Oakland has more school aged children that don’t attend a district or charter public school (17,572), than attend charters (11,774). Further OUSD has only lost 55 students since 2013-14, declining from 36,869 students to 36,814. These facts found in last week’s Board packets, further challenge the narrative that charters are the problem in OUSD and…
enrollment
The Importance of “Fit” and the Costs of Student Mobility
One of the schools I volunteer with is a “maker” school. It is built around empowering students to create their experience and even the physical environment. This starts day 1 of school where they literally construct, using tools and timber, the stool they will sit on. For some families and kids this is fun and…
Ending Separate and Unequal Schools in Oakland
Most everyone says they want integrated schools. Maybe not “too integrated” if you know what I mean, but “diverse” schools. There is a significant body of research that says it’s good for kids too. But integration ain’t happening. Schools nationwide are more segregated than they were decades ago and nothing will change until we affirmatively…
OUSD’s Year in Review and the Challenges Ahead
By most accounts Oakland Unified is doing pretty well. Our schools are as fully staffed as they have been in recent memory, public support is at historic highs, academically we are making progress and progress with some of most historically underserved students, and financially we are as strong as ever, with an improving bond rating.…
Where are 17,572 Oakland students?
There is a gaping hole in the Oakland enrollment debate and it is 17,000+ kids wide. While anti-charter activists argue against inclusion of charter schools in the Oakland Unified enrollment system, we are missing the forest through the trees, and have left behind 17,572 kids in the bramble. Oakland has roughly 65,740 school aged children,…