawsuit against Alameda County on Monday.
Schools face challenge bringing homeless children out of the shadows. A non-profit journalism website reporting on key education issues in California and beyond.
Shelters, cars and crowded rooms – An EdSource special report on how the housing crisis has forced more students into homelessness.
“Education for All: Serving California’s Most Vulnerable Children.” Edsource’s annual conference on 10/5 focused on looking at what schools and communities can do to ensure that all students succeed, especially in the wake of California’s landmark reforms and how current federal policies may undercut them
LA County Office admits it shouldn’t have approved Long Beach’s LCAP County officials are now demanding districts do a better job of justifying spending for low-income students and English learners under the funding formula.
Best of the Rest
Civil-Rights Protests Have Never Been Popular Activists can’t persuade their contemporaries—they’re aiming at the next generation.
Latino dropout rate hits new low as college enrollment hits record high. The high school dropout rate among U.S. Latinos has fallen to a new low while a record number of Hispanics are attending college, a Pew Research report finds.
Opportunities/Funding for Educators
10/15 – School Retool Fellowship Application: Oakland Winter 2018 Cohort Educate78’s School Design Lab and the Rogers Family Foundation, in support and collaboration with Oakland Unified School District, are excited to announce a second Oakland-based School Retool. Cohort.School Retool is open to school leaders in public schools throughout Oakland. We are seeking leaders who want to change the status quo of public education, are passionate about access to Deeper Learning for all students, are willing and ready to try out a new, immersive learning experience, and are committed to fully participating in the work of the fellowship. You can find more info here
12/16 – West Oakland School and Resource Fair Public · Hosted by Enroll Oakland Charters
Oakland families are invited to learn more about their public school options. There will be:
* School Booths (Elementary, Middle, High schools) – Visit with school principals, teachers and families
* Enrollment Booths – Explore and compare public schools using Oakland’s school finder. Get help with your online application and/or enroll online.
* Resource Booths – Learn more about support services provided by local community organizations.
How you can help
Help an Oakland student and educator whose home was destroyed by fire. Huber was an Education for Change student, and is now an Education for Change teacher in the Fruitvale neighborhood of Oakland. He and his family represent Oakland at its best, and in the early hours of Friday, September 8th, they awoke to their home on fire. Thankfully, nobody was hurt, but you can imagine the pain, stress, frustration, and anger in seeing your family home on fire. We are asking that you donate whatever you can to help Huber and his family respond to this loss quickly so that he can resume the job he loves and support his family. Help spread the word!
Support students with Listening Tools – A strong listening center is much needed in all elementary school classrooms. The stacks of CD’s and cassettes on a day to day for engagement, enrichment in both love for learning and academic standards. My students need a protected space with a CD player and timers to listen, learn and be heard. Be the first to donate | $484 still needed, Ms. Semana Aspire College Academy, Oakland CA
Bring Coding and Engineering to Life with Lego Robots at Oakland Sol. This is the second phase of our great robot adventure, where students experiment with engineering concepts and coding practice, as well as learning about the design phases of a technical project. My students need these EV3 Mindstorms kits to take their skills to the next level! 2 donors | $466 still needed… Give to Mr. Davis