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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://kqed.org/news/tag/oakland-unified-school-district\">Oakland Unified School District’s\u003c/a> Latino Men and Boys program and Latinx Mentoring and Achievement program are aimed at helping Latino youth improve outcomes in their personal lives and studies, but a conservative-parents group claims the initiatives are discriminatory. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The nonprofit Defending Education filed a federal civil rights complaint \u003ca href=\"https://defendinged.org/complaints/defending-ed-files-civil-rights-complaint-against-oakland-unified-school-district-for-race-and-sex-discrimination/\">this week\u003c/a> with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, alleging the district violated Titles VI and IX of federal civil rights law by discriminating based on sex and race. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Over the past decade, OUSD has offered racially discriminatory programs to students ranging from high school seniors to three-year-old preschoolers,” the nonprofit said in a statement. “These programs provide additional academic support, mentoring, and even cash payments based on students’ race and sex.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/028_KQEDScience_IntCommunitySchoolOakland_10202022_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12014399\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/028_KQEDScience_IntCommunitySchoolOakland_10202022_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/028_KQEDScience_IntCommunitySchoolOakland_10202022_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/028_KQEDScience_IntCommunitySchoolOakland_10202022_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/028_KQEDScience_IntCommunitySchoolOakland_10202022_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/028_KQEDScience_IntCommunitySchoolOakland_10202022_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/028_KQEDScience_IntCommunitySchoolOakland_10202022_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Students run behind a wall providing shade in the schoolyard at International Community School in Oakland on Oct. 20, 2022. Defending Education claims in a federal civil rights complaint that Oakland Unified discriminated against white students. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Defending Education said the Latino Men and Boys program offers services that aren’t offered to white students, and the Latinx Mentoring and Achievement program for female-identifying and nonbinary students discriminates based on gender. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Unity Council, which helps operate the Latino student programs, did not respond to a request for comment, nor did the school district. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On \u003ca href=\"https://unitycouncil.org/program/youth-achievement-programs/\">its website\u003c/a>, the Unity Council said the programs “significantly increase” graduation rates and promote healthy lifestyles. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12028442/san-leandro-schools-tried-uplift-black-boys-now-they-face-discrimination-complaint\">Advocates, including those in the Bay Area, say\u003c/a> such programs are necessary to level the playing field for students. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/027_KQED_GrassValleyElementarySchoolOakland_04282022_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12080868\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/027_KQED_GrassValleyElementarySchoolOakland_04282022_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/027_KQED_GrassValleyElementarySchoolOakland_04282022_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/027_KQED_GrassValleyElementarySchoolOakland_04282022_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Students play a game during recess at Grass Valley Elementary School in Oakland on April 28, 2022. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Defending Education’s complaint, which urges the Office of Civil Rights to open an investigation into the district, isn’t the first time the group has made such claims. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Under the name “Parents Defending Education,” the conservative group \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12028442/san-leandro-schools-tried-uplift-black-boys-now-they-face-discrimination-complaint\">claimed\u003c/a> that San Leandro Unified discriminated against other students by offering programming specifically for Black boys. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Then, in San Francisco Unified, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081794/sfusd-new-ethnic-studies-curriculum-adopted-over-controversy-and-some-parents-complaints\">the organization raised concerns\u003c/a> over an ethnic studies curriculum that was ultimately adopted. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The parents’ organization is, according to its website, dedicated to “working to restore schools at all levels from activists imposing harmful agendas.” An “\u003ca href=\"https://defendinged.org/map/\">IndoctriNation Map\u003c/a>” on the site identifies incidents of diversity, equity and inclusion, ethnic studies, “indoctrination,” and other programs in schools across the country. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Its allegations against Bay Area districts, including the most recent against Oakland Unified, are tied to a nationwide movement by conservative leaders to end DEI and initiatives related to ethnic studies in K-12 schools. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In President Donald Trump’ssecond term, he signed an \u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/ending-radical-indoctrination-in-k-12-schooling/\">executive order\u003c/a> that called on the government to remove funding from schools that implement such programming. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Leaders in the West Contra Costa Unified School District \u003ca href=\"https://edsource.org/2025/west-contra-costa-unified-loses-big-chunk-of-federal-grant-to-support-students-mental-health/731842\">suggested\u003c/a> that the administration’s cutback on such services caused it to lose a mental health grant focusing on diversity. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Office of Civil Rights has not said whether it will open an investigation into Oakland Unified.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://kqed.org/news/tag/oakland-unified-school-district\">Oakland Unified School District’s\u003c/a> Latino Men and Boys program and Latinx Mentoring and Achievement program are aimed at helping Latino youth improve outcomes in their personal lives and studies, but a conservative-parents group claims the initiatives are discriminatory. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The nonprofit Defending Education filed a federal civil rights complaint \u003ca href=\"https://defendinged.org/complaints/defending-ed-files-civil-rights-complaint-against-oakland-unified-school-district-for-race-and-sex-discrimination/\">this week\u003c/a> with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, alleging the district violated Titles VI and IX of federal civil rights law by discriminating based on sex and race. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Over the past decade, OUSD has offered racially discriminatory programs to students ranging from high school seniors to three-year-old preschoolers,” the nonprofit said in a statement. “These programs provide additional academic support, mentoring, and even cash payments based on students’ race and sex.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/028_KQEDScience_IntCommunitySchoolOakland_10202022_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12014399\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Students run behind a wall providing shade in the schoolyard at International Community School in Oakland on Oct. 20, 2022. Defending Education claims in a federal civil rights complaint that Oakland Unified discriminated against white students. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Defending Education said the Latino Men and Boys program offers services that aren’t offered to white students, and the Latinx Mentoring and Achievement program for female-identifying and nonbinary students discriminates based on gender. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Defending Education said the Latino Men and Boys program offers services that aren’t offered to white students, and the Latinx Mentoring and Achievement program for female-identifying and nonbinary students discriminates based on gender. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Unity Council, which helps operate the Latino student programs, did not respond to a request for comment, nor did the school district. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On \u003ca href=\"https://unitycouncil.org/program/youth-achievement-programs/\">its website\u003c/a>, the Unity Council said the programs “significantly increase” graduation rates and promote healthy lifestyles. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12028442/san-leandro-schools-tried-uplift-black-boys-now-they-face-discrimination-complaint\">Advocates, including those in the Bay Area, say\u003c/a> such programs are necessary to level the playing field for students. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On \u003ca href=\"https://unitycouncil.org/program/youth-achievement-programs/\">its website\u003c/a>, the Unity Council said the programs “significantly increase” graduation rates and promote healthy lifestyles. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12028442/san-leandro-schools-tried-uplift-black-boys-now-they-face-discrimination-complaint\">Advocates, including those in the Bay Area, say\u003c/a> such programs are necessary to level the playing field for students. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/027_KQED_GrassValleyElementarySchoolOakland_04282022_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12080868\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/027_KQED_GrassValleyElementarySchoolOakland_04282022_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/027_KQED_GrassValleyElementarySchoolOakland_04282022_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/027_KQED_GrassValleyElementarySchoolOakland_04282022_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Students play a game during recess at Grass Valley Elementary School in Oakland on April 28, 2022.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Defending Education’s complaint, which urges the Office of Civil Rights to open an investigation into the district, isn’t the first time the group has made such claims. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Under the name “Parents Defending Education,” the conservative group \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12028442/san-leandro-schools-tried-uplift-black-boys-now-they-face-discrimination-complaint\">claimed\u003c/a> that San Leandro Unified discriminated against other students by offering programming specifically for Black boys. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The parents’ organization is, according to its website, dedicated to “working to restore schools at all levels from activists imposing harmful agendas.” An “\u003ca href=\"https://defendinged.org/map/\">IndoctriNation Map\u003c/a>” on the site identifies incidents of diversity, equity and inclusion, ethnic studies, “indoctrination,” and other programs in schools across the country. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Its allegations against Bay Area districts, including the most recent against Oakland Unified, are tied to a nationwide movement by conservative leaders to end DEI and initiatives related to ethnic studies in K-12 schools. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Leaders in the West Contra Costa Unified School District \u003ca href=\"https://edsource.org/2025/west-contra-costa-unified-loses-big-chunk-of-federal-grant-to-support-students-mental-health/731842\">suggested\u003c/a> that the administration’s cutback on such services caused it to lose a mental health grant focusing on diversity. \u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "It’s not the first time Defending Education has made such claims against Bay Area school districts.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://kqed.org/news/tag/oakland-unified-school-district\">Oakland Unified School District’s\u003c/a> Latino Men and Boys program and Latinx Mentoring and Achievement program are aimed at helping Latino youth improve outcomes in their personal lives and studies, but a conservative-parents group claims the initiatives are discriminatory. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The nonprofit Defending Education filed a federal civil rights complaint \u003ca href=\"https://defendinged.org/complaints/defending-ed-files-civil-rights-complaint-against-oakland-unified-school-district-for-race-and-sex-discrimination/\">this week\u003c/a> with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, alleging the district violated Titles VI and IX of federal civil rights law by discriminating based on sex and race. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Over the past decade, OUSD has offered racially discriminatory programs to students ranging from high school seniors to three-year-old preschoolers,” the nonprofit said in a statement. “These programs provide additional academic support, mentoring, and even cash payments based on students’ race and sex.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/028_KQEDScience_IntCommunitySchoolOakland_10202022_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12014399\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/028_KQEDScience_IntCommunitySchoolOakland_10202022_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/028_KQEDScience_IntCommunitySchoolOakland_10202022_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/028_KQEDScience_IntCommunitySchoolOakland_10202022_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/028_KQEDScience_IntCommunitySchoolOakland_10202022_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/028_KQEDScience_IntCommunitySchoolOakland_10202022_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/028_KQEDScience_IntCommunitySchoolOakland_10202022_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Students run behind a wall providing shade in the schoolyard at International Community School in Oakland on Oct. 20, 2022. Defending Education claims in a federal civil rights complaint that Oakland Unified discriminated against white students. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Defending Education said the Latino Men and Boys program offers services that aren’t offered to white students, and the Latinx Mentoring and Achievement program for female-identifying and nonbinary students discriminates based on gender. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Unity Council, which helps operate the Latino student programs, did not respond to a request for comment, nor did the school district. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On \u003ca href=\"https://unitycouncil.org/program/youth-achievement-programs/\">its website\u003c/a>, the Unity Council said the programs “significantly increase” graduation rates and promote healthy lifestyles. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12028442/san-leandro-schools-tried-uplift-black-boys-now-they-face-discrimination-complaint\">Advocates, including those in the Bay Area, say\u003c/a> such programs are necessary to level the playing field for students. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/027_KQED_GrassValleyElementarySchoolOakland_04282022_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12080868\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/027_KQED_GrassValleyElementarySchoolOakland_04282022_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/027_KQED_GrassValleyElementarySchoolOakland_04282022_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/027_KQED_GrassValleyElementarySchoolOakland_04282022_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Students play a game during recess at Grass Valley Elementary School in Oakland on April 28, 2022. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Defending Education’s complaint, which urges the Office of Civil Rights to open an investigation into the district, isn’t the first time the group has made such claims. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Under the name “Parents Defending Education,” the conservative group \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12028442/san-leandro-schools-tried-uplift-black-boys-now-they-face-discrimination-complaint\">claimed\u003c/a> that San Leandro Unified discriminated against other students by offering programming specifically for Black boys. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Then, in San Francisco Unified, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081794/sfusd-new-ethnic-studies-curriculum-adopted-over-controversy-and-some-parents-complaints\">the organization raised concerns\u003c/a> over an ethnic studies curriculum that was ultimately adopted. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The parents’ organization is, according to its website, dedicated to “working to restore schools at all levels from activists imposing harmful agendas.” An “\u003ca href=\"https://defendinged.org/map/\">IndoctriNation Map\u003c/a>” on the site identifies incidents of diversity, equity and inclusion, ethnic studies, “indoctrination,” and other programs in schools across the country. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Its allegations against Bay Area districts, including the most recent against Oakland Unified, are tied to a nationwide movement by conservative leaders to end DEI and initiatives related to ethnic studies in K-12 schools. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In President Donald Trump’ssecond term, he signed an \u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/ending-radical-indoctrination-in-k-12-schooling/\">executive order\u003c/a> that called on the government to remove funding from schools that implement such programming. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Leaders in the West Contra Costa Unified School District \u003ca href=\"https://edsource.org/2025/west-contra-costa-unified-loses-big-chunk-of-federal-grant-to-support-students-mental-health/731842\">suggested\u003c/a> that the administration’s cutback on such services caused it to lose a mental health grant focusing on diversity. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Office of Civil Rights has not said whether it will open an investigation into Oakland Unified.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "leave-your-phone-at-the-door-oakland-unified-bans-cellphones",
"title": "Why Oakland Unified Is Banning Cellphones",
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"headTitle": "Why Oakland Unified Is Banning Cellphones | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Class is back in session at OUSD schools this week, with one notable change: A strict phone-free policy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>KQED’s Katie DeBenedetti explains how a statewide mandate has pushed districts across the Bay to pass their own policies banning or restricting phones, and how it’s playing out in Oakland. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-megaphone wp-block-embed-megaphone\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=KQINC8565102522\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Links:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094226/ousd-cellphone-ban-for-students-takes-effect-on-the-first-day-of-the-school-year\">OUSD Cellphone Ban for Students Takes Effect on the First Day of the School Year\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Episode transcript\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This transcript is computer-generated. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:00] \u003c/em>I’m Ericka Cruz-Gavarra and welcome to The Bay, local news to keep you rooted. I remember about a year ago, I walked into a high school classroom and I was so shocked to find students with AirPods in, phones out on the desks, like so explicitly out. High school me could have never imagined that becoming the norm. But now, phone-free policies at schools have made a comeback. Oakland Unified has banned phones in schools across all grade levels. And districts across the state are banning or limiting phones as well. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gabriel Khan: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:44] \u003c/em>Although it’s not a silver bullet, I think it is like a necessary condition for a focused classroom that phones are not stealing young people’s attention. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:54] \u003c/em>Today, California’s push towards phone-free schools and what that looks like in Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:08] \u003c/em>So Katie, it’s the first week of school for Oakland Unified School District students and they came to school with a brand new cell phone policy. Oh, what is it exactly? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:20] \u003c/em>When kids walked into school on Monday, one of the first things that will now be part of every morning is putting their phones away for the whole day. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:30] \u003c/em>Katie DeBenedetti is a reporter for KQED. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:34] \u003c/em>That varies by school site, but in most elementary schools, they’ll have a lock box at the front of their classroom, and they’ll to put their phones in it for the day. And then in middle schools and high schools, they are going to be issued these pouches called Yondr pouches. They’re like canvas bags with a magnet at the top that locks during the day, their first period teacher, at least last year during the pilot phase was the person that kind of went around and made sure everyone. Had their pouch closed with their phone in it at the beginning of the day. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:08] \u003c/em>This is something that is happening at other Bay Area schools in a bunch of different ways as well. Why is this happening? Why are we seeing this sort of wave of no phone policy that schools happening across California? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:21] \u003c/em>In 2024, Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Phone Free School Act, which basically requires all school districts to restrict or prohibit cell phone use, and that went into effect this July. The reasoning behind that was there was research showing that less phones was better for learning, better for attention, and also for kids’ mental health. So… OUSD’s ban is on the stricter side. They’re gonna be a bell-to-bell ban for all students, but you’re right, a lot of Bay Area districts are adopting similar policies. The San Mateo Foster City School District has been using yonder pouches for a couple years, actually, and a couple of high schools on the peninsula have as well. Up in Marin and Tamm Unified School District, they’re introducing a very similar lockable box that are individual for students. And then there are a lot of other districts that don’t have these full bans. So San Francisco actually voted to kind of keep their existing cell phone policy, which is just that mobile communication devices have to be turned off, have to put away during instructional time and passing periods. A lot of Bay Area districts have also put in place these like similar less restrictive rules, though they vary. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:03:40] \u003c/em>And you mentioned OUSD has one of the more stricter phone policies. What was their rationale behind this specific cell phone band that they went for with these Yondr pouches? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:03:52] \u003c/em>Yeah, so when administrators were explaining why, you know, full ban versus partial van, they said it’s first of all just for consistency. You know, it’s a little bit easier for kids to understand.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Denise Saddler: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:03] \u003c/em>We want our students to be focused on learning in the classroom.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:08] \u003c/em>Here’s what Superintendent Denise Saddler had to say about the phone policy. That was a clip from ABC 7. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Denise Saddler: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:15] \u003c/em>We also see this policy as a way to deal with some of the social media issues that come up, particularly in middle and high school, quite frankly, you know, bullying and some of the issues that have caused challenges for our students. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:30] \u003c/em>Also, it kind of keeps people interacting during passing periods, during lunch, connecting face-to-face throughout the school day, and it eliminates distractions. Even if you see a text while you’re heading to class or at the lunch table, you might be still thinking about it when you’re in class wondering, am I gonna be able to respond again? But if you just wait until after school to see it to begin with, it’s supposed to be less distracting. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:56] \u003c/em>What has the reaction been from students and parents at OUSD so far? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:01] \u003c/em>I think it’s been somewhat mixed. I think, you know, parents on the first day of school kind of told us that they’re happy that their kids will hopefully be less distracted. What are your thoughts on this new no cell phone policy? One parent, Chris Connolly, spoke with our colleague Farida Jabvala-Romero on the first day at school. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Connolly: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:21] \u003c/em>Personally, I am quite happy about it. I think it will be great for the kids, especially the high schoolers, who can easily be distracted by phones all day. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:33] \u003c/em>Some of them did have some safety concerns and that was really echoed by a student I talked to, Blake Rodgers. She’s an Oakland Tech senior. I do understand. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Blake Rodgers: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:43] \u003c/em>I understand that phones create distractions in classrooms, but I do think that the safety issues that have been like pretty prevalent recently outweigh that goal. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:58] \u003c/em>She went to Skyline High School last year where there was a shooting on campus in the fall and she says it’s scary to think about not having access to her phone if something like that happens again.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Blake Rodgers: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:10] \u003c/em>Its really hard to get in contact with people, even with your phone, because we’re not always sure what’s going on without a phone. I think people will be completely left in the dark and that is a scary thing to be in. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:25] \u003c/em>That is kind of interesting and also a little chilling that sort of the main concern that you’re hearing against these bands is this idea of safety. And I have to imagine like school shootings are probably also top of mind for folks as well. How does OUSD respond to that criticism?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:44] \u003c/em>Yeah, so as part of the rule, OUSD says that students will be able to access their phones if there’s a genuine health or safety emergency or if a teacher or administrator or doctor authorizes it. So there are exceptions in emergencies. And also, administrators have said that the ban could actually help reduce misinformation spread during emergencies or even prevent conflict escalation that could be happening on social media or group messaging. So I think it could go, you know, a couple different ways. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:26] \u003c/em>We’ll have more with KQED’s Katie DiBenedetti right after this break. By the way, if you appreciate the local deep dives that we bring you on the bay, consider becoming a KQED sustaining member. Sustaining members really are the backbone of what we do here at KQED. Just go to donate.kqed.org slash podcasts. And thank you so much. We’ll be right back.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:08:01] \u003c/em>I mean, the reaction seems a little mixed, but I just have to imagine it’s overall, maybe a good thing that kids don’t have access to their phones at schools, maybe. I mean do we know whether bands like these actually work? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:08:17] \u003c/em>The research is pretty new because a lot of these bans are just in the last couple of years. But one of the biggest studies that’s come out so far showed that schools that had these strict bans noticed a decrease in student phone use. But they haven’t seen all of the behavioral or academic results that they had kind of hoped for. So in some cases, suspensions actually went up in the immediate period after the ban. Test scores haven’t, you know, had a mark. Improvement. But again, these are still pretty new and teachers at least in Oakland seem pretty excited about it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gabriel Khan: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:08:55] \u003c/em>Phones are engineered to take people’s attention and specifically young people’s intention. And so they really have no place in a focused classroom. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:04] \u003c/em>I talked to Gabriel Kahn, who teaches at Life Academy, and he said he and his colleagues have been really impressed. They’re noticing students are more attentive, they’re less distracted. One thing that he said that was funny to me is they’re using the bathroom a lot less.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gabriel Khan: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:21] \u003c/em>I would say bathroom use decreased in my classroom by 80%. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:26] \u003c/em>Because I guess that’s one of those places where teachers can’t be watching, so kids would often take their phone to the bathroom for a break. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gabriel Khan: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:35] \u003c/em>We do a pretty good job of making sure kids aren’t on their phones in the room, but when they go to the bathroom, it’s an unmonitored space, and if their phone isn’t put away in a yonder pouch, you can best believe that they’re on their phone when they take their bathroom break. I believe there’s a direct correlation between our instigating the yonderpouch policy and the massive decrease in bathroom use that we saw because there was no phone motivation to go to bathroom. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:04] \u003c/em>I feel like adults banning something doesn’t always mean that that thing fully goes away. There’s often ways that young people will find work around. Have we seen anything like that when it comes to this no phone policy at schools? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:19] \u003c/em>Yeah, that’s definitely something I was curious about, and it did not take me long to find how students are getting around these bands. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tik Tok: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:27] \u003c/em>Alright guys so I just got back from school and guess what they’re making us put our phones in these little pouches right here. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:36] \u003c/em>You know, I just did a quick TikTok search and found that kids are already sharing ways to open their pouches. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tik Tok: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:43] \u003c/em>So today, we’re gonna be making a tutorial so everybody can have their phone at school. Everybody and their mom’s gonna have their phones, all right? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:51] \u003c/em>One of them involves sticking two pencils on the sides of the magnet and like banging the pouch against something hard. And that has like a million views. So kids are learning pretty quickly how to get around these rules. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:06] \u003c/em>The irony of that also, of them recording themselves doing this. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:13] \u003c/em>How does this compare to your experience with your phone in high school? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:17] \u003c/em>There were really no restrictions on it. Our school blocked like certain apps, but even then we knew how to get around that, VPN apps, whatever. So I think it’s a familiar sight to see. Yeah, totally. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:31] \u003c/em>Well, Katie, the school year is I guess just starting and we’ll have to kind of see how this goes, but what big questions are you thinking about around these bands going forward? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:42] \u003c/em>Yeah, I mean, I’m definitely interested to see, you know, how many kids are able to kind of get around the bands. But I’m also excited to see after a couple years, if there is any effect on test scores on how much students are learning and mental health. I think that would be really interesting to see if it really is better for kids not to be staring down at their screens during lunch. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:07] \u003c/em>Yeah and I don’t know, maybe one day our classrooms will go back to like pen and paper? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:13] \u003c/em>We have the option, we have all the tools to do that, so we’ll see. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:20] \u003c/em>Well, Katie, thank you so much for chatting with me about this. Appreciate it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:24] \u003c/em>Thanks so much.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Class is back in session at OUSD schools this week, with one notable change: A strict phone-free policy. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Class is back in session at OUSD schools this week, with one notable change: A strict phone-free policy. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>KQED’s Katie DeBenedetti explains how a statewide mandate has pushed districts across the Bay to pass their own policies banning or restricting phones, and how it’s playing out in Oakland. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094226/ousd-cellphone-ban-for-students-takes-effect-on-the-first-day-of-the-school-year\">OUSD Cellphone Ban for Students Takes Effect on the First Day of the School Year\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This transcript is computer-generated. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:00] \u003c/em>I’m Ericka Cruz-Gavarra and welcome to The Bay, local news to keep you rooted. I remember about a year ago, I walked into a high school classroom and I was so shocked to find students with AirPods in, phones out on the desks, like so explicitly out. High school me could have never imagined that becoming the norm. But now, phone-free policies at schools have made a comeback. Oakland Unified has banned phones in schools across all grade levels. And districts across the state are banning or limiting phones as well. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:00] \u003c/em>I’m Ericka Cruz-Gavarra and welcome to The Bay, local news to keep you rooted. I remember about a year ago, I walked into a high school classroom and I was so shocked to find students with AirPods in, phones out on the desks, like so explicitly out. High school me could have never imagined that becoming the norm. But now, phone-free policies at schools have made a comeback. Oakland Unified has banned phones in schools across all grade levels. And districts across the state are banning or limiting phones as well. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gabriel Khan: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:44] \u003c/em>Although it’s not a silver bullet, I think it is like a necessary condition for a focused classroom that phones are not stealing young people’s attention. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gabriel Khan: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:44] \u003c/em>Although it’s not a silver bullet, I think it is like a necessary condition for a focused classroom that phones are not stealing young people’s attention. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:54] \u003c/em>Today, California’s push towards phone-free schools and what that looks like in Oakland.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:54] \u003c/em>Today, California’s push towards phone-free schools and what that looks like in Oakland.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:08] \u003c/em>So Katie, it’s the first week of school for Oakland Unified School District students and they came to school with a brand new cell phone policy. Oh, what is it exactly? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:08] \u003c/em>So Katie, it’s the first week of school for Oakland Unified School District students and they came to school with a brand new cell phone policy. Oh, what is it exactly? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:20] \u003c/em>When kids walked into school on Monday, one of the first things that will now be part of every morning is putting their phones away for the whole day. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:20] \u003c/em>When kids walked into school on Monday, one of the first things that will now be part of every morning is putting their phones away for the whole day. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:30] \u003c/em>Katie DeBenedetti is a reporter for KQED. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:30] \u003c/em>Katie DeBenedetti is a reporter for KQED. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:34] \u003c/em>That varies by school site, but in most elementary schools, they’ll have a lock box at the front of their classroom, and they’ll to put their phones in it for the day. And then in middle schools and high schools, they are going to be issued these pouches called Yondr pouches. They’re like canvas bags with a magnet at the top that locks during the day, their first period teacher, at least last year during the pilot phase was the person that kind of went around and made sure everyone. Had their pouch closed with their phone in it at the beginning of the day. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:34] \u003c/em>That varies by school site, but in most elementary schools, they’ll have a lock box at the front of their classroom, and they’ll to put their phones in it for the day. And then in middle schools and high schools, they are going to be issued these pouches called Yondr pouches. They’re like canvas bags with a magnet at the top that locks during the day, their first period teacher, at least last year during the pilot phase was the person that kind of went around and made sure everyone. Had their pouch closed with their phone in it at the beginning of the day. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:08] \u003c/em>This is something that is happening at other Bay Area schools in a bunch of different ways as well. Why is this happening? Why are we seeing this sort of wave of no phone policy that schools happening across California? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:08] \u003c/em>This is something that is happening at other Bay Area schools in a bunch of different ways as well. Why is this happening? Why are we seeing this sort of wave of no phone policy that schools happening across California? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:21] \u003c/em>In 2024, Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Phone Free School Act, which basically requires all school districts to restrict or prohibit cell phone use, and that went into effect this July. The reasoning behind that was there was research showing that less phones was better for learning, better for attention, and also for kids’ mental health. So… OUSD’s ban is on the stricter side. They’re gonna be a bell-to-bell ban for all students, but you’re right, a lot of Bay Area districts are adopting similar policies. The San Mateo Foster City School District has been using yonder pouches for a couple years, actually, and a couple of high schools on the peninsula have as well. Up in Marin and Tamm Unified School District, they’re introducing a very similar lockable box that are individual for students. And then there are a lot of other districts that don’t have these full bans. So San Francisco actually voted to kind of keep their existing cell phone policy, which is just that mobile communication devices have to be turned off, have to put away during instructional time and passing periods. A lot of Bay Area districts have also put in place these like similar less restrictive rules, though they vary. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:21] \u003c/em>In 2024, Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Phone Free School Act, which basically requires all school districts to restrict or prohibit cell phone use, and that went into effect this July. The reasoning behind that was there was research showing that less phones was better for learning, better for attention, and also for kids’ mental health. So… OUSD’s ban is on the stricter side. They’re gonna be a bell-to-bell ban for all students, but you’re right, a lot of Bay Area districts are adopting similar policies. The San Mateo Foster City School District has been using yonder pouches for a couple years, actually, and a couple of high schools on the peninsula have as well. Up in Marin and Tamm Unified School District, they’re introducing a very similar lockable box that are individual for students. And then there are a lot of other districts that don’t have these full bans. So San Francisco actually voted to kind of keep their existing cell phone policy, which is just that mobile communication devices have to be turned off, have to put away during instructional time and passing periods. A lot of Bay Area districts have also put in place these like similar less restrictive rules, though they vary. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:03:40] \u003c/em>And you mentioned OUSD has one of the more stricter phone policies. What was their rationale behind this specific cell phone band that they went for with these Yondr pouches? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:03:40] \u003c/em>And you mentioned OUSD has one of the more stricter phone policies. What was their rationale behind this specific cell phone band that they went for with these Yondr pouches? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:03:52] \u003c/em>Yeah, so when administrators were explaining why, you know, full ban versus partial van, they said it’s first of all just for consistency. You know, it’s a little bit easier for kids to understand.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:03:52] \u003c/em>Yeah, so when administrators were explaining why, you know, full ban versus partial van, they said it’s first of all just for consistency. You know, it’s a little bit easier for kids to understand.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Denise Saddler: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:03] \u003c/em>We want our students to be focused on learning in the classroom.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Denise Saddler: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:03] \u003c/em>We want our students to be focused on learning in the classroom.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:08] \u003c/em>Here’s what Superintendent Denise Saddler had to say about the phone policy. That was a clip from ABC 7. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:08] \u003c/em>Here’s what Superintendent Denise Saddler had to say about the phone policy. That was a clip from ABC 7. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Denise Saddler: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:15] \u003c/em>We also see this policy as a way to deal with some of the social media issues that come up, particularly in middle and high school, quite frankly, you know, bullying and some of the issues that have caused challenges for our students. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Denise Saddler: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:15] \u003c/em>We also see this policy as a way to deal with some of the social media issues that come up, particularly in middle and high school, quite frankly, you know, bullying and some of the issues that have caused challenges for our students. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:30] \u003c/em>Also, it kind of keeps people interacting during passing periods, during lunch, connecting face-to-face throughout the school day, and it eliminates distractions. Even if you see a text while you’re heading to class or at the lunch table, you might be still thinking about it when you’re in class wondering, am I gonna be able to respond again? But if you just wait until after school to see it to begin with, it’s supposed to be less distracting. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:30] \u003c/em>Also, it kind of keeps people interacting during passing periods, during lunch, connecting face-to-face throughout the school day, and it eliminates distractions. Even if you see a text while you’re heading to class or at the lunch table, you might be still thinking about it when you’re in class wondering, am I gonna be able to respond again? But if you just wait until after school to see it to begin with, it’s supposed to be less distracting. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:56] \u003c/em>What has the reaction been from students and parents at OUSD so far? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:56] \u003c/em>What has the reaction been from students and parents at OUSD so far? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:01] \u003c/em>I think it’s been somewhat mixed. I think, you know, parents on the first day of school kind of told us that they’re happy that their kids will hopefully be less distracted. What are your thoughts on this new no cell phone policy? One parent, Chris Connolly, spoke with our colleague Farida Jabvala-Romero on the first day at school. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:01] \u003c/em>I think it’s been somewhat mixed. I think, you know, parents on the first day of school kind of told us that they’re happy that their kids will hopefully be less distracted. What are your thoughts on this new no cell phone policy? One parent, Chris Connolly, spoke with our colleague Farida Jabvala-Romero on the first day at school. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Connolly: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:21] \u003c/em>Personally, I am quite happy about it. I think it will be great for the kids, especially the high schoolers, who can easily be distracted by phones all day. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Connolly: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:21] \u003c/em>Personally, I am quite happy about it. I think it will be great for the kids, especially the high schoolers, who can easily be distracted by phones all day. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:33] \u003c/em>Some of them did have some safety concerns and that was really echoed by a student I talked to, Blake Rodgers. She’s an Oakland Tech senior. I do understand. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:33] \u003c/em>Some of them did have some safety concerns and that was really echoed by a student I talked to, Blake Rodgers. She’s an Oakland Tech senior. I do understand. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Blake Rodgers: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:43] \u003c/em>I understand that phones create distractions in classrooms, but I do think that the safety issues that have been like pretty prevalent recently outweigh that goal. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Blake Rodgers: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:43] \u003c/em>I understand that phones create distractions in classrooms, but I do think that the safety issues that have been like pretty prevalent recently outweigh that goal. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:58] \u003c/em>She went to Skyline High School last year where there was a shooting on campus in the fall and she says it’s scary to think about not having access to her phone if something like that happens again.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:58] \u003c/em>She went to Skyline High School last year where there was a shooting on campus in the fall and she says it’s scary to think about not having access to her phone if something like that happens again.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Blake Rodgers: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:10] \u003c/em>Its really hard to get in contact with people, even with your phone, because we’re not always sure what’s going on without a phone. I think people will be completely left in the dark and that is a scary thing to be in. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Blake Rodgers: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:10] \u003c/em>Its really hard to get in contact with people, even with your phone, because we’re not always sure what’s going on without a phone. I think people will be completely left in the dark and that is a scary thing to be in. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:25] \u003c/em>That is kind of interesting and also a little chilling that sort of the main concern that you’re hearing against these bands is this idea of safety. And I have to imagine like school shootings are probably also top of mind for folks as well. How does OUSD respond to that criticism?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:25] \u003c/em>That is kind of interesting and also a little chilling that sort of the main concern that you’re hearing against these bands is this idea of safety. And I have to imagine like school shootings are probably also top of mind for folks as well. How does OUSD respond to that criticism?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:44] \u003c/em>Yeah, so as part of the rule, OUSD says that students will be able to access their phones if there’s a genuine health or safety emergency or if a teacher or administrator or doctor authorizes it. So there are exceptions in emergencies. And also, administrators have said that the ban could actually help reduce misinformation spread during emergencies or even prevent conflict escalation that could be happening on social media or group messaging. So I think it could go, you know, a couple different ways. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:26] \u003c/em>We’ll have more with KQED’s Katie DiBenedetti right after this break. By the way, if you appreciate the local deep dives that we bring you on the bay, consider becoming a KQED sustaining member. Sustaining members really are the backbone of what we do here at KQED. Just go to donate.kqed.org slash podcasts. And thank you so much. We’ll be right back.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:08:01] \u003c/em>I mean, the reaction seems a little mixed, but I just have to imagine it’s overall, maybe a good thing that kids don’t have access to their phones at schools, maybe. I mean do we know whether bands like these actually work? \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:08:17] \u003c/em>The research is pretty new because a lot of these bans are just in the last couple of years. But one of the biggest studies that’s come out so far showed that schools that had these strict bans noticed a decrease in student phone use. But they haven’t seen all of the behavioral or academic results that they had kind of hoped for. So in some cases, suspensions actually went up in the immediate period after the ban. Test scores haven’t, you know, had a mark. Improvement. But again, these are still pretty new and teachers at least in Oakland seem pretty excited about it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gabriel Khan: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:08:55] \u003c/em>Phones are engineered to take people’s attention and specifically young people’s intention. And so they really have no place in a focused classroom. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:04] \u003c/em>I talked to Gabriel Kahn, who teaches at Life Academy, and he said he and his colleagues have been really impressed. They’re noticing students are more attentive, they’re less distracted. One thing that he said that was funny to me is they’re using the bathroom a lot less.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gabriel Khan: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:21] \u003c/em>I would say bathroom use decreased in my classroom by 80%. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:26] \u003c/em>Because I guess that’s one of those places where teachers can’t be watching, so kids would often take their phone to the bathroom for a break. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gabriel Khan: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:35] \u003c/em>We do a pretty good job of making sure kids aren’t on their phones in the room, but when they go to the bathroom, it’s an unmonitored space, and if their phone isn’t put away in a yonder pouch, you can best believe that they’re on their phone when they take their bathroom break. I believe there’s a direct correlation between our instigating the yonderpouch policy and the massive decrease in bathroom use that we saw because there was no phone motivation to go to bathroom. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:04] \u003c/em>I feel like adults banning something doesn’t always mean that that thing fully goes away. There’s often ways that young people will find work around. Have we seen anything like that when it comes to this no phone policy at schools? \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:19] \u003c/em>Yeah, that’s definitely something I was curious about, and it did not take me long to find how students are getting around these bands. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tik Tok: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:27] \u003c/em>Alright guys so I just got back from school and guess what they’re making us put our phones in these little pouches right here. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:36] \u003c/em>You know, I just did a quick TikTok search and found that kids are already sharing ways to open their pouches. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tik Tok: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:43] \u003c/em>So today, we’re gonna be making a tutorial so everybody can have their phone at school. Everybody and their mom’s gonna have their phones, all right? \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:51] \u003c/em>One of them involves sticking two pencils on the sides of the magnet and like banging the pouch against something hard. And that has like a million views. So kids are learning pretty quickly how to get around these rules. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:06] \u003c/em>The irony of that also, of them recording themselves doing this. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:13] \u003c/em>How does this compare to your experience with your phone in high school? \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:17] \u003c/em>There were really no restrictions on it. Our school blocked like certain apps, but even then we knew how to get around that, VPN apps, whatever. So I think it’s a familiar sight to see. Yeah, totally. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:31] \u003c/em>Well, Katie, the school year is I guess just starting and we’ll have to kind of see how this goes, but what big questions are you thinking about around these bands going forward? \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:42] \u003c/em>Yeah, I mean, I’m definitely interested to see, you know, how many kids are able to kind of get around the bands. But I’m also excited to see after a couple years, if there is any effect on test scores on how much students are learning and mental health. I think that would be really interesting to see if it really is better for kids not to be staring down at their screens during lunch. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:07] \u003c/em>Yeah and I don’t know, maybe one day our classrooms will go back to like pen and paper? \u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Class is back in session at OUSD schools this week, with one notable change: A strict phone-free policy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>KQED’s Katie DeBenedetti explains how a statewide mandate has pushed districts across the Bay to pass their own policies banning or restricting phones, and how it’s playing out in Oakland. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-megaphone wp-block-embed-megaphone\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=KQINC8565102522\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Links:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094226/ousd-cellphone-ban-for-students-takes-effect-on-the-first-day-of-the-school-year\">OUSD Cellphone Ban for Students Takes Effect on the First Day of the School Year\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Episode transcript\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This transcript is computer-generated. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:00] \u003c/em>I’m Ericka Cruz-Gavarra and welcome to The Bay, local news to keep you rooted. I remember about a year ago, I walked into a high school classroom and I was so shocked to find students with AirPods in, phones out on the desks, like so explicitly out. High school me could have never imagined that becoming the norm. But now, phone-free policies at schools have made a comeback. Oakland Unified has banned phones in schools across all grade levels. And districts across the state are banning or limiting phones as well. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gabriel Khan: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:44] \u003c/em>Although it’s not a silver bullet, I think it is like a necessary condition for a focused classroom that phones are not stealing young people’s attention. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:00:54] \u003c/em>Today, California’s push towards phone-free schools and what that looks like in Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:08] \u003c/em>So Katie, it’s the first week of school for Oakland Unified School District students and they came to school with a brand new cell phone policy. Oh, what is it exactly? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:20] \u003c/em>When kids walked into school on Monday, one of the first things that will now be part of every morning is putting their phones away for the whole day. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:30] \u003c/em>Katie DeBenedetti is a reporter for KQED. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:01:34] \u003c/em>That varies by school site, but in most elementary schools, they’ll have a lock box at the front of their classroom, and they’ll to put their phones in it for the day. And then in middle schools and high schools, they are going to be issued these pouches called Yondr pouches. They’re like canvas bags with a magnet at the top that locks during the day, their first period teacher, at least last year during the pilot phase was the person that kind of went around and made sure everyone. Had their pouch closed with their phone in it at the beginning of the day. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:08] \u003c/em>This is something that is happening at other Bay Area schools in a bunch of different ways as well. Why is this happening? Why are we seeing this sort of wave of no phone policy that schools happening across California? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:02:21] \u003c/em>In 2024, Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Phone Free School Act, which basically requires all school districts to restrict or prohibit cell phone use, and that went into effect this July. The reasoning behind that was there was research showing that less phones was better for learning, better for attention, and also for kids’ mental health. So… OUSD’s ban is on the stricter side. They’re gonna be a bell-to-bell ban for all students, but you’re right, a lot of Bay Area districts are adopting similar policies. The San Mateo Foster City School District has been using yonder pouches for a couple years, actually, and a couple of high schools on the peninsula have as well. Up in Marin and Tamm Unified School District, they’re introducing a very similar lockable box that are individual for students. And then there are a lot of other districts that don’t have these full bans. So San Francisco actually voted to kind of keep their existing cell phone policy, which is just that mobile communication devices have to be turned off, have to put away during instructional time and passing periods. A lot of Bay Area districts have also put in place these like similar less restrictive rules, though they vary. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:03:40] \u003c/em>And you mentioned OUSD has one of the more stricter phone policies. What was their rationale behind this specific cell phone band that they went for with these Yondr pouches? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:03:52] \u003c/em>Yeah, so when administrators were explaining why, you know, full ban versus partial van, they said it’s first of all just for consistency. You know, it’s a little bit easier for kids to understand.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Denise Saddler: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:03] \u003c/em>We want our students to be focused on learning in the classroom.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:08] \u003c/em>Here’s what Superintendent Denise Saddler had to say about the phone policy. That was a clip from ABC 7. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Denise Saddler: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:15] \u003c/em>We also see this policy as a way to deal with some of the social media issues that come up, particularly in middle and high school, quite frankly, you know, bullying and some of the issues that have caused challenges for our students. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:30] \u003c/em>Also, it kind of keeps people interacting during passing periods, during lunch, connecting face-to-face throughout the school day, and it eliminates distractions. Even if you see a text while you’re heading to class or at the lunch table, you might be still thinking about it when you’re in class wondering, am I gonna be able to respond again? But if you just wait until after school to see it to begin with, it’s supposed to be less distracting. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:04:56] \u003c/em>What has the reaction been from students and parents at OUSD so far? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:01] \u003c/em>I think it’s been somewhat mixed. I think, you know, parents on the first day of school kind of told us that they’re happy that their kids will hopefully be less distracted. What are your thoughts on this new no cell phone policy? One parent, Chris Connolly, spoke with our colleague Farida Jabvala-Romero on the first day at school. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Connolly: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:21] \u003c/em>Personally, I am quite happy about it. I think it will be great for the kids, especially the high schoolers, who can easily be distracted by phones all day. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:33] \u003c/em>Some of them did have some safety concerns and that was really echoed by a student I talked to, Blake Rodgers. She’s an Oakland Tech senior. I do understand. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Blake Rodgers: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:43] \u003c/em>I understand that phones create distractions in classrooms, but I do think that the safety issues that have been like pretty prevalent recently outweigh that goal. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:05:58] \u003c/em>She went to Skyline High School last year where there was a shooting on campus in the fall and she says it’s scary to think about not having access to her phone if something like that happens again.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Blake Rodgers: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:10] \u003c/em>Its really hard to get in contact with people, even with your phone, because we’re not always sure what’s going on without a phone. I think people will be completely left in the dark and that is a scary thing to be in. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:25] \u003c/em>That is kind of interesting and also a little chilling that sort of the main concern that you’re hearing against these bands is this idea of safety. And I have to imagine like school shootings are probably also top of mind for folks as well. How does OUSD respond to that criticism?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:06:44] \u003c/em>Yeah, so as part of the rule, OUSD says that students will be able to access their phones if there’s a genuine health or safety emergency or if a teacher or administrator or doctor authorizes it. So there are exceptions in emergencies. And also, administrators have said that the ban could actually help reduce misinformation spread during emergencies or even prevent conflict escalation that could be happening on social media or group messaging. So I think it could go, you know, a couple different ways. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:07:26] \u003c/em>We’ll have more with KQED’s Katie DiBenedetti right after this break. By the way, if you appreciate the local deep dives that we bring you on the bay, consider becoming a KQED sustaining member. Sustaining members really are the backbone of what we do here at KQED. Just go to donate.kqed.org slash podcasts. And thank you so much. We’ll be right back.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:08:01] \u003c/em>I mean, the reaction seems a little mixed, but I just have to imagine it’s overall, maybe a good thing that kids don’t have access to their phones at schools, maybe. I mean do we know whether bands like these actually work? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:08:17] \u003c/em>The research is pretty new because a lot of these bans are just in the last couple of years. But one of the biggest studies that’s come out so far showed that schools that had these strict bans noticed a decrease in student phone use. But they haven’t seen all of the behavioral or academic results that they had kind of hoped for. So in some cases, suspensions actually went up in the immediate period after the ban. Test scores haven’t, you know, had a mark. Improvement. But again, these are still pretty new and teachers at least in Oakland seem pretty excited about it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gabriel Khan: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:08:55] \u003c/em>Phones are engineered to take people’s attention and specifically young people’s intention. And so they really have no place in a focused classroom. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:04] \u003c/em>I talked to Gabriel Kahn, who teaches at Life Academy, and he said he and his colleagues have been really impressed. They’re noticing students are more attentive, they’re less distracted. One thing that he said that was funny to me is they’re using the bathroom a lot less.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gabriel Khan: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:21] \u003c/em>I would say bathroom use decreased in my classroom by 80%. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:26] \u003c/em>Because I guess that’s one of those places where teachers can’t be watching, so kids would often take their phone to the bathroom for a break. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gabriel Khan: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:09:35] \u003c/em>We do a pretty good job of making sure kids aren’t on their phones in the room, but when they go to the bathroom, it’s an unmonitored space, and if their phone isn’t put away in a yonder pouch, you can best believe that they’re on their phone when they take their bathroom break. I believe there’s a direct correlation between our instigating the yonderpouch policy and the massive decrease in bathroom use that we saw because there was no phone motivation to go to bathroom. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:04] \u003c/em>I feel like adults banning something doesn’t always mean that that thing fully goes away. There’s often ways that young people will find work around. Have we seen anything like that when it comes to this no phone policy at schools? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:19] \u003c/em>Yeah, that’s definitely something I was curious about, and it did not take me long to find how students are getting around these bands. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tik Tok: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:27] \u003c/em>Alright guys so I just got back from school and guess what they’re making us put our phones in these little pouches right here. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:36] \u003c/em>You know, I just did a quick TikTok search and found that kids are already sharing ways to open their pouches. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tik Tok: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:43] \u003c/em>So today, we’re gonna be making a tutorial so everybody can have their phone at school. Everybody and their mom’s gonna have their phones, all right? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:10:51] \u003c/em>One of them involves sticking two pencils on the sides of the magnet and like banging the pouch against something hard. And that has like a million views. So kids are learning pretty quickly how to get around these rules. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:06] \u003c/em>The irony of that also, of them recording themselves doing this. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:13] \u003c/em>How does this compare to your experience with your phone in high school? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:17] \u003c/em>There were really no restrictions on it. Our school blocked like certain apps, but even then we knew how to get around that, VPN apps, whatever. So I think it’s a familiar sight to see. Yeah, totally. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:31] \u003c/em>Well, Katie, the school year is I guess just starting and we’ll have to kind of see how this goes, but what big questions are you thinking about around these bands going forward? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:11:42] \u003c/em>Yeah, I mean, I’m definitely interested to see, you know, how many kids are able to kind of get around the bands. But I’m also excited to see after a couple years, if there is any effect on test scores on how much students are learning and mental health. I think that would be really interesting to see if it really is better for kids not to be staring down at their screens during lunch. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:07] \u003c/em>Yeah and I don’t know, maybe one day our classrooms will go back to like pen and paper? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:13] \u003c/em>We have the option, we have all the tools to do that, so we’ll see. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:20] \u003c/em>Well, Katie, thank you so much for chatting with me about this. Appreciate it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie DeBenedetti: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[00:12:24] \u003c/em>Thanks so much.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "OUSD Cellphone Ban for Students Takes Effect on the First Day of the School Year",
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"content": "\u003cp>As \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland-unified-school-district\">Oakland students\u003c/a> arrive back on campus on Monday, they’ll start their school year with a new daily routine — locking their cellphones away in boxes and pouches, instead of having access to them on campus. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Oakland Unified School District in June approved a cellphone ban on its 80 campuses, in line with a state mandate that took effect over the summer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>OUSD’s policy, according to Superintendent Denise Saddler, is simple: “Every school day is now a Cell Phone Free Day.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-04_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12043210\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-04_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-04_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-04_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Oakland Unified School District Offices in Oakland on April 28, 2025. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“During class, between classes, and during lunch, students will not be allowed to use their cell phones except in limited circumstances,” she wrote in a letter to families in July. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>How schools restrict cellphones on campus has become a controversial issue for districts across the state, as they balance concerns about distraction and cyberbullying with some parents’ desire to maintain communication with their children throughout the day. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bay Area school districts in San Mateo, San José and Marin have tightened cellphone restrictions in recent years, and in 2024, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed new \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/09/23/governor-newsom-signs-legislation-to-limit-the-use-of-smartphones-during-school-hours/\">legislation\u003c/a> requiring districts to develop rules restricting student cellphone use during school by July 1. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Oakland’s enforcement methods will be two-fold: at most elementary campuses, students will be required to put their phones in classroom lockboxes, while at the secondary level, students will put their devices in individual pouches, called Yondr Pouches, that lock during school hours. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Phone bans have already been in effect at some campuses, including Life Academy in East Oakland, which piloted the Yondr Pouch system during the 2025-26 school year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the sixth through eighth grade campus in East Oakland, students are required to put their phone in the lockable, fabric bag at the start of the school day.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Their first period teacher — which for middle schoolers is an advisory and varies for high schoolers depending on their schedule — is required to do a pouch check each morning, according to eighth grade humanities teacher Gabriel Kahn. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Students keep their devices, which are locked in their pouch, throughout the day. It is unlocked at dismissal, according to OUSD.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/AIGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12092171\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/AIGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/AIGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/AIGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A 14-year-old boy looks at an iPhone screen displaying various social media and messaging apps on March 29, 2026, in Bath, England. (Anna Barclay/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The results were phenomenal,” Kahn said. “We saw a decrease in school drama, we saw an increase in focus, we saw an increase in attention from our students.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One of the biggest differences, he said, is how often students left class to use the restroom. He said in his classroom, student bathroom use decreased by about 80% compared to previous years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We do a pretty good job of making sure kids aren’t on their phones in the room, but when they go to the bathroom, it’s an unmonitored space,” Kahn said. “If their phone isn’t put away in a Yondr Pouch, you can best believe that they’re on their phone.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Blake Rodgers, a rising senior at Oakland Tech, said she understands the district’s desire to eliminate distractions, but worries about safety without her phone, especially after a shooting and other recent violence on OUSD campuses. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s really hard to get in contact with people, even with your phone,” she said. “Without a phone, I think people will be completely left in the dark, and that is a scary thing to be in.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While OUSD’s policy rolls out next week, other districts have been using Yondr Pouches for years, including the San Mateo-Foster City School District, which rolled out the technology in the fall of 2022. San Mateo’s high school district also utilizes the pouches on multiple campuses. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250418-SFUSD-01-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12046126\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250418-SFUSD-01-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250418-SFUSD-01-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250418-SFUSD-01-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The San Francisco Unified School District Administrative Offices in San Francisco on April 18, 2025. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In Marin, the Tam Unified School District has required students to put their phones in numbered pouches during class periods since 2024, but strengthened its policy ahead of this fall, introducing locked plastic storage boxes that will block all use during the school day. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San Francisco’s school district avoided implementing a full ban, opting instead to maintain its existing cellphone policy, which states that “mobile communication devices shall be turned off and put away during instructional time, including during passing period.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to Saddler’s letter, Oakland students will be allowed to access their phones under multiple circumstances per the state law, including if they have a health or safety emergency, or when a teacher, administrator or doctor authorizes it.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland-unified-school-district\">Oakland students\u003c/a> arrive back on campus on Monday, they’ll start their school year with a new daily routine — locking their cellphones away in boxes and pouches, instead of having access to them on campus. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland-unified-school-district\">Oakland students\u003c/a> arrive back on campus on Monday, they’ll start their school year with a new daily routine — locking their cellphones away in boxes and pouches, instead of having access to them on campus. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Oakland Unified School District in June approved a cellphone ban on its 80 campuses, in line with a state mandate that took effect over the summer. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>OUSD’s policy, according to Superintendent Denise Saddler, is simple: “Every school day is now a Cell Phone Free Day.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“During class, between classes, and during lunch, students will not be allowed to use their cell phones except in limited circumstances,” she wrote in a letter to families in July. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>How schools restrict cellphones on campus has become a controversial issue for districts across the state, as they balance concerns about distraction and cyberbullying with some parents’ desire to maintain communication with their children throughout the day. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>How schools restrict cellphones on campus has become a controversial issue for districts across the state, as they balance concerns about distraction and cyberbullying with some parents’ desire to maintain communication with their children throughout the day. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Bay Area school districts in San Mateo, San José and Marin have tightened cellphone restrictions in recent years, and in 2024, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed new \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/09/23/governor-newsom-signs-legislation-to-limit-the-use-of-smartphones-during-school-hours/\">legislation\u003c/a> requiring districts to develop rules restricting student cellphone use during school by July 1. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Oakland’s enforcement methods will be two-fold: at most elementary campuses, students will be required to put their phones in classroom lockboxes, while at the secondary level, students will put their devices in individual pouches, called Yondr Pouches, that lock during school hours. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Oakland’s enforcement methods will be two-fold: at most elementary campuses, students will be required to put their phones in classroom lockboxes, while at the secondary level, students will put their devices in individual pouches, called Yondr Pouches, that lock during school hours. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Phone bans have already been in effect at some campuses, including Life Academy in East Oakland, which piloted the Yondr Pouch system during the 2025-26 school year. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At the sixth through eighth grade campus in East Oakland, students are required to put their phone in the lockable, fabric bag at the start of the school day.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Their first period teacher — which for middle schoolers is an advisory and varies for high schoolers depending on their schedule — is required to do a pouch check each morning, according to eighth grade humanities teacher Gabriel Kahn. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Their first period teacher — which for middle schoolers is an advisory and varies for high schoolers depending on their schedule — is required to do a pouch check each morning, according to eighth grade humanities teacher Gabriel Kahn. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Students keep their devices, which are locked in their pouch, throughout the day. It is unlocked at dismissal, according to OUSD.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Students keep their devices, which are locked in their pouch, throughout the day. It is unlocked at dismissal, according to OUSD.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/AIGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12092171\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/AIGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/AIGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/AIGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A 14-year-old boy looks at an iPhone screen displaying various social media and messaging apps on March 29, 2026, in Bath, England.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The results were phenomenal,” Kahn said. “We saw a decrease in school drama, we saw an increase in focus, we saw an increase in attention from our students.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One of the biggest differences, he said, is how often students left class to use the restroom. He said in his classroom, student bathroom use decreased by about 80% compared to previous years.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We do a pretty good job of making sure kids aren’t on their phones in the room, but when they go to the bathroom, it’s an unmonitored space,” Kahn said. “If their phone isn’t put away in a Yondr Pouch, you can best believe that they’re on their phone.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Blake Rodgers, a rising senior at Oakland Tech, said she understands the district’s desire to eliminate distractions, but worries about safety without her phone, especially after a shooting and other recent violence on OUSD campuses. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Blake Rodgers, a rising senior at Oakland Tech, said she understands the district’s desire to eliminate distractions, but worries about safety without her phone, especially after a shooting and other recent violence on OUSD campuses. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s really hard to get in contact with people, even with your phone,” she said. “Without a phone, I think people will be completely left in the dark, and that is a scary thing to be in.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s really hard to get in contact with people, even with your phone,” she said. “Without a phone, I think people will be completely left in the dark, and that is a scary thing to be in.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While OUSD’s policy rolls out next week, other districts have been using Yondr Pouches for years, including the San Mateo-Foster City School District, which rolled out the technology in the fall of 2022. San Mateo’s high school district also utilizes the pouches on multiple campuses. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In Marin, the Tam Unified School District has required students to put their phones in numbered pouches during class periods since 2024, but strengthened its policy ahead of this fall, introducing locked plastic storage boxes that will block all use during the school day. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San Francisco’s school district avoided implementing a full ban, opting instead to maintain its existing cellphone policy, which states that “mobile communication devices shall be turned off and put away during instructional time, including during passing period.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to Saddler’s letter, Oakland students will be allowed to access their phones under multiple circumstances per the state law, including if they have a health or safety emergency, or when a teacher, administrator or doctor authorizes it.\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>As \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland-unified-school-district\">Oakland students\u003c/a> arrive back on campus on Monday, they’ll start their school year with a new daily routine — locking their cellphones away in boxes and pouches, instead of having access to them on campus. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Oakland Unified School District in June approved a cellphone ban on its 80 campuses, in line with a state mandate that took effect over the summer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>OUSD’s policy, according to Superintendent Denise Saddler, is simple: “Every school day is now a Cell Phone Free Day.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-04_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12043210\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-04_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-04_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-04_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Oakland Unified School District Offices in Oakland on April 28, 2025. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“During class, between classes, and during lunch, students will not be allowed to use their cell phones except in limited circumstances,” she wrote in a letter to families in July. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>How schools restrict cellphones on campus has become a controversial issue for districts across the state, as they balance concerns about distraction and cyberbullying with some parents’ desire to maintain communication with their children throughout the day. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bay Area school districts in San Mateo, San José and Marin have tightened cellphone restrictions in recent years, and in 2024, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed new \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/09/23/governor-newsom-signs-legislation-to-limit-the-use-of-smartphones-during-school-hours/\">legislation\u003c/a> requiring districts to develop rules restricting student cellphone use during school by July 1. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Oakland’s enforcement methods will be two-fold: at most elementary campuses, students will be required to put their phones in classroom lockboxes, while at the secondary level, students will put their devices in individual pouches, called Yondr Pouches, that lock during school hours. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Phone bans have already been in effect at some campuses, including Life Academy in East Oakland, which piloted the Yondr Pouch system during the 2025-26 school year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the sixth through eighth grade campus in East Oakland, students are required to put their phone in the lockable, fabric bag at the start of the school day.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Their first period teacher — which for middle schoolers is an advisory and varies for high schoolers depending on their schedule — is required to do a pouch check each morning, according to eighth grade humanities teacher Gabriel Kahn. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Students keep their devices, which are locked in their pouch, throughout the day. It is unlocked at dismissal, according to OUSD.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/AIGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12092171\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/AIGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/AIGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/AIGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A 14-year-old boy looks at an iPhone screen displaying various social media and messaging apps on March 29, 2026, in Bath, England. (Anna Barclay/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The results were phenomenal,” Kahn said. “We saw a decrease in school drama, we saw an increase in focus, we saw an increase in attention from our students.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One of the biggest differences, he said, is how often students left class to use the restroom. He said in his classroom, student bathroom use decreased by about 80% compared to previous years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We do a pretty good job of making sure kids aren’t on their phones in the room, but when they go to the bathroom, it’s an unmonitored space,” Kahn said. “If their phone isn’t put away in a Yondr Pouch, you can best believe that they’re on their phone.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Blake Rodgers, a rising senior at Oakland Tech, said she understands the district’s desire to eliminate distractions, but worries about safety without her phone, especially after a shooting and other recent violence on OUSD campuses. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s really hard to get in contact with people, even with your phone,” she said. “Without a phone, I think people will be completely left in the dark, and that is a scary thing to be in.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While OUSD’s policy rolls out next week, other districts have been using Yondr Pouches for years, including the San Mateo-Foster City School District, which rolled out the technology in the fall of 2022. San Mateo’s high school district also utilizes the pouches on multiple campuses. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250418-SFUSD-01-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12046126\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250418-SFUSD-01-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250418-SFUSD-01-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250418-SFUSD-01-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The San Francisco Unified School District Administrative Offices in San Francisco on April 18, 2025. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In Marin, the Tam Unified School District has required students to put their phones in numbered pouches during class periods since 2024, but strengthened its policy ahead of this fall, introducing locked plastic storage boxes that will block all use during the school day. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San Francisco’s school district avoided implementing a full ban, opting instead to maintain its existing cellphone policy, which states that “mobile communication devices shall be turned off and put away during instructional time, including during passing period.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to Saddler’s letter, Oakland students will be allowed to access their phones under multiple circumstances per the state law, including if they have a health or safety emergency, or when a teacher, administrator or doctor authorizes it.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Oakland School Board Set to Extend Denise Saddler’s Superintendent Contract",
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"content": "\u003cp>Oakland’s school board plans to vote Wednesday to extend its \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12042255/oaklands-school-board-picks-crisis-tested-leader-as-interim-superintendent\">interim chief’s term\u003c/a> and make her the official superintendent, despite \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080861/oakland-unified-has-no-plan-for-fiscal-solvency-top-alameda-county-schools-chief-warns\">mounting calls\u003c/a> from district administrators and county officials to hire a long-term leader.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Interim Superintendent Denise Saddler will have her contract with Oakland Unified School District extended through the 2026-27 academic year, with a salary of $367,765.45 per year, according to an employment agreement expected to be approved on Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oakland’s school board previously initiated plans to select a permanent superintendent by the fall, but quietly delayed the search earlier this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The proposed agreement reflects the [board of education’s] determination that continuity in executive leadership is in the best interests of the district as Oakland Unified continues implementation of its fiscal stabilization strategies, academic priorities, labor relations initiatives, and operational improvements,” Saddler’s employment agreement reads.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Saddler took the helm of the district to serve as a transitional leader after longtime superintendent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12037315/oakland-school-board-votes-remove-superintendent-sparking-worries-instability\">Kyla Johnson-Trammell departed unexpectedly\u003c/a> amid disagreements with the school board last spring.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Saddler’s initial contract last June set out a yearlong term, which the district wrote would “allow for a robust search for a permanent superintendent,” expected to take over in July 2026.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12041367\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12041367\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1316\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-800x526.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-1020x671.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-160x105.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-1536x1011.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-1920x1263.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland Unified School District board president, Jennifer Brouhard, speaks during a meeting at Metwest High School in Oakland on April 23, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In November, the board approved a $150,000 contract with a consulting firm to carry out that search, but Board President Jennifer Brouhard told KQED last month that the process never truly got off the ground.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In January, when the board began to discuss hiring, she said, most members felt that they needed to focus on stabilizing a major financial crisis first. OUSD must cut \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064579/oaklands-school-district-must-cut-100-million-its-proposed-plan-doesnt-get-close\">more than $100 million in ongoing expenses\u003c/a> this year to balance its budget, and has received repeated warnings from Alameda County’s Office of Education that it could risk falling back into insolvency without significant spending adjustments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“No work was done, no money has been paid for the work [to] the search firm for the superintendent search,” Brouhard said. “Hopefully, we’ll be resuming that in the early part of the fall.”[aside postID=news_12080861 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/027_KQED_GrassValleyElementarySchoolOakland_04282022_qed.jpg']The board has gotten some pushback for delaying the search, including from principals, who said last month that they’re concerned about transparency in the process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When Dr. Johnson-Tramell was removed from her position as superintendent, the community was told that the Board would engage in an extensive, nationwide search for our next leader,” reads an April letter to Saddler and the school board signed by more than 60 of the roughly 80 OUSD principals. “We have not been updated as to the state of the permanent superintendent search.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The administrators said they were told there would be an engagement process, and that the firm selected to lead the search would present candidates in January and February of this year, before a finalist was selected by April.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Where were the opportunities for stakeholder input? In what ways were school leaders consulted … and, if the search has been suspended, where is the transparent communication regarding this?” the letter continued.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alameda County Superintendent Alysse Castro also warned the district last month that without permanent employees in multiple key roles, it was “increasing risk given the urgency and complexity of current fiscal decisions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12029338\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12029338\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Oakland Unified School District Board listens to public comment during a meeting at La Escuelita Elementary School in Oakland, California, on Dec. 11, 2024. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In the fall, OUSD’s top financial officer, Lisa Grant-Dawson, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12067547/oakland-schools-in-turmoil-after-two-key-officials-depart-over-budget-crisis\">abruptly resigned \u003c/a>after Saddler apparently undermined her team’s budget planning. OUSD’s chief of staff was also terminated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Saddler has since brought on consultants from the same firm hired to conduct the superintendent search to help develop the 2026-27 budget. Initially, the district hired Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates through May, for a price of $415,000, but last month extended their contract through the end of the year, adding another $450,000 to its total price tag.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Brouhard told KQED in April that the district never planned to hire a new chief business officer to replace Grant-Dawson, but will instead transition those responsibilities to a chief financial officer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Saddler, a veteran Bay Area educator, has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12042255/oaklands-school-board-picks-crisis-tested-leader-as-interim-superintendent\">worn many hats\u003c/a> during her decades at Oakland Unified School District — from teaching to leading as a principal to working as an area superintendent in the district’s central office. She also served as the president of the Oakland Education Association, the district’s teachers union, for six years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Oakland’s school board plans to vote Wednesday to extend its \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12042255/oaklands-school-board-picks-crisis-tested-leader-as-interim-superintendent\">interim chief’s term\u003c/a> and make her the official superintendent, despite \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080861/oakland-unified-has-no-plan-for-fiscal-solvency-top-alameda-county-schools-chief-warns\">mounting calls\u003c/a> from district administrators and county officials to hire a long-term leader.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Interim Superintendent Denise Saddler will have her contract with Oakland Unified School District extended through the 2026-27 academic year, with a salary of $367,765.45 per year, according to an employment agreement expected to be approved on Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oakland’s school board previously initiated plans to select a permanent superintendent by the fall, but quietly delayed the search earlier this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The proposed agreement reflects the [board of education’s] determination that continuity in executive leadership is in the best interests of the district as Oakland Unified continues implementation of its fiscal stabilization strategies, academic priorities, labor relations initiatives, and operational improvements,” Saddler’s employment agreement reads.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Saddler took the helm of the district to serve as a transitional leader after longtime superintendent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12037315/oakland-school-board-votes-remove-superintendent-sparking-worries-instability\">Kyla Johnson-Trammell departed unexpectedly\u003c/a> amid disagreements with the school board last spring.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Saddler’s initial contract last June set out a yearlong term, which the district wrote would “allow for a robust search for a permanent superintendent,” expected to take over in July 2026.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12041367\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12041367\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1316\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-800x526.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-1020x671.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-160x105.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-1536x1011.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-1920x1263.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland Unified School District board president, Jennifer Brouhard, speaks during a meeting at Metwest High School in Oakland on April 23, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In November, the board approved a $150,000 contract with a consulting firm to carry out that search, but Board President Jennifer Brouhard told KQED last month that the process never truly got off the ground.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In January, when the board began to discuss hiring, she said, most members felt that they needed to focus on stabilizing a major financial crisis first. OUSD must cut \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064579/oaklands-school-district-must-cut-100-million-its-proposed-plan-doesnt-get-close\">more than $100 million in ongoing expenses\u003c/a> this year to balance its budget, and has received repeated warnings from Alameda County’s Office of Education that it could risk falling back into insolvency without significant spending adjustments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“No work was done, no money has been paid for the work [to] the search firm for the superintendent search,” Brouhard said. “Hopefully, we’ll be resuming that in the early part of the fall.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The board has gotten some pushback for delaying the search, including from principals, who said last month that they’re concerned about transparency in the process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When Dr. Johnson-Tramell was removed from her position as superintendent, the community was told that the Board would engage in an extensive, nationwide search for our next leader,” reads an April letter to Saddler and the school board signed by more than 60 of the roughly 80 OUSD principals. “We have not been updated as to the state of the permanent superintendent search.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The administrators said they were told there would be an engagement process, and that the firm selected to lead the search would present candidates in January and February of this year, before a finalist was selected by April.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Where were the opportunities for stakeholder input? In what ways were school leaders consulted … and, if the search has been suspended, where is the transparent communication regarding this?” the letter continued.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alameda County Superintendent Alysse Castro also warned the district last month that without permanent employees in multiple key roles, it was “increasing risk given the urgency and complexity of current fiscal decisions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12029338\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12029338\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Oakland Unified School District Board listens to public comment during a meeting at La Escuelita Elementary School in Oakland, California, on Dec. 11, 2024. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In the fall, OUSD’s top financial officer, Lisa Grant-Dawson, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12067547/oakland-schools-in-turmoil-after-two-key-officials-depart-over-budget-crisis\">abruptly resigned \u003c/a>after Saddler apparently undermined her team’s budget planning. OUSD’s chief of staff was also terminated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Saddler has since brought on consultants from the same firm hired to conduct the superintendent search to help develop the 2026-27 budget. Initially, the district hired Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates through May, for a price of $415,000, but last month extended their contract through the end of the year, adding another $450,000 to its total price tag.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Brouhard told KQED in April that the district never planned to hire a new chief business officer to replace Grant-Dawson, but will instead transition those responsibilities to a chief financial officer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Saddler, a veteran Bay Area educator, has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12042255/oaklands-school-board-picks-crisis-tested-leader-as-interim-superintendent\">worn many hats\u003c/a> during her decades at Oakland Unified School District — from teaching to leading as a principal to working as an area superintendent in the district’s central office. She also served as the president of the Oakland Education Association, the district’s teachers union, for six years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Oakland Unified Has ‘No Plan’ for Financial Future, Top Alameda County Schools Chief Warns",
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"headTitle": "Oakland Unified Has ‘No Plan’ for Financial Future, Top Alameda County Schools Chief Warns | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>After Alameda County officials again called out \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland-unified-school-district\">Oakland Unified School District\u003c/a> for lacking a long-term financial plan last week, dozens of district principals raised their own concerns in a letter to the school board on Friday, questioning its ability to govern the district effectively.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The letter, signed by more than 40 school leaders and sent to interim Superintendent Denise Saddler and the school board, urged the district to renew its search for a permanent superintendent and take up the issue of school closures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As educators, we are concerned that recent decisions — negotiated by Talent and Legal and supported by the Board — have neglected informed stakeholder input, sidelining important voices from across our system,” the letter reads. “We want to work in partnership with a superintendent and a board of directors who are unequivocally committed to creating the conditions that will foster the academic progress of our students, create transparency in decision-making, and achieve fiscal stability.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The letter comes after Alameda County Superintendent Alysse Castro offered sharp criticism of the district’s financial decision-making last week. On Thursday, Board President Jennifer Brouhard confirmed the board had delayed its search for a permanent superintendent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the district has said it is on track to balance its 2026-2027 budget, it still needs to identify tens of millions in cuts to bridge a significant shortfall. Long term, Castro said, OUSD lacks a plan for stability.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The district appears to have moved directly to balancing the budget with a series of cuts, without the intermediary step of adopting a coherent fiscal solvency plan,” Castro wrote. “While much better than inaction in the face of insolvency, a series of cuts is not the same thing as a plan for fiscal solvency.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12037997\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12037997\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-01-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-01-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-01-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-01-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Oakland Unified School District Offices in Oakland on April 28, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The principals echoed this concern, noting that 70% of OUSD students currently read below grade level.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If the district is unable to adopt a balanced budget for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, we will face additional reductions that will not allow us to combat our academic gaps,” the letter reads. It goes on to call the district’s current “stabilization strategy” — which relies on redistributing some supplemental funds to cover more standard expenses — “an example of flawed short-term, hasty decision-making.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last summer, OUSD exited state oversight, more than 20 years after it declared bankruptcy and was bailed out by a $100 million loan from the state. But even before the district officially regained local control, county officials began warning that the school board needed to make long-term financial changes in the face of a budget crisis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In recent years, the district has plugged growing budget holes through rounds of short-term budget cuts and spending down reserve funds from more than $115 million in 2025 to just under $30 million this spring. Without about $93 million in cuts over the next two school years, which Castro said in her letter, OUSD has yet to identify, the district’s fund balance could dip into the negative in the coming years. [aside postID=news_12067547 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-04_qed.jpg']Castro said that OUSD has made “major financial decisions — like layoffs, budget cuts, and labor agreements — without fully knowing or showing their total cost. Because of this, there is no single clear picture of the district’s finances right now.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since February, the district has approved plans to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074794/oakland-schools-teachers-union-reach-deal-avert-strike\">cut nearly 400 staff positions\u003c/a> through early retirement buyouts, elimination of vacant positions, and layoffs for an estimated savings of about $11 million annually. It also reached new contract agreements with its two largest labor unions, the Service Employees International Union and the Oakland Education Association, which could add tens of millions of dollars to its payroll.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The district agreed to 11% raises for most educators, as well as other demands like class size caps, to avert a potential strike. OUSD has estimated that the raises could cost more than $55 million alone. Board member Mike Hutchinson believes that the SEIU deal will cost another $17 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But, he said, “it’s true that it still hasn’t been fully costed out.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It is not the first time the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12055977/ousd-just-got-control-of-its-finances-back-from-the-state-its-already-in-major-trouble\">county superintendent has told OUSD in writing \u003c/a>that patterns of dysfunction could drive it back into receivership. For years, she and district officials have warned that it — like many across the state and Bay Area — needs to make significant changes to its year-over-year spending, as enrollment declines and operational and personnel costs rise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since 2023, the school board has directed district officials to come up with three different budget balancing plans to eliminate its structural deficit, which has included possible school closures, resource consolidations and staff reductions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12042892\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12042892\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Oakland Unified School District Board listens to public comment during a meeting at La Escuelita Elementary School in Oakland, California, on Dec. 11, 2024. Students, families, educators, and community members raised their concerns about a proposed merger of their schools. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>None of those initiatives have been implemented. In 2023, the board reversed a plan to close schools; in 2024, it failed to take any action on another merger proposal; and last year, it reneged on $95 million in ongoing budget cuts through layoffs and service reductions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The district has a pattern of initiating and discontinuing major planning efforts,” Castro wrote. “The absence of a stable, consistently implemented plan undermines long-term fiscal stability and community trust.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In their letter, the principals said that the district “can no longer afford to postpone difficult decisions,” including about how many schools it operates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a rare and unpopular move, they called on the school board to take up the issue of school closures directly: “The experts have been clear with us: we operate too many schools for a district of 33,755 students … If we neglect this work, we will continuously starve our schools of the resources we need,” they wrote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12029339\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12029339\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alexandria Poole, right, comforts Navie Davis, left, as she becomes emotional while making a public comment to the Oakland Unified School District Board about a proposed merger during a meeting at La Escuelita Elementary School in Oakland, California, on Dec. 11, 2024. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The principals also noted in their letter that they had not received any update on the permanent superintendent search or that it had been delayed, despite the board seemingly reaching that decision months ago.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In a time of transition and fiscal crisis, hiring leadership with a depth of experience in fiscal crisis management is tantamount,” the school administrators wrote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last year, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12037315/oakland-school-board-votes-remove-superintendent-sparking-worries-instability\">longtime superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell\u003c/a> departed the district suddenly, seemingly forced out two years before her contract was set to end. In the fall, the district’s top budget officer, Lisa Grant-Dawson, resigned days after interim Superintendent Denise Saddler — backed by the teachers’ union and a slim board majority — appeared to undermine her budget-balancing proposal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The district originally planned to hire a new permanent superintendent before next fall, and contracted with a search firm in November, but that plan has stalled.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12041367\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12041367\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1316\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-800x526.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-1020x671.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-160x105.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-1536x1011.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-1920x1263.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland Unified School District board president, Jennifer Brouhard, speaks during a meeting at Metwest High School in Oakland on April 23, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Board President Jennifer Brouhard said the board now plans to begin its recruitment process next fall, ahead of the 2027-2028 school year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to Brouhard, when the board began discussing the superintendent search in January, “most of us felt that we really needed to pay attention to the budget work,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“No work was done, no money has been paid for the work [to] the search firm for the superintendent search,” Brouhard continued. “Hopefully, we’ll be resuming that in the early part of the fall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Saddler’s current contract expires in June of this year and is likely to be extended.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Castro also pointed to conflicts among the school board as adding to district instability: “Recent board actions related to fiscal oversight have frequently been decided by narrow 4-3 votes, reflecting a significant divide on key decisions.”[aside postID=news_12078453 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260402-OakTeacherHousing-32-BL_qed.jpg']A four-member majority aligned with the teacher’s union has voted together on key decisions last year, including removing Johnson-Trammell as superintendent, hiring \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12042255/oaklands-school-board-picks-crisis-tested-leader-as-interim-superintendent\">Saddler in May\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064579/oaklands-school-district-must-cut-100-million-its-proposed-plan-doesnt-get-close\">adding strict guidelines\u003c/a> around the district’s budgeting process. That majority includes Brouhard as well as Vice President Valarie Bachelor, Rachel Latta and VanCedric Williams.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are poised to be the first district anyone’s ever heard of to regain local control and then lose it again within a year,” Hutchinson said. “If we don’t pass a balanced budget, County Superintendent Castro and the state will have no option other than to step in and take over our finances.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Castro’s letter includes a “going concern notice,” which marks an escalation toward financial oversight. It places demands on the district by the end of the month, including that the district must encumber all of its contracts through June, update its expenditures and receivables, and submit two separate two-year cashflow projections from July of last year through June 2027 by the end of this month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It will also need to present a third interim financial report in June, prior to adopting its budget for next year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a letter to the board of education Monday, Saddler said, “We take this notice seriously as we continue to develop and implement plans for improvement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But, she said, the board has adopted a fiscal stabilization plan, and said the district was “building toward the long-range excellence plan Oakland’s children deserve.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>After Alameda County officials again called out \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland-unified-school-district\">Oakland Unified School District\u003c/a> for lacking a long-term financial plan last week, dozens of district principals raised their own concerns in a letter to the school board on Friday, questioning its ability to govern the district effectively.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The letter, signed by more than 40 school leaders and sent to interim Superintendent Denise Saddler and the school board, urged the district to renew its search for a permanent superintendent and take up the issue of school closures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As educators, we are concerned that recent decisions — negotiated by Talent and Legal and supported by the Board — have neglected informed stakeholder input, sidelining important voices from across our system,” the letter reads. “We want to work in partnership with a superintendent and a board of directors who are unequivocally committed to creating the conditions that will foster the academic progress of our students, create transparency in decision-making, and achieve fiscal stability.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The letter comes after Alameda County Superintendent Alysse Castro offered sharp criticism of the district’s financial decision-making last week. On Thursday, Board President Jennifer Brouhard confirmed the board had delayed its search for a permanent superintendent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the district has said it is on track to balance its 2026-2027 budget, it still needs to identify tens of millions in cuts to bridge a significant shortfall. Long term, Castro said, OUSD lacks a plan for stability.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The district appears to have moved directly to balancing the budget with a series of cuts, without the intermediary step of adopting a coherent fiscal solvency plan,” Castro wrote. “While much better than inaction in the face of insolvency, a series of cuts is not the same thing as a plan for fiscal solvency.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12037997\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12037997\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-01-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-01-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-01-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-01-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Oakland Unified School District Offices in Oakland on April 28, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The principals echoed this concern, noting that 70% of OUSD students currently read below grade level.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If the district is unable to adopt a balanced budget for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, we will face additional reductions that will not allow us to combat our academic gaps,” the letter reads. It goes on to call the district’s current “stabilization strategy” — which relies on redistributing some supplemental funds to cover more standard expenses — “an example of flawed short-term, hasty decision-making.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last summer, OUSD exited state oversight, more than 20 years after it declared bankruptcy and was bailed out by a $100 million loan from the state. But even before the district officially regained local control, county officials began warning that the school board needed to make long-term financial changes in the face of a budget crisis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In recent years, the district has plugged growing budget holes through rounds of short-term budget cuts and spending down reserve funds from more than $115 million in 2025 to just under $30 million this spring. Without about $93 million in cuts over the next two school years, which Castro said in her letter, OUSD has yet to identify, the district’s fund balance could dip into the negative in the coming years. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Castro said that OUSD has made “major financial decisions — like layoffs, budget cuts, and labor agreements — without fully knowing or showing their total cost. Because of this, there is no single clear picture of the district’s finances right now.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since February, the district has approved plans to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074794/oakland-schools-teachers-union-reach-deal-avert-strike\">cut nearly 400 staff positions\u003c/a> through early retirement buyouts, elimination of vacant positions, and layoffs for an estimated savings of about $11 million annually. It also reached new contract agreements with its two largest labor unions, the Service Employees International Union and the Oakland Education Association, which could add tens of millions of dollars to its payroll.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The district agreed to 11% raises for most educators, as well as other demands like class size caps, to avert a potential strike. OUSD has estimated that the raises could cost more than $55 million alone. Board member Mike Hutchinson believes that the SEIU deal will cost another $17 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But, he said, “it’s true that it still hasn’t been fully costed out.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It is not the first time the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12055977/ousd-just-got-control-of-its-finances-back-from-the-state-its-already-in-major-trouble\">county superintendent has told OUSD in writing \u003c/a>that patterns of dysfunction could drive it back into receivership. For years, she and district officials have warned that it — like many across the state and Bay Area — needs to make significant changes to its year-over-year spending, as enrollment declines and operational and personnel costs rise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since 2023, the school board has directed district officials to come up with three different budget balancing plans to eliminate its structural deficit, which has included possible school closures, resource consolidations and staff reductions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12042892\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12042892\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Oakland Unified School District Board listens to public comment during a meeting at La Escuelita Elementary School in Oakland, California, on Dec. 11, 2024. Students, families, educators, and community members raised their concerns about a proposed merger of their schools. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>None of those initiatives have been implemented. In 2023, the board reversed a plan to close schools; in 2024, it failed to take any action on another merger proposal; and last year, it reneged on $95 million in ongoing budget cuts through layoffs and service reductions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The district has a pattern of initiating and discontinuing major planning efforts,” Castro wrote. “The absence of a stable, consistently implemented plan undermines long-term fiscal stability and community trust.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In their letter, the principals said that the district “can no longer afford to postpone difficult decisions,” including about how many schools it operates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a rare and unpopular move, they called on the school board to take up the issue of school closures directly: “The experts have been clear with us: we operate too many schools for a district of 33,755 students … If we neglect this work, we will continuously starve our schools of the resources we need,” they wrote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12029339\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12029339\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alexandria Poole, right, comforts Navie Davis, left, as she becomes emotional while making a public comment to the Oakland Unified School District Board about a proposed merger during a meeting at La Escuelita Elementary School in Oakland, California, on Dec. 11, 2024. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The principals also noted in their letter that they had not received any update on the permanent superintendent search or that it had been delayed, despite the board seemingly reaching that decision months ago.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In a time of transition and fiscal crisis, hiring leadership with a depth of experience in fiscal crisis management is tantamount,” the school administrators wrote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last year, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12037315/oakland-school-board-votes-remove-superintendent-sparking-worries-instability\">longtime superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell\u003c/a> departed the district suddenly, seemingly forced out two years before her contract was set to end. In the fall, the district’s top budget officer, Lisa Grant-Dawson, resigned days after interim Superintendent Denise Saddler — backed by the teachers’ union and a slim board majority — appeared to undermine her budget-balancing proposal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The district originally planned to hire a new permanent superintendent before next fall, and contracted with a search firm in November, but that plan has stalled.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12041367\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12041367\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1316\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-800x526.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-1020x671.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-160x105.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-1536x1011.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-1920x1263.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland Unified School District board president, Jennifer Brouhard, speaks during a meeting at Metwest High School in Oakland on April 23, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Board President Jennifer Brouhard said the board now plans to begin its recruitment process next fall, ahead of the 2027-2028 school year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to Brouhard, when the board began discussing the superintendent search in January, “most of us felt that we really needed to pay attention to the budget work,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“No work was done, no money has been paid for the work [to] the search firm for the superintendent search,” Brouhard continued. “Hopefully, we’ll be resuming that in the early part of the fall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Saddler’s current contract expires in June of this year and is likely to be extended.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Castro also pointed to conflicts among the school board as adding to district instability: “Recent board actions related to fiscal oversight have frequently been decided by narrow 4-3 votes, reflecting a significant divide on key decisions.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>A four-member majority aligned with the teacher’s union has voted together on key decisions last year, including removing Johnson-Trammell as superintendent, hiring \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12042255/oaklands-school-board-picks-crisis-tested-leader-as-interim-superintendent\">Saddler in May\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064579/oaklands-school-district-must-cut-100-million-its-proposed-plan-doesnt-get-close\">adding strict guidelines\u003c/a> around the district’s budgeting process. That majority includes Brouhard as well as Vice President Valarie Bachelor, Rachel Latta and VanCedric Williams.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are poised to be the first district anyone’s ever heard of to regain local control and then lose it again within a year,” Hutchinson said. “If we don’t pass a balanced budget, County Superintendent Castro and the state will have no option other than to step in and take over our finances.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Castro’s letter includes a “going concern notice,” which marks an escalation toward financial oversight. It places demands on the district by the end of the month, including that the district must encumber all of its contracts through June, update its expenditures and receivables, and submit two separate two-year cashflow projections from July of last year through June 2027 by the end of this month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It will also need to present a third interim financial report in June, prior to adopting its budget for next year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a letter to the board of education Monday, Saddler said, “We take this notice seriously as we continue to develop and implement plans for improvement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But, she said, the board has adopted a fiscal stabilization plan, and said the district was “building toward the long-range excellence plan Oakland’s children deserve.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "oakland-schools-teachers-union-reach-deal-avert-strike",
"title": "Oakland Schools, Teachers Union Reach Deal, Avert Strike",
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"headTitle": "Oakland Schools, Teachers Union Reach Deal, Avert Strike | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Oakland’s public school district and teachers union reached an early morning deal Friday, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074272/oakland-teachers-approve-a-strike-as-report-calls-districts-pay-not-competitive\">averting a strike\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The new two-year deal includes significant raises for teachers that the union says will attract educators and address high turnover rates in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland-unified-school-district\">Oakland schools\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“By forcing OUSD to invest in creating stability in our classrooms and schools we are making a historic investment in the future of Oakland” said union President, Kampala Taiz-Rancifer. “This contract reflects a newfound commitment by the [Oakland Unified School District] Superintendent and School Board to prioritize resources toward classrooms.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The deal, reached after an 18 hour bargaining session extended into the early morning Friday, marks the first time in three contract cycles that the parties have agreed to a contract without a strike.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It comes after nearly a year of contract negotiations and months in mediation without a new contract. Last week, the Oakland Education Association, which represents about 3,000 teachers, nurses, social workers and other credentialed staff, voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike, following neighboring districts like \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073306/sfusd-teachers-strike-no-end-in-sight-health-care-battle\">San Francisco\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12066588/west-contra-costa-teachers-agree-to-end-strike-and-return-to-class-after-a-week\">West Contra Costa\u003c/a>, where teachers took to the picket lines in February and December before securing new contracts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12056738\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12056738\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/007_KQED_OUSDSolidaritySchool_05112023_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/007_KQED_OUSDSolidaritySchool_05112023_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/007_KQED_OUSDSolidaritySchool_05112023_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/007_KQED_OUSDSolidaritySchool_05112023_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland Unified students and parents make signs to support teachers at a ‘solidarity school’ in Diamond Park, Oakland, on May 11, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“By averting a strike and reaching this agreement, OUSD and the Oakland Education Association have forged a new path forward — one built on cooperation and a shared commitment to our children,” Mayor Barbara Lee said in a statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“While there is still work ahead, I am proud of what was achieved today. Our students deserve teachers who are supported, valued, and have everything they need to teach — and this agreement moves us closer to that promise,” she continued.[aside postID=news_12074650 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/DSC7276_qed-1020x680.jpg']The union was demanding higher wages, saying its educators are among the lowest paid in the Bay Area, leading to high turnover rates and understaffing in schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the school district has maintained it is unable to meet those demands as it grapples with a more than \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064579/oaklands-school-district-must-cut-100-million-its-proposed-plan-doesnt-get-close\">$100 million budget deficit\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Initially, the union proposed 14% raises over two years, while the district offered no pay bump. As the threat of a strike escalated, the district raised its offer to an 8% salary increase by 2027 earlier this month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The new contract includes 11% to 13% raises for teachers by 2027, with additional salary enhancements for special education and early education teachers, as well as social workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also includes changes to improve working conditions for special education employees and nurses, and smaller student-to-counselor ratios for counselors, among other things.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wages have also been the major sticking point in recent OUSD contract disputes, as teachers say their pay fails to keep up with neighboring districts. In 2023, OEA held a weeklong strike that ended after teachers won a 15.5% raise over two and a half years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12041367\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12041367\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1316\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-800x526.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-1020x671.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-160x105.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-1536x1011.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-1920x1263.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland Unified School District board president, Jennifer Brouhard, speaks during a meeting at Metwest High School in Oakland on April 23, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>According to the union’s analysis, OUSD teachers are the lowest paid among 10 Bay Area districts, and OEA president Kampala Taiz-Rancifer told KQED that about 60% of district teachers can’t afford to live in Oakland. That analysis was affirmed by a neutral mediator earlier this month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Retaining teachers has been a major goal of the board for a number of years,” school board President Jennifer Brouhard told KQED.[aside postID=news_12071551 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-01-KQED-1020x680.jpg']“The board has given that direction to do that, and we’re beginning to see that work happen. I think from the district standpoint, they also realized that we have to retain our educators. It’s very expensive, both in terms of student outcome and in terms of cost, to have the turnover that we have had.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Implementing the new deal will also be expensive. OUSD has estimated that 11% raises will cost more than $55 million alone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Brouhard said it will be up to district leaders to do so in a way that doesn’t harm students or jeopardize the district’s fiscal status. Last summer, it just regained local control after 20 years in state receivership. Without factoring in the price of the new deal, OUSD is eyeing $102 million in cuts by June.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Interim Superintendent Denise Saddler told the school board this week that without those reductions, “we won’t be able to pay all the people on our payroll in the fall. We don’t have the money in the budget for next year.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, OUSD approved cutting nearly 400 staff positions, including 180 filled by OEA members, through early retirement buyouts, elimination of vacant positions, and layoffs. Altogether, that is estimated to save about $11 million annually.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12056737\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12056737\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-2_qed-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-2_qed-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-2_qed-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-2_qed-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland Unified School District parents, students and community leaders, rally in support of improved schools, ahead of an OUSD board meeting at Metwest High School in Oakland on April 23, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Saddler said that the district’s finance team has identified about $65 million in cuts so far in total.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s not yet clear if all of those proposals, which include increasing enrollment to recoup some funds and major changes to special education services, are feasible, though. And the union is also expected to fight this week’s preliminarily layoff notices.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"mceTemp\">\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>“We know our collective power brought us here, and we know our collective power will continue to move OUSD to ensure all our schools are fully staffed by rescinding preliminary layoffs as well,” Taiz-Rancifer said in a statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The deal still needs to be ratified by OEA’s membership, and approved by the school board, before it is finalized.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Oakland Unified School District and the Oakland Education Association reached a late-night contract agreement that averts a teacher strike and includes 11% to 13% raises over two years amid a $100 million budget deficit.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Oakland’s public school district and teachers union reached an early morning deal Friday, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074272/oakland-teachers-approve-a-strike-as-report-calls-districts-pay-not-competitive\">averting a strike\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The new two-year deal includes significant raises for teachers that the union says will attract educators and address high turnover rates in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland-unified-school-district\">Oakland schools\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“By forcing OUSD to invest in creating stability in our classrooms and schools we are making a historic investment in the future of Oakland” said union President, Kampala Taiz-Rancifer. “This contract reflects a newfound commitment by the [Oakland Unified School District] Superintendent and School Board to prioritize resources toward classrooms.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The deal, reached after an 18 hour bargaining session extended into the early morning Friday, marks the first time in three contract cycles that the parties have agreed to a contract without a strike.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It comes after nearly a year of contract negotiations and months in mediation without a new contract. Last week, the Oakland Education Association, which represents about 3,000 teachers, nurses, social workers and other credentialed staff, voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike, following neighboring districts like \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073306/sfusd-teachers-strike-no-end-in-sight-health-care-battle\">San Francisco\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12066588/west-contra-costa-teachers-agree-to-end-strike-and-return-to-class-after-a-week\">West Contra Costa\u003c/a>, where teachers took to the picket lines in February and December before securing new contracts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12056738\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12056738\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/007_KQED_OUSDSolidaritySchool_05112023_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/007_KQED_OUSDSolidaritySchool_05112023_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/007_KQED_OUSDSolidaritySchool_05112023_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/007_KQED_OUSDSolidaritySchool_05112023_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland Unified students and parents make signs to support teachers at a ‘solidarity school’ in Diamond Park, Oakland, on May 11, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“By averting a strike and reaching this agreement, OUSD and the Oakland Education Association have forged a new path forward — one built on cooperation and a shared commitment to our children,” Mayor Barbara Lee said in a statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“While there is still work ahead, I am proud of what was achieved today. Our students deserve teachers who are supported, valued, and have everything they need to teach — and this agreement moves us closer to that promise,” she continued.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The union was demanding higher wages, saying its educators are among the lowest paid in the Bay Area, leading to high turnover rates and understaffing in schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the school district has maintained it is unable to meet those demands as it grapples with a more than \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064579/oaklands-school-district-must-cut-100-million-its-proposed-plan-doesnt-get-close\">$100 million budget deficit\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Initially, the union proposed 14% raises over two years, while the district offered no pay bump. As the threat of a strike escalated, the district raised its offer to an 8% salary increase by 2027 earlier this month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The new contract includes 11% to 13% raises for teachers by 2027, with additional salary enhancements for special education and early education teachers, as well as social workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also includes changes to improve working conditions for special education employees and nurses, and smaller student-to-counselor ratios for counselors, among other things.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wages have also been the major sticking point in recent OUSD contract disputes, as teachers say their pay fails to keep up with neighboring districts. In 2023, OEA held a weeklong strike that ended after teachers won a 15.5% raise over two and a half years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12041367\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12041367\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1316\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-800x526.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-1020x671.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-160x105.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-1536x1011.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-1920x1263.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland Unified School District board president, Jennifer Brouhard, speaks during a meeting at Metwest High School in Oakland on April 23, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>According to the union’s analysis, OUSD teachers are the lowest paid among 10 Bay Area districts, and OEA president Kampala Taiz-Rancifer told KQED that about 60% of district teachers can’t afford to live in Oakland. That analysis was affirmed by a neutral mediator earlier this month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Retaining teachers has been a major goal of the board for a number of years,” school board President Jennifer Brouhard told KQED.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“The board has given that direction to do that, and we’re beginning to see that work happen. I think from the district standpoint, they also realized that we have to retain our educators. It’s very expensive, both in terms of student outcome and in terms of cost, to have the turnover that we have had.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Implementing the new deal will also be expensive. OUSD has estimated that 11% raises will cost more than $55 million alone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Brouhard said it will be up to district leaders to do so in a way that doesn’t harm students or jeopardize the district’s fiscal status. Last summer, it just regained local control after 20 years in state receivership. Without factoring in the price of the new deal, OUSD is eyeing $102 million in cuts by June.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Interim Superintendent Denise Saddler told the school board this week that without those reductions, “we won’t be able to pay all the people on our payroll in the fall. We don’t have the money in the budget for next year.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, OUSD approved cutting nearly 400 staff positions, including 180 filled by OEA members, through early retirement buyouts, elimination of vacant positions, and layoffs. Altogether, that is estimated to save about $11 million annually.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12056737\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12056737\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-2_qed-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-2_qed-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-2_qed-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-2_qed-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland Unified School District parents, students and community leaders, rally in support of improved schools, ahead of an OUSD board meeting at Metwest High School in Oakland on April 23, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Saddler said that the district’s finance team has identified about $65 million in cuts so far in total.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s not yet clear if all of those proposals, which include increasing enrollment to recoup some funds and major changes to special education services, are feasible, though. And the union is also expected to fight this week’s preliminarily layoff notices.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"mceTemp\">\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>“We know our collective power brought us here, and we know our collective power will continue to move OUSD to ensure all our schools are fully staffed by rescinding preliminary layoffs as well,” Taiz-Rancifer said in a statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The deal still needs to be ratified by OEA’s membership, and approved by the school board, before it is finalized.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "2026-oakland-teachers-strike-ousd-when-oea-union-alameda-county",
"title": "Potential Oakland Teachers Strike: What Should Families Know?",
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"headTitle": "Potential Oakland Teachers Strike: What Should Families Know? | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Weeks after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074197/sfusd-teachers-got-a-big-contract-deal-not-all-are-happy-with-it\">San Francisco educators \u003c/a>wrapped up a four-day strike that shuttered schools and left many families across the city scrambling for child care, Oakland teachers are gearing up for a possible labor battle of their own.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Late last week, the Oakland Education Association — the union representing nearly 3,000 teachers, social workers, counselors and other staff across the Oakland Unified School District — voted to authorize a strike. The threat comes after nearly \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074272/oakland-teachers-approve-a-strike-as-report-calls-districts-pay-not-competitive\">a year of labor negotiations\u003c/a> between the union and the school district without a contract deal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unlike San Francisco’s teachers strike, which was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071181/san-francisco-teachers-union-moves-closer-to-a-historic-strike-first-in-more-than-50-years\">the city’s first in almost half a century\u003c/a>, Oakland teachers \u003cem>have \u003c/em>taken to the picket lines in recent years. During contract negotiations in 2019 and 2023, OUSD educators held strikes that each lasted about a week and ended after the district offered wage increases to staff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite those raises, the parties’ major sticking point again revolves around pay. OUSD’s teachers are among the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071181/san-francisco-teachers-union-moves-closer-to-a-historic-strike-first-in-more-than-50-years\">lowest paid in the Bay Area\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#WhensthesoonestanOaklandteachersstrikecouldtakeplace\">When’s the soonest an Oakland teachers strike could take place?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>While Oakland families might have gained more familiarity in navigating teacher strikes in the last few years, the challenges of keeping up with rapid back-and-forth negotiations between the union and district — and to find access to food, child care and instructional resources for kids whose schools could be impacted — are the same.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keep reading for what we know about a possible Oakland teachers strike.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Is an OUSD strike definitely happening?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Not yet. But while no OUSD strike has been called, it could be announced at any time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last Friday, teachers gave their OEA union permission to call a work stoppage, and they have completed the legally mandated mediation process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12043210\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12043210\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-04_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-04_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-04_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-04_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Oakland Unified School District Offices in Oakland on April 28, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The union has said it’s still open to negotiating with the school district to avoid a strike, though, and the two sides have another bargaining session on the books for Thursday evening.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But OEA representatives have said the union will need real movement from the district on wages to come to any agreement.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What does the Oakland teachers union want, and what’s the latest?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>OUSD and OEA have been negotiating a new contract since last March.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the two sides have reached some tentative agreements on smaller proposals, they’ve made little progress on wage increases. Like districts across the state, OUSD is facing enrollment decline, and said its spending is outpacing its revenue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the union said its teachers are paid too little to live in Oakland, and that low wages are contributing to high teacher turnover rates in the district.[aside postID=news_12074272 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/012_KQED_OaklandTeacherStrike_04292022_qed-1536x1024.jpg']The union has demanded a raise between 12% and 14% over two years. In reply, OUSD has proposed raises that would equal 8% by 2027.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last week, a neutral mediator, who was appointed to collect financial information and hear arguments of both sides, issued a recommendation that falls somewhere in the middle: a 6% raise over two years, plus an additional 3% to 4% raise in 2027. The mediator also suggested an extra 2% bump for special education teachers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The mediator’s full report, known as a “fact-finding report,” was released last week and marked the final step in mediation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since then, the parties met to bargain on Monday and are expected to return to the table on Thursday afternoon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Tuesday night, the district’s school board held a closed-door meeting to discuss the negotiations, but didn’t take any new actions.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What’s going on with Oakland’s budget? And what does it have to do with a strike?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Oakland’s school district is in the midst of making major budget cuts, which have become \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12023461/ousd-on-track-run-out-of-cash-after-avoiding-hard-decisions-scathing-letter-says\">routine\u003c/a> in recent years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12043062/as-ousd-gets-closer-to-controlling-its-finances-new-budget-challenges-loom\">Last summer\u003c/a>, the district regained full local financial control 20 years after it declared bankruptcy in 2003. But without cuts, interim Superintendent Denise Saddler told the school board this week, OUSD won’t be able to right a $102 million budget deficit projected next year and could risk again needing state assistance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, the district approved a plan to eliminate almost 400 staff positions through a combination of layoffs, early retirement buyouts and eliminations of roles that are currently vacant. Those cuts will save about $11 million, according to district fiscal advisors. The district is also eyeing plans to reduce schools’ individual budgets, and a lofty proposal to significantly increase the special education services it offers in district schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12019083\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12019083\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/21_240517-TKBilingualLearners-80-BL-scaled-e1772135571879.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Transitional kindergarten students play outside during recess at the International Community School in Oakland on May 17, 2024. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>So far, it’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064579/oaklands-school-district-must-cut-100-million-its-proposed-plan-doesnt-get-close\">identified about $65\u003c/a> million in cuts it could make, and is still aiming to identify another $35 million before its budget is due in June. That total dollar amount doesn’t factor in any additional costs associated with a new contract with OEA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073310/if-sfusd-teachers-get-their-way-district-suggests-more-cuts-could-be-on-the-table\">other Bay Area school districts\u003c/a>, rocked by strikes in recent weeks, officials have indicated that spending more on teachers’ contracts could force districts to make deeper cuts during budget planning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In San Francisco, the deal that educators and the district struck earlier this month increased the district’s expenditures by more than $180 million for two years, and could lead to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073441/san-franciscos-teachers-strike-has-ended-what-comes-next\">additional cuts or layoffs\u003c/a>, according to school leaders there. West Contra Costa County, which also just approved a new labor contract after a four-day strike in December, passed a plan that will \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073310/if-sfusd-teachers-get-their-way-district-suggests-more-cuts-could-be-on-the-table\">slash 10% of its workforce\u003c/a> at the end of the school year.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"WhensthesoonestanOaklandteachersstrikecouldtakeplace\">\u003c/a>When’s the soonest an Oakland teachers strike could take place?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Since mediation has wrapped up, and the union has authorized a walkout, the call for an Oakland teachers strike could come at any time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>OEA has to give the district 48 hours’ notice before taking to picket lines, so the earliest a strike would likely interrupt schools is Monday.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Has this kind of strike ever happened before in Oakland?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Yes. Oakland’s OEA union held similar strikes in both 2019 and 2023.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://edsource.org/2019/tentative-agreement-reached-in-oakland-unified-teachers-strike/609342\">In 2019\u003c/a>, the walkout came after Oakland teachers had been working under an expired deal for nearly two years. Lasting a week, the strike ended with a four-year contract that included raises, along with commitments to decrease class sizes and put a monthslong moratorium on school closures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12042892\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12042892 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Oakland Unified School District Board listens to public comment during a meeting at La Escuelita Elementary School in Oakland, California, on Dec. 11, 2024. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>OUSD operates more small campuses compared to similarly sized districts, and for years has gone back and forth on plans to shutter some schools, often \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12017719/oaklands-school-merger-plan-stalled-districts-huge-deficit-remains\">reneging on plans\u003c/a> after community pushback.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oakland educators again \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11949458/oakland-teachers-strike-ends-as-union-reaches-agreement-with-school-district\">walked out for about a week in 2023\u003c/a>, after another monthslong negotiation cycle.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What happens during a teachers strike? Will Oakland schools close?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>While San Francisco schools closed earlier this month, Oakland’s could remain open during a walkout.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the 2023 strike, students who attended school were supervised by principals and central office staff. But little instruction actually occurred, and attendance dropped as low as 4%, according to \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2023/05/25/ousds-annual-attendance-fell-4-as-a-result-of-the-teachers-strike/\">\u003cem>The Oaklandside\u003c/em>\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where can I take my kids if Oakland schools are closed?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Some institutions are preparing to extend their services if the strike is on. The City of Oakland’s Office of Parks, Recreation & Youth Development opened five centers “in the event of an Oakland Unified School District teacher strike.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The following spots in Oakland will be open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandca.gov/Community/Parks-Facilities/Recreation-Centers/Allendale-Recreation-Center\">Allendale Recreation Center\u003c/a>: 3711 Suter St.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandca.gov/Community/Parks-Facilities/Recreation-Centers/Bushrod-Recreation-Center\">Bushrod Recreation Center\u003c/a>: 560 59th St.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandca.gov/Community/Parks-Facilities/Recreation-Centers/Carmen-Flores-Recreation-Center\">Carmen Flores Recreation Center\u003c/a>: 1637 Fruitvale Ave.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandca.gov/Community/Parks-Facilities/Recreation-Centers/Ira-Jinkins-Recreation-Center\">Ira Jinkins Recreation Center\u003c/a>: 9175 Edes Ave.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandca.gov/Community/Parks-Facilities/Recreation-Centers/Lincoln-Square-Park-and-Recreation-Center\">Lincoln Square Park and Recreation Center\u003c/a>: 261 11th St.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>In an email, the representative from the city said “services will be free,” and there will be snacks and meals provided.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some museums and cultural institutions may also respond to the strike by providing deals for impacted families, but some \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073183/sfusd-san-francisco-teachers-strike-museums-free-tickets-discounts-sf-library\">local museums already have discounts\u003c/a> for young people. For example, the Oakland Museum of California has \u003ca href=\"https://tickets.museumca.org/orders/492/calendar?eventId=63c714fc8e3603283bf30b0e&cart&_gl=1*4ss7il*_gcl_au*MjI5OTA4Nzc1LjE3NzIxNDc4Njg.*_ga*MTY1NTg5NDE1MS4xNzcyMTQ3ODY3*_ga_VHQH9B37EL*czE3NzIxNDc4NjQkbzEkZzEkdDE3NzIxNDc5NzUkajQ5JGwwJGgw*_ga_GVDBGVJYSC*czE3NzIxNDc4NjQkbzEkZzEkdDE3NzIxNDc5NzYkajQ4JGwwJGgw\">free admission for young people 12 and under\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What does ‘crossing a picket line’ actually mean?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Families sending students to school during a strike\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the SFUSD strike earlier this month, \u003ca href=\"https://wecantwait.info/parents/uesf\">the California Teachers Union \u003c/a>said that as a parent or guardian, “you’ll have to decide if you want your child in this environment” of a school that’s in the middle of a strike.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A strike is most powerful when students do not attend school, because this puts financial pressure on the district to negotiate with educators or lose more money from the state,” the statewide union’s \u003ca href=\"https://wecantwait.info/parents/uesf\">guidance\u003c/a> for SFUSD families read. CTA has not yet issued specific guidance for OUSD families.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11949102\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11949102\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/05/RS65200_05092023_oaklandstrikepresser-214-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Teachers march in front of a school, holding protest signs.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1277\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/05/RS65200_05092023_oaklandstrikepresser-214-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/05/RS65200_05092023_oaklandstrikepresser-214-qut-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/05/RS65200_05092023_oaklandstrikepresser-214-qut-1020x678.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/05/RS65200_05092023_oaklandstrikepresser-214-qut-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/05/RS65200_05092023_oaklandstrikepresser-214-qut-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland teachers, students and supporters march on a picket line in front of Melrose Leadership Academy on May 9, 2023. \u003ccite>(Kori Suzuki/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Volunteers teaching in schools during a strike in the absence of teachers\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The National PTA’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.pta.org/home/advocacy/ptas-positions/Individual-Position-Statements/Position-Statement-Teacher-Negotiations-Sanctions-and-Strikes\">guidance\u003c/a> to local branches also states that “PTA should not man the classrooms” unless “possibly for a day in the absence of advance notice of a strike.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Not only is manning of classrooms inconsistent with PTA efforts to obtain a qualified teacher in every classroom, but personal liability may be incurred,” the notice reads. “If the school administration intends to keep the schools open during a teacher walkout, it should develop a corps of volunteers outside the PTA structure.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What about families who rely on free meals at school?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Many families may rely on schools to provide no-cost meals during weekdays.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the SFUSD strike, the district and the mayor’s office organized several pick-up locations throughout for breakfasts and lunches — and OUSD may do the same. KQED has asked the district for details of any resources it plans to offer families in the event of a strike.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12035840\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12035840\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/061121_SummerSchool_AW_CM_06.jpg\" alt=\"The bottom half of several children on a concrete playground with yellow chalk outlining numbers and letters is shown.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/061121_SummerSchool_AW_CM_06.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/061121_SummerSchool_AW_CM_06-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/061121_SummerSchool_AW_CM_06-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/061121_SummerSchool_AW_CM_06-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/061121_SummerSchool_AW_CM_06-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/061121_SummerSchool_AW_CM_06-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rising first graders walk to their classroom at the start of the day during summer session at Laurel Elementary in Oakland on June 11, 2021. \u003ccite>(Anne Wernikoff/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>KQED has a thorough guide on how to find \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061440/calfresh-snap-ebt-shutdown-find-food-banks-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-alameda-oakland-contra-costa-newsom-national-guard\">food pantries\u003c/a> in the Bay Area, including Alameda County resources like:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>The California Association of Food Banks\u003ca href=\"https://www.cafoodbanks.org/our-members/\">’ online tool\u003c/a>, which lists all the major food banks in the state\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>The \u003ca href=\"https://211ca.org/\">state’s 211 \u003c/a>hotline\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.foodnow.net/find-a-food-pantry/\">Alameda County Community Food Bank\u003c/a> tool can locate \u003ca href=\"https://www.foodnow.net/find-a-food-pantry/\">food resources\u003c/a> in the area. You can also call 510-635-3663 for any emergencies\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.alamedafoodbank.org/get-food/\">Alameda Food Bank\u003c/a> at 677 W. Ranger Ave. in Alameda\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>A map of \u003ca href=\"https://www.acgov.org/maps/food-services.htm\">food services and distribution\u003c/a> locations in Alameda County\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Oakland Unified School District educators voted to authorize a strike last week, following a year of labor negotiations with no deal.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Weeks after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074197/sfusd-teachers-got-a-big-contract-deal-not-all-are-happy-with-it\">San Francisco educators \u003c/a>wrapped up a four-day strike that shuttered schools and left many families across the city scrambling for child care, Oakland teachers are gearing up for a possible labor battle of their own.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Late last week, the Oakland Education Association — the union representing nearly 3,000 teachers, social workers, counselors and other staff across the Oakland Unified School District — voted to authorize a strike. The threat comes after nearly \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074272/oakland-teachers-approve-a-strike-as-report-calls-districts-pay-not-competitive\">a year of labor negotiations\u003c/a> between the union and the school district without a contract deal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unlike San Francisco’s teachers strike, which was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071181/san-francisco-teachers-union-moves-closer-to-a-historic-strike-first-in-more-than-50-years\">the city’s first in almost half a century\u003c/a>, Oakland teachers \u003cem>have \u003c/em>taken to the picket lines in recent years. During contract negotiations in 2019 and 2023, OUSD educators held strikes that each lasted about a week and ended after the district offered wage increases to staff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite those raises, the parties’ major sticking point again revolves around pay. OUSD’s teachers are among the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071181/san-francisco-teachers-union-moves-closer-to-a-historic-strike-first-in-more-than-50-years\">lowest paid in the Bay Area\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#WhensthesoonestanOaklandteachersstrikecouldtakeplace\">When’s the soonest an Oakland teachers strike could take place?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>While Oakland families might have gained more familiarity in navigating teacher strikes in the last few years, the challenges of keeping up with rapid back-and-forth negotiations between the union and district — and to find access to food, child care and instructional resources for kids whose schools could be impacted — are the same.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keep reading for what we know about a possible Oakland teachers strike.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Is an OUSD strike definitely happening?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Not yet. But while no OUSD strike has been called, it could be announced at any time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last Friday, teachers gave their OEA union permission to call a work stoppage, and they have completed the legally mandated mediation process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12043210\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12043210\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-04_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-04_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-04_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-04_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Oakland Unified School District Offices in Oakland on April 28, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The union has said it’s still open to negotiating with the school district to avoid a strike, though, and the two sides have another bargaining session on the books for Thursday evening.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But OEA representatives have said the union will need real movement from the district on wages to come to any agreement.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What does the Oakland teachers union want, and what’s the latest?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>OUSD and OEA have been negotiating a new contract since last March.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the two sides have reached some tentative agreements on smaller proposals, they’ve made little progress on wage increases. Like districts across the state, OUSD is facing enrollment decline, and said its spending is outpacing its revenue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the union said its teachers are paid too little to live in Oakland, and that low wages are contributing to high teacher turnover rates in the district.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The union has demanded a raise between 12% and 14% over two years. In reply, OUSD has proposed raises that would equal 8% by 2027.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last week, a neutral mediator, who was appointed to collect financial information and hear arguments of both sides, issued a recommendation that falls somewhere in the middle: a 6% raise over two years, plus an additional 3% to 4% raise in 2027. The mediator also suggested an extra 2% bump for special education teachers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The mediator’s full report, known as a “fact-finding report,” was released last week and marked the final step in mediation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since then, the parties met to bargain on Monday and are expected to return to the table on Thursday afternoon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Tuesday night, the district’s school board held a closed-door meeting to discuss the negotiations, but didn’t take any new actions.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What’s going on with Oakland’s budget? And what does it have to do with a strike?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Oakland’s school district is in the midst of making major budget cuts, which have become \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12023461/ousd-on-track-run-out-of-cash-after-avoiding-hard-decisions-scathing-letter-says\">routine\u003c/a> in recent years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12043062/as-ousd-gets-closer-to-controlling-its-finances-new-budget-challenges-loom\">Last summer\u003c/a>, the district regained full local financial control 20 years after it declared bankruptcy in 2003. But without cuts, interim Superintendent Denise Saddler told the school board this week, OUSD won’t be able to right a $102 million budget deficit projected next year and could risk again needing state assistance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, the district approved a plan to eliminate almost 400 staff positions through a combination of layoffs, early retirement buyouts and eliminations of roles that are currently vacant. Those cuts will save about $11 million, according to district fiscal advisors. The district is also eyeing plans to reduce schools’ individual budgets, and a lofty proposal to significantly increase the special education services it offers in district schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12019083\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12019083\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/21_240517-TKBilingualLearners-80-BL-scaled-e1772135571879.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Transitional kindergarten students play outside during recess at the International Community School in Oakland on May 17, 2024. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>So far, it’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064579/oaklands-school-district-must-cut-100-million-its-proposed-plan-doesnt-get-close\">identified about $65\u003c/a> million in cuts it could make, and is still aiming to identify another $35 million before its budget is due in June. That total dollar amount doesn’t factor in any additional costs associated with a new contract with OEA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073310/if-sfusd-teachers-get-their-way-district-suggests-more-cuts-could-be-on-the-table\">other Bay Area school districts\u003c/a>, rocked by strikes in recent weeks, officials have indicated that spending more on teachers’ contracts could force districts to make deeper cuts during budget planning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In San Francisco, the deal that educators and the district struck earlier this month increased the district’s expenditures by more than $180 million for two years, and could lead to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073441/san-franciscos-teachers-strike-has-ended-what-comes-next\">additional cuts or layoffs\u003c/a>, according to school leaders there. West Contra Costa County, which also just approved a new labor contract after a four-day strike in December, passed a plan that will \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073310/if-sfusd-teachers-get-their-way-district-suggests-more-cuts-could-be-on-the-table\">slash 10% of its workforce\u003c/a> at the end of the school year.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"WhensthesoonestanOaklandteachersstrikecouldtakeplace\">\u003c/a>When’s the soonest an Oakland teachers strike could take place?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Since mediation has wrapped up, and the union has authorized a walkout, the call for an Oakland teachers strike could come at any time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>OEA has to give the district 48 hours’ notice before taking to picket lines, so the earliest a strike would likely interrupt schools is Monday.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Has this kind of strike ever happened before in Oakland?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Yes. Oakland’s OEA union held similar strikes in both 2019 and 2023.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://edsource.org/2019/tentative-agreement-reached-in-oakland-unified-teachers-strike/609342\">In 2019\u003c/a>, the walkout came after Oakland teachers had been working under an expired deal for nearly two years. Lasting a week, the strike ended with a four-year contract that included raises, along with commitments to decrease class sizes and put a monthslong moratorium on school closures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12042892\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12042892 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-026_qed-1-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Oakland Unified School District Board listens to public comment during a meeting at La Escuelita Elementary School in Oakland, California, on Dec. 11, 2024. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>OUSD operates more small campuses compared to similarly sized districts, and for years has gone back and forth on plans to shutter some schools, often \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12017719/oaklands-school-merger-plan-stalled-districts-huge-deficit-remains\">reneging on plans\u003c/a> after community pushback.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oakland educators again \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11949458/oakland-teachers-strike-ends-as-union-reaches-agreement-with-school-district\">walked out for about a week in 2023\u003c/a>, after another monthslong negotiation cycle.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What happens during a teachers strike? Will Oakland schools close?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>While San Francisco schools closed earlier this month, Oakland’s could remain open during a walkout.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the 2023 strike, students who attended school were supervised by principals and central office staff. But little instruction actually occurred, and attendance dropped as low as 4%, according to \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2023/05/25/ousds-annual-attendance-fell-4-as-a-result-of-the-teachers-strike/\">\u003cem>The Oaklandside\u003c/em>\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where can I take my kids if Oakland schools are closed?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Some institutions are preparing to extend their services if the strike is on. The City of Oakland’s Office of Parks, Recreation & Youth Development opened five centers “in the event of an Oakland Unified School District teacher strike.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The following spots in Oakland will be open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandca.gov/Community/Parks-Facilities/Recreation-Centers/Allendale-Recreation-Center\">Allendale Recreation Center\u003c/a>: 3711 Suter St.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandca.gov/Community/Parks-Facilities/Recreation-Centers/Bushrod-Recreation-Center\">Bushrod Recreation Center\u003c/a>: 560 59th St.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandca.gov/Community/Parks-Facilities/Recreation-Centers/Carmen-Flores-Recreation-Center\">Carmen Flores Recreation Center\u003c/a>: 1637 Fruitvale Ave.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandca.gov/Community/Parks-Facilities/Recreation-Centers/Ira-Jinkins-Recreation-Center\">Ira Jinkins Recreation Center\u003c/a>: 9175 Edes Ave.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandca.gov/Community/Parks-Facilities/Recreation-Centers/Lincoln-Square-Park-and-Recreation-Center\">Lincoln Square Park and Recreation Center\u003c/a>: 261 11th St.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>In an email, the representative from the city said “services will be free,” and there will be snacks and meals provided.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some museums and cultural institutions may also respond to the strike by providing deals for impacted families, but some \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073183/sfusd-san-francisco-teachers-strike-museums-free-tickets-discounts-sf-library\">local museums already have discounts\u003c/a> for young people. For example, the Oakland Museum of California has \u003ca href=\"https://tickets.museumca.org/orders/492/calendar?eventId=63c714fc8e3603283bf30b0e&cart&_gl=1*4ss7il*_gcl_au*MjI5OTA4Nzc1LjE3NzIxNDc4Njg.*_ga*MTY1NTg5NDE1MS4xNzcyMTQ3ODY3*_ga_VHQH9B37EL*czE3NzIxNDc4NjQkbzEkZzEkdDE3NzIxNDc5NzUkajQ5JGwwJGgw*_ga_GVDBGVJYSC*czE3NzIxNDc4NjQkbzEkZzEkdDE3NzIxNDc5NzYkajQ4JGwwJGgw\">free admission for young people 12 and under\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What does ‘crossing a picket line’ actually mean?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Families sending students to school during a strike\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the SFUSD strike earlier this month, \u003ca href=\"https://wecantwait.info/parents/uesf\">the California Teachers Union \u003c/a>said that as a parent or guardian, “you’ll have to decide if you want your child in this environment” of a school that’s in the middle of a strike.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A strike is most powerful when students do not attend school, because this puts financial pressure on the district to negotiate with educators or lose more money from the state,” the statewide union’s \u003ca href=\"https://wecantwait.info/parents/uesf\">guidance\u003c/a> for SFUSD families read. CTA has not yet issued specific guidance for OUSD families.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11949102\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11949102\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/05/RS65200_05092023_oaklandstrikepresser-214-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Teachers march in front of a school, holding protest signs.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1277\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/05/RS65200_05092023_oaklandstrikepresser-214-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/05/RS65200_05092023_oaklandstrikepresser-214-qut-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/05/RS65200_05092023_oaklandstrikepresser-214-qut-1020x678.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/05/RS65200_05092023_oaklandstrikepresser-214-qut-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/05/RS65200_05092023_oaklandstrikepresser-214-qut-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland teachers, students and supporters march on a picket line in front of Melrose Leadership Academy on May 9, 2023. \u003ccite>(Kori Suzuki/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Volunteers teaching in schools during a strike in the absence of teachers\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The National PTA’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.pta.org/home/advocacy/ptas-positions/Individual-Position-Statements/Position-Statement-Teacher-Negotiations-Sanctions-and-Strikes\">guidance\u003c/a> to local branches also states that “PTA should not man the classrooms” unless “possibly for a day in the absence of advance notice of a strike.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Not only is manning of classrooms inconsistent with PTA efforts to obtain a qualified teacher in every classroom, but personal liability may be incurred,” the notice reads. “If the school administration intends to keep the schools open during a teacher walkout, it should develop a corps of volunteers outside the PTA structure.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What about families who rely on free meals at school?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Many families may rely on schools to provide no-cost meals during weekdays.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the SFUSD strike, the district and the mayor’s office organized several pick-up locations throughout for breakfasts and lunches — and OUSD may do the same. KQED has asked the district for details of any resources it plans to offer families in the event of a strike.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12035840\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12035840\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/061121_SummerSchool_AW_CM_06.jpg\" alt=\"The bottom half of several children on a concrete playground with yellow chalk outlining numbers and letters is shown.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/061121_SummerSchool_AW_CM_06.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/061121_SummerSchool_AW_CM_06-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/061121_SummerSchool_AW_CM_06-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/061121_SummerSchool_AW_CM_06-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/061121_SummerSchool_AW_CM_06-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/061121_SummerSchool_AW_CM_06-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rising first graders walk to their classroom at the start of the day during summer session at Laurel Elementary in Oakland on June 11, 2021. \u003ccite>(Anne Wernikoff/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>KQED has a thorough guide on how to find \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061440/calfresh-snap-ebt-shutdown-find-food-banks-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-alameda-oakland-contra-costa-newsom-national-guard\">food pantries\u003c/a> in the Bay Area, including Alameda County resources like:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>The California Association of Food Banks\u003ca href=\"https://www.cafoodbanks.org/our-members/\">’ online tool\u003c/a>, which lists all the major food banks in the state\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>The \u003ca href=\"https://211ca.org/\">state’s 211 \u003c/a>hotline\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.foodnow.net/find-a-food-pantry/\">Alameda County Community Food Bank\u003c/a> tool can locate \u003ca href=\"https://www.foodnow.net/find-a-food-pantry/\">food resources\u003c/a> in the area. You can also call 510-635-3663 for any emergencies\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.alamedafoodbank.org/get-food/\">Alameda Food Bank\u003c/a> at 677 W. Ranger Ave. in Alameda\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>A map of \u003ca href=\"https://www.acgov.org/maps/food-services.htm\">food services and distribution\u003c/a> locations in Alameda County\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "oakland-teachers-approve-a-strike-as-report-calls-districts-pay-not-competitive",
"title": "Oakland Teachers Approve a Strike, as Report Calls District’s Pay ‘Not Competitive’",
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"headTitle": "Oakland Teachers Approve a Strike, as Report Calls District’s Pay ‘Not Competitive’ | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Days after the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073306/sfusd-teachers-strike-no-end-in-sight-health-care-battle\">end of a teachers strike\u003c/a> that shut down San Francisco public schools for a week, Oakland educators have authorized their own strike following nearly a year of unsuccessful contract negotiations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The potential work stoppage was supported in voting last week by 91% of Oakland Education Association members, which includes 3,000 teachers, counselors, social workers and other credentialed staff of the city’s public school district.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are in a really profound fight for the schools our students deserve and stability in our schools,” Skyline High School teacher-librarian Dylan Drewry said. “Of course, we at any point want to reach an agreement to avoid that with the district, but we are preparing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last week, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland-unified-school-district\">Oakland Unified School District\u003c/a> and OEA wrapped up a state-mandated mediation process without a deal. The two sides, which have been bargaining since March, are at odds over wage increases and class sizes, among other issues. They have been at an impasse since November, and OEA educators have been working under an expired contract since June.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The union is demanding a 12% to 14% raise over two years, contending that its educators are the lowest paid among 10 comparable districts and that OUSD has one of the highest staff turnover rates in the state. Oakland loses 400 teachers every year on average, according to the union, and OEA President Kampala Taiz-Rancifer told KQED that 60% of district teachers can’t afford to live in Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>OUSD, like San Francisco and other districts across the state, has said that it doesn’t have enough money to fund the union’s requested wage hikes. Instead, it proposed raises of 2.5% in 2026, and up to 5.5% in two phases in 2027.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12074290\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12074290\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/012_KQED_OaklandTeacherStrike_04292022_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/012_KQED_OaklandTeacherStrike_04292022_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/012_KQED_OaklandTeacherStrike_04292022_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/012_KQED_OaklandTeacherStrike_04292022_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland teachers and members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, Local 10, march from Lake Merritt to Oakland City Hall on April 29, 2022. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The district has been trying to come to terms that honor OUSD educators for the work they do every day in service of our students, while at the same time staying within our means because of the very real financial challenges with which the district is currently contending,” OUSD said in a statement on Friday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The district has said it is losing revenue due to declining enrollment and faces a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12067547/oakland-schools-in-turmoil-after-two-key-officials-depart-over-budget-crisis\">major budget shortfall\u003c/a>. It’s expected to make $100 million in budget cuts this spring, and this week, the school board is set to vote on whether to issue nearly 400 preliminary layoff notices to staff, including 180 OEA members.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But a neutral panel composed of members of both the union and district, along with a third-party mediator, affirmed the union’s grievance, saying OUSD’s wage offer was “not competitive.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“OEA unit members are at the bottom of the scale compared to the salaries received by educators in neighboring districts,” reads its report, issued last week. Mid-career educators in Fremont make about $117,000 a year, compared to Oakland’s average of $82,700. Berkeley teachers make over $95,000.[aside postID=news_12073310 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/251205-wccusdstrikerally01511_TV_qed.jpg']“The difference in salaries is significant, and a wage increase is necessary and appropriate to aggressively recruit and retain competent educators,” the report continues.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The panel, which issues a list of non-binding recommendations, suggested a 6% raise over two years, plus an additional 2% bump for special education teachers. In 2027, it suggested an additional 3% to 4% raise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also noted that the district had not been transparent about its financial situation, adding that, in years past, “at the eleventh hour, the district has found enough funds to either avert or end a strike. Needless to say, there were trust issues.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2023, OEA held a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11949458/oakland-teachers-strike-ends-as-union-reaches-agreement-with-school-district\">weeklong strike\u003c/a> that ended after teachers won a 15.5% raise over two and a half years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The union has said that while OUSD insists it cannot afford to pay higher wages, it spends a significant amount of money on consultants and outside contractors to provide some services, instead of investing in its employees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That money, we’re asking to be reinvested in classrooms,” Taiz-Rancifer said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said that instead of hiring a psychologist for a campus, for example, OUSD sometimes contracts with one through an outside company.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When you contract out that position, you’re actually costing the district nearly double the amount of money that you would for somebody who works in the district,” she said, adding that sometimes, the contractor works remotely, which requires another adult to supervise. “And in addition, you’re not getting the same kind of quality… [as] hiring somebody on-site that actually could build a relationship, build rapport.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12037666\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12037666 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/DSC7276_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/DSC7276_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/DSC7276_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/DSC7276_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/DSC7276_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/DSC7276_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/DSC7276_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hundreds of Oakland teachers and their supporters converged on Frank H. Ogawa Plaza in front of City Hall on May 4, 2023. \u003ccite>(Aryk Copley for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The fact-finding report found that OUSD spent $316,000 on one outside consultant alone last year. It said the district needs to “wean itself” off consultants and outside contracts by increasing district wages to be more competitive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If the district is hiring consultants because they do not have enough qualified employees to handle the positions, then that supports the claim that wages are insufficient to recruit and retain the personnel needed,” wrote the fact-finding panel chairperson, Cheryl Stevens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The report also said that throughout two days of hearings, the union wanted to bargain over other non-wage-related issues — including changes to the district’s Newcomer program for immigrants and English language learners, and continuation schools — that the district seemed less interested in discussing. Still, Stevens wrote that she believes if the parties can reach an agreement on salaries, they can avert a strike.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>OEA has said it doesn’t plan to strike imminently and is still interested in returning to the bargaining table.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“[OUSD] can avert a strike if they bring something to the table that educators are willing to accept,” Taiz-Rancifer said. “They need to come with a real offer.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/wcruz\">\u003cem>Billy Cruz\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The Oakland Unified School District’s teachers union voted to authorize a strike after nearly a year of unsuccessful contract talks, but said it doesn’t plan to walk out imminently.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Days after the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073306/sfusd-teachers-strike-no-end-in-sight-health-care-battle\">end of a teachers strike\u003c/a> that shut down San Francisco public schools for a week, Oakland educators have authorized their own strike following nearly a year of unsuccessful contract negotiations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The potential work stoppage was supported in voting last week by 91% of Oakland Education Association members, which includes 3,000 teachers, counselors, social workers and other credentialed staff of the city’s public school district.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are in a really profound fight for the schools our students deserve and stability in our schools,” Skyline High School teacher-librarian Dylan Drewry said. “Of course, we at any point want to reach an agreement to avoid that with the district, but we are preparing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last week, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland-unified-school-district\">Oakland Unified School District\u003c/a> and OEA wrapped up a state-mandated mediation process without a deal. The two sides, which have been bargaining since March, are at odds over wage increases and class sizes, among other issues. They have been at an impasse since November, and OEA educators have been working under an expired contract since June.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The union is demanding a 12% to 14% raise over two years, contending that its educators are the lowest paid among 10 comparable districts and that OUSD has one of the highest staff turnover rates in the state. Oakland loses 400 teachers every year on average, according to the union, and OEA President Kampala Taiz-Rancifer told KQED that 60% of district teachers can’t afford to live in Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>OUSD, like San Francisco and other districts across the state, has said that it doesn’t have enough money to fund the union’s requested wage hikes. Instead, it proposed raises of 2.5% in 2026, and up to 5.5% in two phases in 2027.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12074290\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12074290\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/012_KQED_OaklandTeacherStrike_04292022_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/012_KQED_OaklandTeacherStrike_04292022_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/012_KQED_OaklandTeacherStrike_04292022_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/012_KQED_OaklandTeacherStrike_04292022_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland teachers and members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, Local 10, march from Lake Merritt to Oakland City Hall on April 29, 2022. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The district has been trying to come to terms that honor OUSD educators for the work they do every day in service of our students, while at the same time staying within our means because of the very real financial challenges with which the district is currently contending,” OUSD said in a statement on Friday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The district has said it is losing revenue due to declining enrollment and faces a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12067547/oakland-schools-in-turmoil-after-two-key-officials-depart-over-budget-crisis\">major budget shortfall\u003c/a>. It’s expected to make $100 million in budget cuts this spring, and this week, the school board is set to vote on whether to issue nearly 400 preliminary layoff notices to staff, including 180 OEA members.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But a neutral panel composed of members of both the union and district, along with a third-party mediator, affirmed the union’s grievance, saying OUSD’s wage offer was “not competitive.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“OEA unit members are at the bottom of the scale compared to the salaries received by educators in neighboring districts,” reads its report, issued last week. Mid-career educators in Fremont make about $117,000 a year, compared to Oakland’s average of $82,700. Berkeley teachers make over $95,000.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“The difference in salaries is significant, and a wage increase is necessary and appropriate to aggressively recruit and retain competent educators,” the report continues.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The panel, which issues a list of non-binding recommendations, suggested a 6% raise over two years, plus an additional 2% bump for special education teachers. In 2027, it suggested an additional 3% to 4% raise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also noted that the district had not been transparent about its financial situation, adding that, in years past, “at the eleventh hour, the district has found enough funds to either avert or end a strike. Needless to say, there were trust issues.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2023, OEA held a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11949458/oakland-teachers-strike-ends-as-union-reaches-agreement-with-school-district\">weeklong strike\u003c/a> that ended after teachers won a 15.5% raise over two and a half years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The union has said that while OUSD insists it cannot afford to pay higher wages, it spends a significant amount of money on consultants and outside contractors to provide some services, instead of investing in its employees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That money, we’re asking to be reinvested in classrooms,” Taiz-Rancifer said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said that instead of hiring a psychologist for a campus, for example, OUSD sometimes contracts with one through an outside company.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When you contract out that position, you’re actually costing the district nearly double the amount of money that you would for somebody who works in the district,” she said, adding that sometimes, the contractor works remotely, which requires another adult to supervise. “And in addition, you’re not getting the same kind of quality… [as] hiring somebody on-site that actually could build a relationship, build rapport.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12037666\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12037666 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/DSC7276_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/DSC7276_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/DSC7276_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/DSC7276_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/DSC7276_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/DSC7276_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/DSC7276_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hundreds of Oakland teachers and their supporters converged on Frank H. Ogawa Plaza in front of City Hall on May 4, 2023. \u003ccite>(Aryk Copley for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The fact-finding report found that OUSD spent $316,000 on one outside consultant alone last year. It said the district needs to “wean itself” off consultants and outside contracts by increasing district wages to be more competitive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If the district is hiring consultants because they do not have enough qualified employees to handle the positions, then that supports the claim that wages are insufficient to recruit and retain the personnel needed,” wrote the fact-finding panel chairperson, Cheryl Stevens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The report also said that throughout two days of hearings, the union wanted to bargain over other non-wage-related issues — including changes to the district’s Newcomer program for immigrants and English language learners, and continuation schools — that the district seemed less interested in discussing. Still, Stevens wrote that she believes if the parties can reach an agreement on salaries, they can avert a strike.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>OEA has said it doesn’t plan to strike imminently and is still interested in returning to the bargaining table.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“[OUSD] can avert a strike if they bring something to the table that educators are willing to accept,” Taiz-Rancifer said. “They need to come with a real offer.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/wcruz\">\u003cem>Billy Cruz\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "california-demands-oakland-schools-make-sweeping-changes-over-antisemitism-complaints",
"title": "California Demands Oakland Schools Make Sweeping Changes Over Antisemitism Complaints",
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"headTitle": "California Demands Oakland Schools Make Sweeping Changes Over Antisemitism Complaints | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>The California Department of Education has demanded that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland\">Oakland\u003c/a>’s school district take sweeping corrective actions over allegations of antisemitism on campuses, as schools across the country grapple with how to teach about the war in Gaza.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a decision of appeal issued last week, the department said it found antisemitic discrimination within the Oakland Unified School District on multiple occasions over the past two years. The determination stemmed from a number of discrimination complaints over Palestinian flags and pro-Palestinian posters hung in schools, communications sent by district staff encouraging a ceasefire, and pro-Palestinian curriculum educators created and taught.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“School districts should be nonpolitical,” said Oakland attorney Marleen Sacks, who has filed a number of the complaints that predicated the CDE decision. “Students should be taught how to think and not what to think. And that’s not what’s going on in OUSD.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sacks and the advocacy group Oakland Jewish Alliance have alleged that since the beginning of the war in Gaza in 2023, there has been ongoing pro-Palestinian activism in schools that “created a hostile environment for Jewish students and staff.” The complaints led to a district investigation, which found that there had been “pro-Palestinian propaganda” on district campuses, as well as pro-Palestinian curriculum and instruction in classrooms and political activism by district staff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The district found that “there has been disparate attention and prioritization via District programs and support for the District’s Arab community compared to the District’s Jewish community,” according to the CDE’s decision last week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, Sacks said the district didn’t investigate all of the complaints or conduct a thorough enough review, prompting the appeal to the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12056824\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12056824\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/250919-GAZA-PROTEST-OAKLAND-MD-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/250919-GAZA-PROTEST-OAKLAND-MD-06-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/250919-GAZA-PROTEST-OAKLAND-MD-06-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/250919-GAZA-PROTEST-OAKLAND-MD-06-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pro-Palestinian march to the West Oakland BART station after activists blocked an intersection on 7th Street in West Oakland near the 880 freeway on Sept. 19, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In October, the state found antisemitism in the district on multiple occasions, and last week, issued a new decision building upon those findings, and requiring new remedial measures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CDE found that, in part, the appeal had merit, and prompted a slew of corrective actions, including: districtwide communications to families and staff condemning antisemitism; training for staff to prevent and remedy antisemitism; and a Board of Education discussion on the CDE’s findings. Some school sites where allegations of discrimination were made must also hold educational assemblies and OUSD will be required to plan ongoing professional development that ensures education doesn’t have discriminatory bias.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>OUSD did not respond to a request for comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sacks said that she believes the decision doesn’t go far enough and plans to ask the state to require OUSD to revisit its own investigation and look into complaints it didn’t previously investigate fully. Still, she said, it marked a “turning point for Jewish and Israeli students and employees in Oakland.”[aside postID=news_12065375 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/240508-Berkeley-High-File-MD-03_qed.jpg']“The evidence clearly showed a hostile environment for Jewish and Israeli students and families, and the CDE has stepped in to enforce meaningful corrective action,” Sacks said in a statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Musa Tariq, a policy coordinator with the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said the decision could have a “chilling” effect for educators trying to teach about the war in Gaza across the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There have been coordinated efforts to restrict how Palestine is being discussed in classrooms,” he told KQED. “This decision, unfortunately, is something that will be cited statewide and can embolden complaints designed to intimidate educators rather than addressing real discrimination.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, a\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12055560/controversial-ca-bill-to-combat-antisemitism-in-schools-races-against-legislative-clock\"> controversial new state law\u003c/a> meant to prevent antisemitism in K-12 schools went into effect, despite concerns from opponents that it could similarly deter educators from discussing criticisms of Israel. The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12067413/this-lawsuit-aims-to-block-californias-new-k-12-antisemitism-law\">filed a lawsuit in December to block Assembly Bill 715\u003c/a>, but a federal judge \u003ca href=\"https://edsource.org/2026/federal-judge-rejects-injunction-to-block-new-law-on-antisemitism-in-california/748094\">declined\u003c/a> the group’s request to temporarily prevent the law from taking effect as it awaits trial, saying the state, not teachers, should determine what is taught in classrooms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the federal level, the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights launched an \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/OCR-FINAL-SIGNED-R-NOT-DRL-Oakland-USD.pdf\">investigation\u003c/a> into OUSD over an unauthorized pro-Palestinian teach-in in December 2023. \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2023/12/07/oakland-teachers-palestine-teach-in/\">\u003cem>The Oaklandside \u003c/em>reported\u003c/a> that dozens of district teachers coordinated to take time out of their class periods to present Palestinian perspectives on the war in Gaza and provide resources on the history of the conflict to their students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the fall, Congress launched an investigation into the neighboring Berkeley Unified School District and two other school districts across the country over antisemitism concerns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tariq said schools are supposed to be a space for open and critical discussion, but said the moves represent “a nationwide effort to suppress Palestinian and pro-Palestinian narratives under the guise of fighting antisemitism.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We believe that that’s troubling and counterproductive, and that real education should allow students to wrestle with the complexity of history and understand injustice and truth and not just sanitized versions of history,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Education officials said a district investigation didn’t go far enough to address concerns of Jewish and Israeli students. Critics warned of consequences for free speech.",
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"headline": "California Demands Oakland Schools Make Sweeping Changes Over Antisemitism Complaints",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>The California Department of Education has demanded that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland\">Oakland\u003c/a>’s school district take sweeping corrective actions over allegations of antisemitism on campuses, as schools across the country grapple with how to teach about the war in Gaza.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a decision of appeal issued last week, the department said it found antisemitic discrimination within the Oakland Unified School District on multiple occasions over the past two years. The determination stemmed from a number of discrimination complaints over Palestinian flags and pro-Palestinian posters hung in schools, communications sent by district staff encouraging a ceasefire, and pro-Palestinian curriculum educators created and taught.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“School districts should be nonpolitical,” said Oakland attorney Marleen Sacks, who has filed a number of the complaints that predicated the CDE decision. “Students should be taught how to think and not what to think. And that’s not what’s going on in OUSD.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sacks and the advocacy group Oakland Jewish Alliance have alleged that since the beginning of the war in Gaza in 2023, there has been ongoing pro-Palestinian activism in schools that “created a hostile environment for Jewish students and staff.” The complaints led to a district investigation, which found that there had been “pro-Palestinian propaganda” on district campuses, as well as pro-Palestinian curriculum and instruction in classrooms and political activism by district staff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The district found that “there has been disparate attention and prioritization via District programs and support for the District’s Arab community compared to the District’s Jewish community,” according to the CDE’s decision last week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, Sacks said the district didn’t investigate all of the complaints or conduct a thorough enough review, prompting the appeal to the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12056824\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12056824\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/250919-GAZA-PROTEST-OAKLAND-MD-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/250919-GAZA-PROTEST-OAKLAND-MD-06-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/250919-GAZA-PROTEST-OAKLAND-MD-06-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/250919-GAZA-PROTEST-OAKLAND-MD-06-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pro-Palestinian march to the West Oakland BART station after activists blocked an intersection on 7th Street in West Oakland near the 880 freeway on Sept. 19, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In October, the state found antisemitism in the district on multiple occasions, and last week, issued a new decision building upon those findings, and requiring new remedial measures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CDE found that, in part, the appeal had merit, and prompted a slew of corrective actions, including: districtwide communications to families and staff condemning antisemitism; training for staff to prevent and remedy antisemitism; and a Board of Education discussion on the CDE’s findings. Some school sites where allegations of discrimination were made must also hold educational assemblies and OUSD will be required to plan ongoing professional development that ensures education doesn’t have discriminatory bias.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>OUSD did not respond to a request for comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sacks said that she believes the decision doesn’t go far enough and plans to ask the state to require OUSD to revisit its own investigation and look into complaints it didn’t previously investigate fully. Still, she said, it marked a “turning point for Jewish and Israeli students and employees in Oakland.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“The evidence clearly showed a hostile environment for Jewish and Israeli students and families, and the CDE has stepped in to enforce meaningful corrective action,” Sacks said in a statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Musa Tariq, a policy coordinator with the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said the decision could have a “chilling” effect for educators trying to teach about the war in Gaza across the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There have been coordinated efforts to restrict how Palestine is being discussed in classrooms,” he told KQED. “This decision, unfortunately, is something that will be cited statewide and can embolden complaints designed to intimidate educators rather than addressing real discrimination.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, a\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12055560/controversial-ca-bill-to-combat-antisemitism-in-schools-races-against-legislative-clock\"> controversial new state law\u003c/a> meant to prevent antisemitism in K-12 schools went into effect, despite concerns from opponents that it could similarly deter educators from discussing criticisms of Israel. The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12067413/this-lawsuit-aims-to-block-californias-new-k-12-antisemitism-law\">filed a lawsuit in December to block Assembly Bill 715\u003c/a>, but a federal judge \u003ca href=\"https://edsource.org/2026/federal-judge-rejects-injunction-to-block-new-law-on-antisemitism-in-california/748094\">declined\u003c/a> the group’s request to temporarily prevent the law from taking effect as it awaits trial, saying the state, not teachers, should determine what is taught in classrooms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the federal level, the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights launched an \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/OCR-FINAL-SIGNED-R-NOT-DRL-Oakland-USD.pdf\">investigation\u003c/a> into OUSD over an unauthorized pro-Palestinian teach-in in December 2023. \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2023/12/07/oakland-teachers-palestine-teach-in/\">\u003cem>The Oaklandside \u003c/em>reported\u003c/a> that dozens of district teachers coordinated to take time out of their class periods to present Palestinian perspectives on the war in Gaza and provide resources on the history of the conflict to their students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the fall, Congress launched an investigation into the neighboring Berkeley Unified School District and two other school districts across the country over antisemitism concerns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tariq said schools are supposed to be a space for open and critical discussion, but said the moves represent “a nationwide effort to suppress Palestinian and pro-Palestinian narratives under the guise of fighting antisemitism.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We believe that that’s troubling and counterproductive, and that real education should allow students to wrestle with the complexity of history and understand injustice and truth and not just sanitized versions of history,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Oakland Schools in Turmoil After 2 Key Officials Depart Over Budget Crisis",
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"content": "\u003cp>Last week, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12055977/ousd-just-got-control-of-its-finances-back-from-the-state-its-already-in-major-trouble\">tensions in Oakland’s school district\u003c/a> over how to stave off a massive budget shortfall came to a head when the district’s top financial officer abruptly resigned, and its chief of staff was terminated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lisa Grant-Dawson, who was brought into the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland-unified-school-district\">Oakland Unified School District\u003c/a> in 2020 to lead it out of two decades under state oversight, submitted her resignation on Friday, she told KQED. That same day, Chief of Staff Dan Bellino, who’s been with the district since July, was released by interim Superintendent Denise Saddler without warning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Bellino confirmed he’d not been given cause for the termination, Grant-Dawson said her decision to leave came after she and Bellino, with other colleagues, led a weekslong budget planning effort to right a $102 million budget deficit projected next year, and planned to present last Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But two days before the presentation, she said, Saddler revealed a different plan, crafted without the budget chief’s knowledge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I learned on Monday morning that the superintendent sought to lead in a different direction with the budget scenarios that were ultimately presented to the board. And opted to not inform me and other colleagues in advance of her decision,” Grant-Dawson told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What I don’t participate in is side-swiping.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12029339\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12029339 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">One parent comforts another as she becomes emotional while making a public comment to the Oakland Unified School District Board about a proposed merger during a meeting at La Escuelita Elementary School in Oakland, California, on Dec. 11, 2024. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In a statement shared with OUSD families, Saddler said she planned to bring on a team of external fiscal experts as the district prepares next year’s budget. Former Oakland City Councilmember Lynette McElhaney will take over as chief of staff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As superintendent, it is my job to ensure the district has the right leadership structure, alignment and urgency to meet the work that lies ahead of us,” she wrote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement on social media, Board Vice President Valarie Bachelor said she supported Saddler’s decision, and “her need to develop a Senior Leadership Team that can support our district through the next phase of the work.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The major leadership shakeup comes after months of tension between Oakland’s school leaders.[aside postID=news_12064579 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241009-OAKLAND-YOUTH-VOTE-MD-11-KQED-1020x680.jpg']Earlier this year, a teachers union-backed board majority overrode adopted budget cuts in favor of a proposal that was ultimately reversed after it \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12041279/ousd-cancels-controversial-after-school-cuts-but-deep-divisions-within-school-board-remain\">threatened to cancel some after-school programs\u003c/a>. In April, the same cohort \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12037315/oakland-school-board-votes-remove-superintendent-sparking-worries-instability\">ousted longtime Superintendent\u003c/a> Kyla Johnson-Trammel. And throughout the year, the board majority has sparred with district staff about how to address a structural funding shortfall and years of declining enrollment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That conflict \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12059238/alameda-county-to-oakland-schools-reduce-costs-or-lose-financial-independence-again\">escalated in October\u003c/a>, when the board requested staff bring forward two budget proposals to cut $100 million in ongoing expenditures without closing or merging schools, or directly affecting students at school sites.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An initial proposal presented by Grant-Dawson last month identified \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064579/oaklands-school-district-must-cut-100-million-its-proposed-plan-doesnt-get-close\">$21 million in cuts\u003c/a> within those bounds. To reach the $100 million figure, though, she said campuses would need to be impacted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re a school district. And a school district’s majority of its funds are in schools,” Grant-Dawson said at the time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since that initial proposal, Grant-Dawson said the senior leadership team had spent many long days developing two plans to realize the other $80 million in cuts necessary to stay solvent next year. She and Bellino had been the main editors of those documents, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12037460\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12037460\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland Unified School District parents, students and supporters attend a board meeting at Metwest High School in Oakland on April 23, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We submitted the version we were working on. The whole team saw it and knew it was being submitted,” she told KQED. “I was notified that there was a change made the next day.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The proposal that Saddler ultimately presented on Wednesday promises $102 million in cuts through major school site and administrative reductions. But Grant-Dawson said it lacks a roadmap that proves it can be implemented.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s no math or evidence behind it,” she said, adding that she believes ultimately, the superintendent presented a plan that “she felt the board wanted.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It accounts for a $20 million boost in revenue from growing attendance in each of the next two years. While the district has seen a 1.8% growth this year so far, it can’t guarantee efforts to recruit students will yield those results.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition to the $21 million in administrative cuts laid out last month, the proposal also recommends slashing another 15-20% of central office spending, and between 7.5-10% from each campus budget.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12056738\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12056738 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/007_KQED_OUSDSolidaritySchool_05112023_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/007_KQED_OUSDSolidaritySchool_05112023_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/007_KQED_OUSDSolidaritySchool_05112023_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/007_KQED_OUSDSolidaritySchool_05112023_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland Unified students and parents make signs to support teachers at a ‘solidarity school’ in Diamond Park, Oakland, on May 11, 2023, during an Oakland Unified School District teachers’ strike. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>To make such large reductions at school sites would likely require cutting programs or staff funded by restricted sources earmarked for specific purposes, which wouldn’t yield savings that can be reappropriated wherever the district sees fit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another line item reduces special education funding by “restructuring and reducing outside contracts, management, and programmatic elements,” but there is no description of what services and contracts OUSD could reduce while meeting its legal mandate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The reality,” Grant-Dawson said, is “you don’t have a list of $100 million that’s legit[imate].”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To make such large cuts to school site budgets, both Saddler and Grant-Dawson have said the district will have to rethink how many schools it operates.[aside postID=news_12040189 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Photo3_qed-1020x680.jpg']“From where I sit, there is no feasible or reasonable alternative,” Saddler wrote in her proposal. “The District must be restructured — schools and central offices. If the Board makes a commitment to truly restructure OUSD, it must see it through this time.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But it’s not clear that savings from that effort could be realized by next fall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You can’t just flip a switch, especially when you’re trying to drive that magnitude of the change, in one year,” Grant-Dawson said. “We’ve said that if we’re going to do any restructuring work, it takes at least a year to even plan, engage and all those things.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The proposal Grant-Dawson said her team had submitted, which was not presented on Wednesday, but was included in the documents given to the board ahead of the vote, suggested that the district might need to borrow money from an external source to bridge the gap as it does that work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also remains to be seen whether the school board will follow through on a plan to close schools. In recent years, OUSD’s board has made \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12017719/oaklands-school-merger-plan-stalled-districts-huge-deficit-remains\">multiple commitments to do so\u003c/a> that haven’t come to fruition. In 2022, the board approved 11 campus consolidations, but reversed them before they took effect the following year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Grant-Dawson said she doesn’t believe the board has the appetite to take up that work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Reading the tea leaves, what I said to the district was, ‘You asked me to help support leading you out of receivership, but I don’t lead people back in,’” Grant-Dawson told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Last week, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12055977/ousd-just-got-control-of-its-finances-back-from-the-state-its-already-in-major-trouble\">tensions in Oakland’s school district\u003c/a> over how to stave off a massive budget shortfall came to a head when the district’s top financial officer abruptly resigned, and its chief of staff was terminated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lisa Grant-Dawson, who was brought into the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland-unified-school-district\">Oakland Unified School District\u003c/a> in 2020 to lead it out of two decades under state oversight, submitted her resignation on Friday, she told KQED. That same day, Chief of Staff Dan Bellino, who’s been with the district since July, was released by interim Superintendent Denise Saddler without warning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Bellino confirmed he’d not been given cause for the termination, Grant-Dawson said her decision to leave came after she and Bellino, with other colleagues, led a weekslong budget planning effort to right a $102 million budget deficit projected next year, and planned to present last Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But two days before the presentation, she said, Saddler revealed a different plan, crafted without the budget chief’s knowledge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I learned on Monday morning that the superintendent sought to lead in a different direction with the budget scenarios that were ultimately presented to the board. And opted to not inform me and other colleagues in advance of her decision,” Grant-Dawson told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What I don’t participate in is side-swiping.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12029339\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12029339 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">One parent comforts another as she becomes emotional while making a public comment to the Oakland Unified School District Board about a proposed merger during a meeting at La Escuelita Elementary School in Oakland, California, on Dec. 11, 2024. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In a statement shared with OUSD families, Saddler said she planned to bring on a team of external fiscal experts as the district prepares next year’s budget. Former Oakland City Councilmember Lynette McElhaney will take over as chief of staff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As superintendent, it is my job to ensure the district has the right leadership structure, alignment and urgency to meet the work that lies ahead of us,” she wrote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement on social media, Board Vice President Valarie Bachelor said she supported Saddler’s decision, and “her need to develop a Senior Leadership Team that can support our district through the next phase of the work.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The major leadership shakeup comes after months of tension between Oakland’s school leaders.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Earlier this year, a teachers union-backed board majority overrode adopted budget cuts in favor of a proposal that was ultimately reversed after it \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12041279/ousd-cancels-controversial-after-school-cuts-but-deep-divisions-within-school-board-remain\">threatened to cancel some after-school programs\u003c/a>. In April, the same cohort \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12037315/oakland-school-board-votes-remove-superintendent-sparking-worries-instability\">ousted longtime Superintendent\u003c/a> Kyla Johnson-Trammel. And throughout the year, the board majority has sparred with district staff about how to address a structural funding shortfall and years of declining enrollment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That conflict \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12059238/alameda-county-to-oakland-schools-reduce-costs-or-lose-financial-independence-again\">escalated in October\u003c/a>, when the board requested staff bring forward two budget proposals to cut $100 million in ongoing expenditures without closing or merging schools, or directly affecting students at school sites.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An initial proposal presented by Grant-Dawson last month identified \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064579/oaklands-school-district-must-cut-100-million-its-proposed-plan-doesnt-get-close\">$21 million in cuts\u003c/a> within those bounds. To reach the $100 million figure, though, she said campuses would need to be impacted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re a school district. And a school district’s majority of its funds are in schools,” Grant-Dawson said at the time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since that initial proposal, Grant-Dawson said the senior leadership team had spent many long days developing two plans to realize the other $80 million in cuts necessary to stay solvent next year. She and Bellino had been the main editors of those documents, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12037460\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12037460\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland Unified School District parents, students and supporters attend a board meeting at Metwest High School in Oakland on April 23, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We submitted the version we were working on. The whole team saw it and knew it was being submitted,” she told KQED. “I was notified that there was a change made the next day.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The proposal that Saddler ultimately presented on Wednesday promises $102 million in cuts through major school site and administrative reductions. But Grant-Dawson said it lacks a roadmap that proves it can be implemented.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s no math or evidence behind it,” she said, adding that she believes ultimately, the superintendent presented a plan that “she felt the board wanted.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It accounts for a $20 million boost in revenue from growing attendance in each of the next two years. While the district has seen a 1.8% growth this year so far, it can’t guarantee efforts to recruit students will yield those results.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition to the $21 million in administrative cuts laid out last month, the proposal also recommends slashing another 15-20% of central office spending, and between 7.5-10% from each campus budget.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12056738\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12056738 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/007_KQED_OUSDSolidaritySchool_05112023_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/007_KQED_OUSDSolidaritySchool_05112023_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/007_KQED_OUSDSolidaritySchool_05112023_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/007_KQED_OUSDSolidaritySchool_05112023_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland Unified students and parents make signs to support teachers at a ‘solidarity school’ in Diamond Park, Oakland, on May 11, 2023, during an Oakland Unified School District teachers’ strike. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>To make such large reductions at school sites would likely require cutting programs or staff funded by restricted sources earmarked for specific purposes, which wouldn’t yield savings that can be reappropriated wherever the district sees fit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another line item reduces special education funding by “restructuring and reducing outside contracts, management, and programmatic elements,” but there is no description of what services and contracts OUSD could reduce while meeting its legal mandate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The reality,” Grant-Dawson said, is “you don’t have a list of $100 million that’s legit[imate].”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To make such large cuts to school site budgets, both Saddler and Grant-Dawson have said the district will have to rethink how many schools it operates.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“From where I sit, there is no feasible or reasonable alternative,” Saddler wrote in her proposal. “The District must be restructured — schools and central offices. If the Board makes a commitment to truly restructure OUSD, it must see it through this time.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But it’s not clear that savings from that effort could be realized by next fall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You can’t just flip a switch, especially when you’re trying to drive that magnitude of the change, in one year,” Grant-Dawson said. “We’ve said that if we’re going to do any restructuring work, it takes at least a year to even plan, engage and all those things.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The proposal Grant-Dawson said her team had submitted, which was not presented on Wednesday, but was included in the documents given to the board ahead of the vote, suggested that the district might need to borrow money from an external source to bridge the gap as it does that work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also remains to be seen whether the school board will follow through on a plan to close schools. In recent years, OUSD’s board has made \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12017719/oaklands-school-merger-plan-stalled-districts-huge-deficit-remains\">multiple commitments to do so\u003c/a> that haven’t come to fruition. In 2022, the board approved 11 campus consolidations, but reversed them before they took effect the following year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Grant-Dawson said she doesn’t believe the board has the appetite to take up that work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Reading the tea leaves, what I said to the district was, ‘You asked me to help support leading you out of receivership, but I don’t lead people back in,’” Grant-Dawson told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "oaklands-school-district-must-cut-100-million-its-proposed-plan-doesnt-get-close",
"title": "Oakland's School District Must Cut $100 Million. Its Proposed Plan Doesn't Get Close",
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"headTitle": "Oakland’s School District Must Cut $100 Million. Its Proposed Plan Doesn’t Get Close | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>As Oakland’s school district \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062643/oakland-unified-wins-budget-approval-but-faces-dire-warning-on-financial-future\">faces fiscal insolvency\u003c/a>, its top budget official is warning that the school board’s unwillingness to cut services could make it impossible to balance a budget next year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last month, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland-unified-school-district\">Oakland Unified School District\u003c/a>’s board directed staff to prepare two plans that cut $100 million from the 2026–27 budget to stay afloat. That demand came with broad parameters: no school closures or mergers, maintaining school resources and student-facing roles and reducing the district’s administrative arm — the “central office.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re a school district. And a school district’s majority of its funds are in schools,” Chief Business Officer Lisa Grant-Dawson said. “There’s not $100 million in the central office.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The two budget scenarios staff plan to present to the school board on Wednesday would cut far less than their goal. The more scant version would total $21.8 million in savings and recommends cutting 53 roles across administrative offices, with the greatest reductions in communications and the Superintendent’s office, a department which trains and supports new employees, fiscal services and academics. The other would only cut six roles and save the district $16.8 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Board President Jennifer Brouhard, who co-authored the resolution directing staff to propose the cuts, said it was an “initial direction,” but that she and other board members “understood from the start that further discussions with the Superintendent would be necessary to identify additional cuts.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12041367\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12041367 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1316\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-800x526.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-1020x671.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-160x105.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-1536x1011.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-1920x1263.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland Unified School District board president Jennifer Brouhard speaks during a meeting at Metwest High School in Oakland on April 23, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>She said the board also asked staff to consider other elements of the district’s spending, including a potential restructuring of its school “networks,” or groups of schools that are under the purview of a network superintendent, and plans to increase revenue through enrollment and identification of services that the district can deliver in-house instead of contracting out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“At our next special meeting on Dec. 3, I am excited to see plans for the remaining components of the resolution,” Brouhard said via email.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The budget crisis comes after years of warnings from \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12027158/how-oakland-and-sf-ended-up-among-7-ca-school-districts-who-cant-pay-their-bills\">state watchdogs\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12059238/alameda-county-to-oakland-schools-reduce-costs-or-lose-financial-independence-again\">county and district officials\u003c/a> that OUSD is outspending its revenue, setting it on the path toward bankruptcy. The district did declare bankruptcy in 2003 and was bailed out by a loan from the state that came with decades of intense oversight, but \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12043062/as-ousd-gets-closer-to-controlling-its-finances-new-budget-challenges-loom\">made its final loan payment over the summer\u003c/a>.[aside postID=news_12059238 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250603-OUSD-MD-01-KQED-1020x680.jpg']Even so, the past few years have been rocky — OUSD has outspent its revenue by up to $4 million per month, forcing service cuts and spending down a strong reserve fund built up during the pandemic, when schools received hefty relief payments from the federal government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some board members and the teachers’ union have long blamed OUSD’s central office for the overspending problem, calling it bloated and pointing to the high salaries of top officials. But Grant-Dawson said recent cuts have already relied heavily on shrinking the administration, making deeper reductions to non-student services difficult.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the board accepts a proposed reduction in its number of cleaning staff, Grant-Dawson said the district will ask school sites to utilize fewer classrooms and buildings on their campuses. Likewise, laying off employees in the budget office means school sites will have less flexibility in how they spend their site-specific funding, since there won’t be a district staff member to help implement those changes in the larger budget.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re going to be able to do less,” Grant-Dawson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A slim, four-member board majority led by Brouhard passed the resolution calling for the reduction plans last month, after hours of circling debate over how to address OUSD’s dire budget situation, while maintaining student and school resources.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11912882\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11912882\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/RS55654_027_KQED_GrassValleyElementarySchoolOakland_04282022-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Kids play outside at school.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/RS55654_027_KQED_GrassValleyElementarySchoolOakland_04282022-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/RS55654_027_KQED_GrassValleyElementarySchoolOakland_04282022-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/RS55654_027_KQED_GrassValleyElementarySchoolOakland_04282022-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/RS55654_027_KQED_GrassValleyElementarySchoolOakland_04282022-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/RS55654_027_KQED_GrassValleyElementarySchoolOakland_04282022-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Students play a game during recess at Grass Valley Elementary School in Oakland on April 28, 2022. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The same contingent, which is backed by the teachers’ union, has pushed through a number of controversial proposals since January, including amendments to last year’s budget reduction plan that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12041279/ousd-cancels-controversial-after-school-cuts-but-deep-divisions-within-school-board-remain\">unintentionally cut after-school programs\u003c/a> and had to be reversed and a shocking deal to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12037315/oakland-school-board-votes-remove-superintendent-sparking-worries-instability\">part with longtime Superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell\u003c/a> before the end of her contract.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Throughout the year, the board’s already tense relationship with district staff, and each other, has grown increasingly tenuous.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the spring, Grant-Dawson said she warned the board that their budget-balancing amendments could have unintended consequences, like the after-school program funding snafu, before it passed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When we did do that, it was like, ‘The staff is trying to keep us from [doing what we want],’” Grant-Dawson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12029337\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12029337\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-022_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-022_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-022_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-022_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-022_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-022_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-022_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Oakland Unified School District Board takes public comment during a meeting at La Escuelita Elementary School in Oakland, California, on Dec. 11, 2024. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Having to present the plan that made the cuts, then later reverse them, created more work for her team. So has developing budget-balancing plans year after year at the board’s direction, then watching as many go unimplemented.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“OUSD’s history reveals an undeniable pattern: requesting plans, then disregarding them; rejecting staff recommendations; changing direction and directions, and, when difficult decisions are finally made, rescinding them shortly thereafter,” Alameda County Superintendent Alysse Castro said in a letter to OUSD last month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She told KQED that balancing the budget under the current circumstances “is absolutely 100% possible, but it would require a really significant change of pattern and action.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Our business team has been alerting the Board and the community about these oncoming financial challenges for several years,” Interim Superintendent Denise Saddler, who took over this summer while the district searches for a new permanent leader, wrote in a letter to families earlier this month. “We could see the need to take measures to mitigate the financial drop off on the horizon, and we have made clear the need to make hard choices long before now.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12056737\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12056737 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-2_qed-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-2_qed-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-2_qed-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-2_qed-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland Unified School District parents, students and community leaders rally in support of improved schools, ahead of an OUSD board meeting at Metwest High School in Oakland on April 23, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Saddler said it would be impossible to make the massive budget reduction — which equals about 20% of the district’s unrestricted funding — without impacting students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People we know and care about will lose their jobs. Programs our students love will be reduced or eliminated. Services our families depend on will change,” she wrote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not all of the staff reductions in either budget scenario would necessarily come through layoffs. The district plans to offer employees who are over the age of 55 and have served in OUSD for at least five years an early retirement buy-out in June, and the school board directed the superintendent to implement a hiring freeze last month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The board is supposed to vote on its budget cut plan next month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Grant-Dawson said prior to Wednesday’s meeting, she hadn’t discussed the partial proposals with board members.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re not in that place,” she said. “They haven’t reached out. They don’t reach out like that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The budget crisis follows years of warnings from state watchdogs and officials that OUSD is outspending revenue, and on the path toward bankruptcy — again. ",
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"title": "Oakland's School District Must Cut $100 Million. Its Proposed Plan Doesn't Get Close | KQED",
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"headline": "Oakland's School District Must Cut $100 Million. Its Proposed Plan Doesn't Get Close",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>As Oakland’s school district \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062643/oakland-unified-wins-budget-approval-but-faces-dire-warning-on-financial-future\">faces fiscal insolvency\u003c/a>, its top budget official is warning that the school board’s unwillingness to cut services could make it impossible to balance a budget next year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last month, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland-unified-school-district\">Oakland Unified School District\u003c/a>’s board directed staff to prepare two plans that cut $100 million from the 2026–27 budget to stay afloat. That demand came with broad parameters: no school closures or mergers, maintaining school resources and student-facing roles and reducing the district’s administrative arm — the “central office.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re a school district. And a school district’s majority of its funds are in schools,” Chief Business Officer Lisa Grant-Dawson said. “There’s not $100 million in the central office.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The two budget scenarios staff plan to present to the school board on Wednesday would cut far less than their goal. The more scant version would total $21.8 million in savings and recommends cutting 53 roles across administrative offices, with the greatest reductions in communications and the Superintendent’s office, a department which trains and supports new employees, fiscal services and academics. The other would only cut six roles and save the district $16.8 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Board President Jennifer Brouhard, who co-authored the resolution directing staff to propose the cuts, said it was an “initial direction,” but that she and other board members “understood from the start that further discussions with the Superintendent would be necessary to identify additional cuts.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12041367\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12041367 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1316\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-800x526.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-1020x671.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-160x105.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-1536x1011.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-18_qed-1920x1263.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland Unified School District board president Jennifer Brouhard speaks during a meeting at Metwest High School in Oakland on April 23, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>She said the board also asked staff to consider other elements of the district’s spending, including a potential restructuring of its school “networks,” or groups of schools that are under the purview of a network superintendent, and plans to increase revenue through enrollment and identification of services that the district can deliver in-house instead of contracting out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“At our next special meeting on Dec. 3, I am excited to see plans for the remaining components of the resolution,” Brouhard said via email.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The budget crisis comes after years of warnings from \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12027158/how-oakland-and-sf-ended-up-among-7-ca-school-districts-who-cant-pay-their-bills\">state watchdogs\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12059238/alameda-county-to-oakland-schools-reduce-costs-or-lose-financial-independence-again\">county and district officials\u003c/a> that OUSD is outspending its revenue, setting it on the path toward bankruptcy. The district did declare bankruptcy in 2003 and was bailed out by a loan from the state that came with decades of intense oversight, but \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12043062/as-ousd-gets-closer-to-controlling-its-finances-new-budget-challenges-loom\">made its final loan payment over the summer\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Even so, the past few years have been rocky — OUSD has outspent its revenue by up to $4 million per month, forcing service cuts and spending down a strong reserve fund built up during the pandemic, when schools received hefty relief payments from the federal government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some board members and the teachers’ union have long blamed OUSD’s central office for the overspending problem, calling it bloated and pointing to the high salaries of top officials. But Grant-Dawson said recent cuts have already relied heavily on shrinking the administration, making deeper reductions to non-student services difficult.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the board accepts a proposed reduction in its number of cleaning staff, Grant-Dawson said the district will ask school sites to utilize fewer classrooms and buildings on their campuses. Likewise, laying off employees in the budget office means school sites will have less flexibility in how they spend their site-specific funding, since there won’t be a district staff member to help implement those changes in the larger budget.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re going to be able to do less,” Grant-Dawson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A slim, four-member board majority led by Brouhard passed the resolution calling for the reduction plans last month, after hours of circling debate over how to address OUSD’s dire budget situation, while maintaining student and school resources.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11912882\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11912882\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/RS55654_027_KQED_GrassValleyElementarySchoolOakland_04282022-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Kids play outside at school.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/RS55654_027_KQED_GrassValleyElementarySchoolOakland_04282022-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/RS55654_027_KQED_GrassValleyElementarySchoolOakland_04282022-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/RS55654_027_KQED_GrassValleyElementarySchoolOakland_04282022-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/RS55654_027_KQED_GrassValleyElementarySchoolOakland_04282022-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/RS55654_027_KQED_GrassValleyElementarySchoolOakland_04282022-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Students play a game during recess at Grass Valley Elementary School in Oakland on April 28, 2022. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The same contingent, which is backed by the teachers’ union, has pushed through a number of controversial proposals since January, including amendments to last year’s budget reduction plan that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12041279/ousd-cancels-controversial-after-school-cuts-but-deep-divisions-within-school-board-remain\">unintentionally cut after-school programs\u003c/a> and had to be reversed and a shocking deal to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12037315/oakland-school-board-votes-remove-superintendent-sparking-worries-instability\">part with longtime Superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell\u003c/a> before the end of her contract.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Throughout the year, the board’s already tense relationship with district staff, and each other, has grown increasingly tenuous.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the spring, Grant-Dawson said she warned the board that their budget-balancing amendments could have unintended consequences, like the after-school program funding snafu, before it passed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When we did do that, it was like, ‘The staff is trying to keep us from [doing what we want],’” Grant-Dawson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12029337\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12029337\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-022_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-022_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-022_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-022_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-022_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-022_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-022_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Oakland Unified School District Board takes public comment during a meeting at La Escuelita Elementary School in Oakland, California, on Dec. 11, 2024. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Having to present the plan that made the cuts, then later reverse them, created more work for her team. So has developing budget-balancing plans year after year at the board’s direction, then watching as many go unimplemented.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“OUSD’s history reveals an undeniable pattern: requesting plans, then disregarding them; rejecting staff recommendations; changing direction and directions, and, when difficult decisions are finally made, rescinding them shortly thereafter,” Alameda County Superintendent Alysse Castro said in a letter to OUSD last month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She told KQED that balancing the budget under the current circumstances “is absolutely 100% possible, but it would require a really significant change of pattern and action.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Our business team has been alerting the Board and the community about these oncoming financial challenges for several years,” Interim Superintendent Denise Saddler, who took over this summer while the district searches for a new permanent leader, wrote in a letter to families earlier this month. “We could see the need to take measures to mitigate the financial drop off on the horizon, and we have made clear the need to make hard choices long before now.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12056737\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12056737 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-2_qed-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-2_qed-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-2_qed-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-2_qed-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland Unified School District parents, students and community leaders rally in support of improved schools, ahead of an OUSD board meeting at Metwest High School in Oakland on April 23, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Saddler said it would be impossible to make the massive budget reduction — which equals about 20% of the district’s unrestricted funding — without impacting students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People we know and care about will lose their jobs. Programs our students love will be reduced or eliminated. Services our families depend on will change,” she wrote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not all of the staff reductions in either budget scenario would necessarily come through layoffs. The district plans to offer employees who are over the age of 55 and have served in OUSD for at least five years an early retirement buy-out in June, and the school board directed the superintendent to implement a hiring freeze last month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The board is supposed to vote on its budget cut plan next month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Grant-Dawson said prior to Wednesday’s meeting, she hadn’t discussed the partial proposals with board members.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re not in that place,” she said. “They haven’t reached out. They don’t reach out like that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>After months of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12059238/alameda-county-to-oakland-schools-reduce-costs-or-lose-financial-independence-again\">uncertainty\u003c/a>, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland-unified-school-district\">Oakland Unified School District\u003c/a> has officially received approval for its budget for the current school year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The decision from the Alameda County Office of Education came with a stern warning, however: The district’s longtime strategy of covering costs with one-time money and reneging on budget reductions isn’t going to cut it in 2026.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The removal of conditions and approval of OUSD’s budget should not be mistaken for a sign of fiscal health or stability,” County Superintendent Alysse Castro wrote in a letter to district leaders on Saturday. “OUSD remains on a trajectory toward insolvency and the potential loss of the very local control it worked for over 20 years to regain.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over the summer, OUSD paid off a state loan that bailed it out of bankruptcy in 2003, allowing it \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12055977/ousd-just-got-control-of-its-finances-back-from-the-state-its-already-in-major-trouble\">full budgetary control\u003c/a> for the first time in two decades this fall. But the district could again face state and county oversight within months if it fails to make major spending reductions next year — a task that would be difficult for any school board, and seems almost unimaginable for Oakland’s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is absolutely 100% possible, but it would require a really significant change of pattern and action,” Castro told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“OUSD’s history reveals an undeniable pattern: requesting plans, then disregarding them; rejecting staff recommendations; changing direction and directions, and, when difficult decisions are finally made, rescinding them shortly thereafter,” her letter read.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12037460\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12037460\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland Unified School District parents, students and supporters attend a board meeting at Metwest High School in Oakland on April 23, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Castro said OUSD has long spread resources too thin, operating more schools than is fiscally responsible, given its enrollment and trying to provide more services at each school than it can afford.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>OUSD opened 40 new campuses in the early 2000s as part of a community schools initiative, despite enrollment declines similar to those seen across California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2019, it \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11726682/why-does-oakland-have-so-many-small-schools#:~:text=Does%20OUSD%20really%20have%20that,32%2C000%20students%20attend%2046%20schools.\">operated 87 campuses for 37,000 students\u003c/a>, compared with nearby Fremont Unified School District, which had about half as many schools for just over 35,000 students. In San Jose Unified, about 32,000 students attended 46 schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The school board \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11937906/oakland-school-board-halts-controversial-closure-plan-sparing-5-elementary-schools\">approved shuttering five schools in 2022\u003c/a>, but later reversed the decision.[aside postID=news_12059238 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250603-OUSD-MD-01-KQED-1020x680.jpg']Since then, district staff have repeatedly told the board it must dramatically reduce spending, only for the board to reject or amend plans to do so, preventing the district from moving toward financial sustainability.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The district is currently … spending $4 million more every month than it’s receiving in revenues,” the district’s chief business officer, Lisa Grant-Dawson, wrote in a letter to families in September. “The more we do that moving forward, the more we diminish our reserves, until eventually, we run out of money.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the 2025-2026 school year, OUSD has enough money to cover operating expenses and maintain a required reserve equal to 3% of its annual spending for unexpected costs, thanks in part to reserves built during COVID-19.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Districts across California saw their general fund, which is used to pay for the majority of expenses, grow during the pandemic because of state relief money. While many have also seen those balances fall, OUSD’s decline has been far steeper.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oakland’s general fund went from a negative balance in 2019 to more than $62 million in 2023. Two years later, it sits at just $3.4 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To remain solvent next year, the district must find about $100 million in ongoing spending reductions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12037466\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12037466\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-1_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-1_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-1_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-1_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland Unified School District parents, students and community leaders, rally in support of improved schools, ahead of an OUSD board meeting at Metwest High School in Oakland on April 23, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In October, the board directed staff to provide two budget scenarios to make those cuts, but Castro said a laundry list of parameters included in the board resolution might make it an impossible task.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the challenges of this new resolution is that it really does go in a dramatically different direction and places some very firm constraints on some strategies,” she told KQED. “While the staff is working to come up with scenarios that meet those conditions, it’s really an open question whether they will be able to.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The board’s directions bar any school closures or mergers and instruct staff to make cuts that “do not directly impact students in schools.”[aside postID=news_12055977 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-11_qed-1020x656.jpg']Last month, Grant-Dawson said parts of the plan were confusing, and that district staff would need clarifications and possible revisions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Castro described the plan as both “vague and overly prescriptive.” She wrote that it contains complicated contingencies and, in addition to budget cuts, requests additional plans to simultaneously increase attendance and revise existing board policies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Each of those processes, she said, is time- and resource-intensive and requires a lengthy development and adoption process during which plans could stall or be rejected. The plan also lacks broad support from a deeply divided board.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nearly all major votes this year have been split 4-3. A four-member majority backed by the teachers union has passed controversial resolutions, including one to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12037315/oakland-school-board-votes-remove-superintendent-sparking-worries-instability\">part with the district’s longtime superintendent\u003c/a> and another that revised the board’s previous budget planning directions for 2025-2026 — changes that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12040189/ousd-after-school-programs-could-be-cut-by-at-least-50\">unintentionally canceled after-school programs\u003c/a> and were \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12041279/ousd-cancels-controversial-after-school-cuts-but-deep-divisions-within-school-board-remain\">later reversed\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11730659\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11730659\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/03/OUSDpic-e1551815959793.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1104\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Students pack an Oakland school board meeting on Monday, March 4, to oppose nearly $22 million in budget cuts. \u003ccite>(Vanessa Rancaño/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s an expensive use of central office resource to keep making new plans, which is ironic because there’s this chronic frustration on the part of the Board about the cost of running central office,” Castro said. “But it’s not just expensive in terms of current year dollars, it’s expensive in terms of exhaustion. Really high-quality staff leave OUSD because they’re frustrated with patterns that don’t change.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said the board could revisit multiple budget-balancing plans it directed staff to make in recent years — most of which have been rejected or amended to a point that they no longer make the necessary level of reductions after members bow to union or parent pressure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Being an OUSD board member is an incredibly hard job,” Castro said. But “balancing the budget and aligning resources to priorities is the key role of a school board. This is the work that this board was elected to do.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>After months of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12059238/alameda-county-to-oakland-schools-reduce-costs-or-lose-financial-independence-again\">uncertainty\u003c/a>, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland-unified-school-district\">Oakland Unified School District\u003c/a> has officially received approval for its budget for the current school year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The decision from the Alameda County Office of Education came with a stern warning, however: The district’s longtime strategy of covering costs with one-time money and reneging on budget reductions isn’t going to cut it in 2026.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The removal of conditions and approval of OUSD’s budget should not be mistaken for a sign of fiscal health or stability,” County Superintendent Alysse Castro wrote in a letter to district leaders on Saturday. “OUSD remains on a trajectory toward insolvency and the potential loss of the very local control it worked for over 20 years to regain.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over the summer, OUSD paid off a state loan that bailed it out of bankruptcy in 2003, allowing it \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12055977/ousd-just-got-control-of-its-finances-back-from-the-state-its-already-in-major-trouble\">full budgetary control\u003c/a> for the first time in two decades this fall. But the district could again face state and county oversight within months if it fails to make major spending reductions next year — a task that would be difficult for any school board, and seems almost unimaginable for Oakland’s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is absolutely 100% possible, but it would require a really significant change of pattern and action,” Castro told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“OUSD’s history reveals an undeniable pattern: requesting plans, then disregarding them; rejecting staff recommendations; changing direction and directions, and, when difficult decisions are finally made, rescinding them shortly thereafter,” her letter read.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12037460\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12037460\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland Unified School District parents, students and supporters attend a board meeting at Metwest High School in Oakland on April 23, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Castro said OUSD has long spread resources too thin, operating more schools than is fiscally responsible, given its enrollment and trying to provide more services at each school than it can afford.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>OUSD opened 40 new campuses in the early 2000s as part of a community schools initiative, despite enrollment declines similar to those seen across California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2019, it \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11726682/why-does-oakland-have-so-many-small-schools#:~:text=Does%20OUSD%20really%20have%20that,32%2C000%20students%20attend%2046%20schools.\">operated 87 campuses for 37,000 students\u003c/a>, compared with nearby Fremont Unified School District, which had about half as many schools for just over 35,000 students. In San Jose Unified, about 32,000 students attended 46 schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The school board \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11937906/oakland-school-board-halts-controversial-closure-plan-sparing-5-elementary-schools\">approved shuttering five schools in 2022\u003c/a>, but later reversed the decision.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Since then, district staff have repeatedly told the board it must dramatically reduce spending, only for the board to reject or amend plans to do so, preventing the district from moving toward financial sustainability.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The district is currently … spending $4 million more every month than it’s receiving in revenues,” the district’s chief business officer, Lisa Grant-Dawson, wrote in a letter to families in September. “The more we do that moving forward, the more we diminish our reserves, until eventually, we run out of money.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the 2025-2026 school year, OUSD has enough money to cover operating expenses and maintain a required reserve equal to 3% of its annual spending for unexpected costs, thanks in part to reserves built during COVID-19.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Districts across California saw their general fund, which is used to pay for the majority of expenses, grow during the pandemic because of state relief money. While many have also seen those balances fall, OUSD’s decline has been far steeper.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oakland’s general fund went from a negative balance in 2019 to more than $62 million in 2023. Two years later, it sits at just $3.4 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To remain solvent next year, the district must find about $100 million in ongoing spending reductions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12037466\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12037466\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-1_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-1_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-1_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-1_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland Unified School District parents, students and community leaders, rally in support of improved schools, ahead of an OUSD board meeting at Metwest High School in Oakland on April 23, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In October, the board directed staff to provide two budget scenarios to make those cuts, but Castro said a laundry list of parameters included in the board resolution might make it an impossible task.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the challenges of this new resolution is that it really does go in a dramatically different direction and places some very firm constraints on some strategies,” she told KQED. “While the staff is working to come up with scenarios that meet those conditions, it’s really an open question whether they will be able to.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The board’s directions bar any school closures or mergers and instruct staff to make cuts that “do not directly impact students in schools.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Last month, Grant-Dawson said parts of the plan were confusing, and that district staff would need clarifications and possible revisions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Castro described the plan as both “vague and overly prescriptive.” She wrote that it contains complicated contingencies and, in addition to budget cuts, requests additional plans to simultaneously increase attendance and revise existing board policies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Each of those processes, she said, is time- and resource-intensive and requires a lengthy development and adoption process during which plans could stall or be rejected. The plan also lacks broad support from a deeply divided board.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nearly all major votes this year have been split 4-3. A four-member majority backed by the teachers union has passed controversial resolutions, including one to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12037315/oakland-school-board-votes-remove-superintendent-sparking-worries-instability\">part with the district’s longtime superintendent\u003c/a> and another that revised the board’s previous budget planning directions for 2025-2026 — changes that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12040189/ousd-after-school-programs-could-be-cut-by-at-least-50\">unintentionally canceled after-school programs\u003c/a> and were \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12041279/ousd-cancels-controversial-after-school-cuts-but-deep-divisions-within-school-board-remain\">later reversed\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11730659\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11730659\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/03/OUSDpic-e1551815959793.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1104\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Students pack an Oakland school board meeting on Monday, March 4, to oppose nearly $22 million in budget cuts. \u003ccite>(Vanessa Rancaño/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s an expensive use of central office resource to keep making new plans, which is ironic because there’s this chronic frustration on the part of the Board about the cost of running central office,” Castro said. “But it’s not just expensive in terms of current year dollars, it’s expensive in terms of exhaustion. Really high-quality staff leave OUSD because they’re frustrated with patterns that don’t change.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said the board could revisit multiple budget-balancing plans it directed staff to make in recent years — most of which have been rejected or amended to a point that they no longer make the necessary level of reductions after members bow to union or parent pressure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Being an OUSD board member is an incredibly hard job,” Castro said. But “balancing the budget and aligning resources to priorities is the key role of a school board. This is the work that this board was elected to do.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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