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Teacher Talk
A District Rebuilding Despite recent financial struggles and a state takeover, over the past two years, the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) has made steady academic and fiscal improvements. At the end of the 2006-2007 school year, OUSD demonstrated an Academic Performance Increase (API) of 7 points. Additionally, the percentage of fully credentialed teachers in the district has significantly increased from 74% in 2001 to 86.6% in 2007.* From fiscal responsibility to data-driven instruction to school-based decision-making, Oakland is committed to reforming previous systems and keeping the focus on classrooms and students. A work in progress, the District has implemented a number of initiatives with these goals in mind: Expect Success! OUSD has raised $24 million in investments to develop small, autonomous schools, implement a model of overall accountability and data-driven decision-making, and improve central services to schools. Expect Success! aims to create a model urban school district with the support of programs and individuals inside and outside OUSD. For more information about this initiative and its goals, click here. Student, Family, and Community Services Aligned with Expect Success!, the Department of Student, Family, and Community Services collaborates with families and communities to develop and implement programs to support the emotional and social development of students in and beyond the classroom. For more information, click here. Data-Driven Instruction Oakland has committed to using curricular programs grounded in California State Standards and proven to work in high-need schools. Regular school-based staff meetings and professional development opportunities are based on the inquiry cycle, using student data to inform daily instruction and long-term planning. Teachers of the same content area or grade-level also tend to share collaborative planning time. The District has also devoted resources to improving curricula and implementing programs with track records of results. For more information about teaching and curriculum in OUSD from the District website, click here.
In 2006 OUSD launched a website for Oakland students to gain easy access to useful materials, including homework help, information about colleges and OUSD schools, job and internship programs, and health tips. To visit the OUSD Student Website, click here. For more information about District programs, progress, and news and to visit the OUSD website, click here. ________________________________________ *Data from California Department of Education Dataquest |
