On the last day of school, outgoing Oakland superintendent won't talk about her early departure

Kyla Johnson-Trammell concluded her tenure as Oakland schools superintendent, marking a turnaround in district finances, with reserves growing from under 2% to over 15%. Under her leadership, graduation rates increased from 70% to 79% and college eligibility for graduates soared to 50%. However, her departure was announced unexpectedly, coinciding with a board-led separation agreement, and she emphasized the need for the next leader to consider school closures to prevent future fiscal crises. Her leadership yielded significant academic and financial achievements but was also marked by difficult decisions ahead for the district's future.

"We have absolutely no reason to be in fiscal crisis ever again, right? And part of making sure that's possible is we have to reduce the number of schools."

"Under her leadership, OUSD's graduation rate has risen from 70% to 79%, the college completion rate has increased by 14%, and the share of students graduating who are eligible to enroll in the state's public four-year colleges has grown from 35% to 50%."

Read at The Oaklandside