Last week, lots of coverage of the budget, post strike conditions, and the continuing fiscal crisis in OUSD and layoffs, congrats to our girls’ state basketball champions, new charter transparency rules, good look at vocational ed in OUSD, the need to reform Prop 13, all that and much more with links, please read, share, and…
I Got My School Offer for Next Year, What’s Next for Families
Congratulations to all those families who applied early for charter or district public schools during the open enrollment period, you should have received your offer March 14th, but applying isn’t enough. Families will need to accept or decline OUSD or charter school offers by April 2nd to assure their spot. And by responding quickly and also declining offers…
Tallying the Final Strike Costs In Oakland and Hoping for a Way Forward
Thankfully the Oakland teachers’ strike is over and kids and teachers are back in buildings. This was a painful time in Oakland for many of us, and there is still healing that needs to happen. There are tangible and intangible costs to this all—and while we can calculate the lost revenue to OUSD, lost salary…
Charter Schools Are Public Schools and the Latest Transparency Laws Will Make All of Them Act Like It
Charter schools are public schools by law in California, and the new laws signed by governor Newsom around charter school transparency will make all of them act like it. This is welcomed by many of us. After banning for profit charters last year, it is another important step in updating the charter law here. Granted,…
After the Strike; Starting the Healing Process and Doing Better by Black Students
By Charles Cole III I was a student at Oakland’s Westlake Middle School in the 90’s during the five-week strike that occurred. While I survived that strike, I worry about how we’ll come together now that the dust has settled with this latest strike. I worry about how the strike has affected all students, Black…