On Unification and the Nature of Self-Governance
My take on what district unification means in practice, why OUSD has never achieved it, and what it could look like going forward.
What is Second Interim, What Is Next?
Second Interim Qualified | Prop 98 Resolution Passed | OEA Agreement Costs Still Unknown | Now Budget Development
OUSD Resolution No. 2526-0198: Prop 98 Settle-Up Obligation
Full text of OUSD Board Resolution No. 2526-0198, passed unanimously on March 11, 2026, calling on the state to release $5.6 billion in deferred Prop 98 funds.
Why My Kids Go to Public School in Oakland
It didn't have to happen this way, but it did have to happen.
This Is Progress
Public Comment on RIFs | Painful Necessary Choices | Keep Local Control
A Critical Investment in Support During Tough Times
CSM Funding on the Chopping Block | Highest Return on Investment | A Case for Partial Restoration
Urging the Legislature to Release Prop 98 Settle-Up Funds
A letter submitted to the public record of the California Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 3 on Education Finance, urging release of $5.6 billion in deferred Prop 98 settle-up funds.
You Can Engage with the California Assembly
Prop 98 Hearing Tomorrow | Submit Your Testimony | Actual Human Answers Phone | Board Meeting Wednesday
One-Pager Ripple Effects, Potential New Funding, Meaningful Engagement Tactics
One-Pagers Suck | $5.6B Prop 98 Settle-Up Fight | State and Local Advocacy Strategies | Who to Contact
A Brief History of the Political Forces Shaping OUSD
A history of the political, financial, and policy forces that have shaped OUSD over the past two decades, from the 2003 state takeover through the charter expansion era to our current moment.
A Much Shorter Board/Budget Update. Really.
OEA Praises Superintendent | S+C Plunder | Austere Messaging
A Postcard from OUSD Budget Island: Huge Shifts, Big Updates, Good/Bad News
$103M Deficit Suddenly Halved | Long Gross Sticky Strings | The S+C Shell Game Theory | Three Crummy Options
Prop 98: A Deep Dive into California School Funding
A plain-language overview of Prop 98, the constitutional mechanism that deterimines funding for public schools in California.
Oakland Charter Schools: Legal Constraints and Political Forces
An overview of the legal constraints and political forces shaping OUSD's relationship with Oakland's charter school sector.
OUSD School Closures: Fiscal Reality and Equity Concerns
A data-driven look at the case for school consolidation in OUSD, the timeline constraints involved, and what research shows about outcomes for displaced students.
Latest Budget Updates: A Framework for Engagement
December Scenario Approved | Specific Cuts Being Drafted | March Layoff Deadline Looms | A Framework for Parent Engagement
OUSD Budget Deficit: Framework for Parent Engagement
A parent's guide to the OUSD budget crisis, organized into eight focus areas with key questions and curated public resources for meaningful engagement.
A Brief Update on the OUSD Budget + Tonight's Board Meeting
Fiscal Scenarios Released | Big Cuts, Little Detail | PSAC Consensus Statement | Board Votes Tonight
PSAC Statement to the Oakland Board of Education
The PSAC's consensus statement to the OUSD Board of Education on the December 2025 budget cut scenarios.
Where the Budget Stands: A Quick Explainer
$4M Monthly Overspend | $100M Total to Cut | Key Deadlines | How to Get Involved
Peralta SPSA Explainer (2025-26)
A plain-language breakdown of Peralta Elementary's School Plan for Student Achievement for 2025-26.