Micshell Bunton an Oakland resident, a proud mom of two boys, and a parent leader with The Oakland REACH. If you are a parent who wants to get involved in The Oakland REACH, please email [email protected]. I would do anything for my sons, especially when it comes to their education. I’ve spent more than a decade volunteering…
School Choice
The Geography of Opportunity in Oakland and How We Change it; Mapping Inequality in Housing, Health and Schools
“An African-American born in West Oakland can expect to die almost 15 years earlier than a White person born in the Hills” –Alameda County Public Health Department Report Some neighborhoods in Oakland provide ample opportunities, safe parks, high achieving schools, clean air, and a wealth of opportunities. Other neighborhoods don’t. And it is not a…
Accidents of Birth that become Harbingers of Death- A Tale of 4 Schools and 4 Miles and the Different Opportunities they Offer
Babies born less than 4 miles apart here have radically different chances. You can go to public school A in West Oakland, which is 92% free and reduced lunch, where not a single child scored at or above grade level in reading, and 1% are proficient in math. Or, not far down the block, less…
A Better Enrollment Process, a Frustrating Enrollment Season, and the Deeper Problem it Signifies
This was a historic year for public school enrollment in Oakland, but not everyone is happy. Parents in Oakland had better access and information about the public schools than ever. Families also participated in the district and charter open enrollment at historic levels. And kudos to the district enrollment office and Enroll Oakland, they pulled…
Two Numbers that Explain Why Oakland’s Black families Aren’t Caught up in the Public School Wars
Fifteen percent and fourteen percent. If you wonder why you largely don’t see Black parents engaged in the vitriolic debate over charters in Oakland—those numbers are the answer. 15% of Black elementary schoolers at charters schools can read at grade level. 14% of Black elementary school students at OUSD district schools can read at grade…