Closing schools balances the district’s budget woes on the backs of the already most underserved parents. The reality of closings is that it does nothing for those parents who have been dis-served and will be displaced. Typically, they attend an equally low-performing school that is further away and/or less familiar. And while the district may…
School Choice
Taking Action to Improve the State of Black Education in Oakland-Demand 1—Break the Chains Between Segregated Neighborhoods and Quality School Access
“Without struggle there is no progress.” Long ago Frederick Douglass voiced the mantra of Black folks in America, and it still rings true. The numbers are dire. One in Six black children can read in elementary school, charter or district in Oakland. Black folks are being priced and pushed out, only 4% of Black families…
The Problem with the “Great School in Every Neighborhood” Platform
Everyone wants great neighborhood schools. Thing is, that has never existed in my experience, at least not in Oakland. And saying that our school improvement strategy is centered around something that has never happened is at best a remote hope, and at worst a lie that asks parents to wait for a savior that will…
The Slides You Need to See from the Oakland Achieves Report
The latest report is out on achievement in Oakland, and everyone should be worried about the general trends and also the disparities. There are some bright spots though, and it has important implications for district policy and the way we look at the range of public schools here. Too Many Schools Are Showing Declining Performance…
Will OUSD Leave $175 Million of Facilities Money on the Table
You would think that a district on the verge of bankruptcy, that is asking for another bailout, that has hundreds of millions in facility needs, and also cutting current projects, would not squander a hundred and seventy five million dollar state facility bond. But you might be wrong in Oakland. OUSD applied for and received…