Our weekly look back on what’s happening in Oakland education, here we have footage from the Sanctuary Schools conference, good analysis on the “too many schools” question, profiles of the challenges our homeless students face, reviews of the OUSD meetings, a “dreamer’s story” and much more Oakland education news, take a look and share
Oakland
Important look at our homeless youth and the need to do better by them (including by charters) Being homeless takes a big toll on kids in the classroom. Today, more than 1.3 million children and youth across the country fit that legal definition. Oakland Unified struggles to help homeless students as numbers soar
Good look at the data and research on the “too many schools problem” Check out these 7 facts about the question: Does Oakland have too many schools? Does Oakland have too many schools?
One of Oakland’s most impactful programs is showcased here Oakland program empowers African American boys to success Empowering African American boys to succeed in school and in life is the goal of a unique initiative at the Oakland Unified School District.
Salesforce Gifts $12.2M to Expand Computer Science in S.F., Oakland Public Schools – EdSurge News. Salesforce has been a strong partner in supporting public schools in Oakland, wish more businesses saw themselves as stakeholders and advocates for the schools– we need it in Oakland.
Salesforce has made a significant investment in schools, good look at Roosevelt, Salesforce.org is leading the way as it’s committed to helping the students of Oakland Unified School District Roosevelt Jr High School
Footage from the Sanctuary Schools conference– hundreds of educators, students, and community members came together to begin building “a movement of unafraid educators who are prepared to stand up with our families and empower students to be allies for one another.” Local artist and activist (and OUSD alumna) Favianna Rodriguez gave an inspirational keynote address that linked the current political climate in our country with economic inequality, migration patterns and ecology. You can see the plenary speakers, including Ms. Rodriguez, here. (I took this from Jody London’s newsletter). You can see some testimony in this brief video in which our immigrant students express their feelings about the current climate and their hopes for the future. You can learn more about Oakland’s commitment to being a sanctuary school district here.
Many upcoming educational events and opportunities for educators in Oakland listed here
Listen to a long time equity advocate and community organizer Mirella Rangel talk about community organizing, including the 1Oakland project she’s just launched at GO Public Schools Oakland Advocates : https://www.thegrproject.com/podcasts/mirella
Mid year transfers are lower at charter schools than at district schools, this blog compares the numbers from CDE
Audit Committee Met on 9/11 view the meeting agenda here
Measure G1 – Districtwide Teacher Retention and Middle School Improvement Act Oversight Commission held a meeting on 9/12 see here for agenda.
Measures A, B, and J Independent Citizens’ School Facilities Bond Oversight Committee met on 9/12 take a look at the meeting agenda.
Lots of important issues at this week’s board meeting– topping the list is the OUSD budget, take a look at the summary from GO Public Schools GO Public Schools Oakland Advocates
GO Board Watch: September 12, 2017 | GO Public Schools Oakland
The Kenneth Rainin Foundation has made a real difference in Oakland schools An Oakland Foundation Invests $3 million in Oakland Public Schools | East Bay Express The Kenneth Rainin Foundation, an Oakland-based philanthropic organization, recently announced that it has invested $3 million in 39 district and charter schools
Testing showed that Mack had elevated lead levels, Oakland’s Superintendent Guarantees Clean Drinking Water at McClymonds High School – Oakland Post
Great program to help elevate community voices of East Oakland residents— know anyone? The Oakland Voices community journalism project is recruiting East Oakland residents for 2017-2018 class. Oakland Voices recruiting for 2017-2018 program eastbaytimes.com
California
Our plan to the feds (the ESSA plan) has been critiqued for not being transparent enough California’s education plan must be more transparent about student performance. State can support schools and districts without shame and blame while also showing clearly how students are doing
Three crucial debates to follow at September’s California State Board of Education meeting Big questions on the State Board’s agenda–the release of testing data, the state’s ESSA plan, and questions on how the state should help underperforming districts. It’s the California State Board of Education’s last chance to change the federal plan it will turn in to Betsy DeVos.
California policy is finally catching up to the research Bilingual education advocates celebrate first new policy for English language learners in 20 years. The State Board of Education adopted the first new language policy in 20 years — the English Learner Roadmap, an online resource for school districts that will help.
How Can California Keep the DACA Dream Alive? States need to step up when the feds fall down. There might be little the state can do to offset one particular component of the damage.
What’s on the state board’s agenda -Facing a Sept. 18 federal deadline, the State Board of Education will vote on adopting the state plan for the Every Student Succeeds Act on the first day of a two-day meeting. That issue is Agenda Item 4. Also to be discussed are a revision to the state “dashboard” of school and district performance indicators, which will go online this fall, and an update on how state and county agencies are coordinating efforts to assist schools and districts with low performance (Item 3). Go here for the agenda; to listen to the webcast, starting at 8:30 am, go here.
Best of the Rest
Unbelievable they would block this… Congressmen Target ‘Relic of Ugly History’ in Education Spending Bill Members of the Congressional Black Caucus want to strike language that bars school districts from using federal funds to cover the transportation costs. A little-known provision buried deep in every education spending bill since at least 1974 bars school districts from using federal funding to cover the transportation costs of racially desegregating schools. Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., the top Democrat on the House education committee, and members of the Congressional Black Caucus want it gone. Scott tried to introduce an amendment scrapping the language to an education spending bill currently under consideration in Congress. But the amendment was nixed by the House Rules Committee, a gatekeeper panel that decides what changes lawmakers can offer to a particular bill once it reaches the House floor.
“My mother brought me to the United States when I was two years old. Imagine a single mother crossing the border with a toddler. Every step we took, we took together. “by Juan Casas Journey of a Dreamer and Engineer – Great School Voices The true stories of our dreamers, please read and share