A Legacy of Literacy: My Journey with The Go Farther Literacy Fund

As I reflect on the recent announcement by The Mind Trust about the $50,000 Go Farther Literacy Fund awards, my heart swells with an indescribable sense of pride. This initiative, now a beacon of hope and support for families in Indianapolis, echoes a journey that began with a deep, personal understanding of the challenges faced…


The Oakland Ed Week in Review 12/2/23-12/8/23

It’s time for the Oakland Ed Week in Review!  We’re back with an edition of our weekly roundup of education news from around The Town, state and nation. This is a Dirk favorite and one of the last blogs he published for Great School Voices.  Here’s what’s going on this week: there was significant coverage…


What makes it a “distinguished school”? Touring AIMS College Prep Elementary School

To better understand why AIMS is one of the top performing schools in Oakland, we went behind the scenes for a school tour. We visited classrooms and spoke with students, educators, and administrators to better understand what’s going on.


Who’s attending Oakland’s four Distinguished Schools?

So what does that data from the California School Dashboard say about our award-winning schools in Oakland? It tells us that Black, Latino and low-income students have less of a chance of attending a distinguished school in Oakland than White, more affluent students.