Candidate for
School Director; Oakland Unified School District; District 4

MY VISION FOR OAKLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Our schools are gradually improving, but much remains to be done. Oakland will never become the City we want until our public schools achieve sustained progress. We know what's needed. Family members walking through the schoolhouse door on Day One want to see a clean, well-maintained facility and know their child will be safe there. They hope for a principal who is cordial, in charge and effective. In the classroom, they want a qualified teacher who can reach, and teach, their child.

Simple? Yes, but what would it take? Here are my thoughts:

Give principals maximum flexibility to control variables that determine success, in collaboration with school leaders. Under authentic implementation of site-based management, schools would be given flexibility in the key areas of personnel, professional development, budget and curricular choices. This flexibility and autonomy of course would be subject to state and district curriculum frameworks and standards and other legal constraints. As well, schools, through their principals, would be held accountable for school performance.  

Give schools flexibility over operations, including the authority to purchase products and services directly through point of sale and other arrangements. This means first and foremost running the School District like a good business by adopting a customer-service approach to supporting the ongoing work of schools. As well, Central Office would perform core legal and oversight functions and intervene when schools do not improve.  

Maximize school district resources to pay for superior principals and teachers. In addition to ensuring that OUSD receives all eligible funds and spends appropriated funds wisely, this mandate calls for engaging collaboratively with the broader community on public and private partnerships to provide essential programs and services such as arts education, counseling and after school programs.

Make safe, clean, welcoming schools a top priority. Too often, safety and other school climate and environmental factors are relegated to the back seat. Sometimes our school officials do not see the connection between these factors and the overarching mission of improving student achievement. Parents and community members know that a safe, clean welcoming environment is essential to enabling children to concentrate on learning and to supporting staff, students and families in performing their respective roles.