This contract reflects a newfound commitment by the OUSD superintendent and school board to prioritize resources toward classrooms. The agreement includes smaller caseloads for school counselors, a book allowance for teacher librarians, and improved workloads for school nurses, representing gains across multiple educator categories and support roles.
"Right now, OUSD educators are the lowest paid in the region, and as a result, the District loses nearly 400 hardworking, dedicated educators per year, costing the district $7.5 million annually," said Kampala Taiz-Rancifer, president of the Oakland Education Association. "This is a waste of resources, destabilizes classrooms, and especially hurts our most vulnerable students. Oakland educators have been in this fight for the schools our students deserve for a long time-and we remain committed to stabilizing our schools."
With a new grant, the Oakland Museum of California hopes to welcome tens of thousands more students through its doors over the next few years for lessons in California art, science, and history. Museum leaders announced Thursday that OMCA will offer free field trips for all Oakland Unified School District schools over the next three years. As part of this effort, the museum will double its transportation scholarships, which pay for buses or transit fares.
Human trafficking is a blanket term that covers all forms of exploitation, including labor trafficking and commercial sex trafficking. Each one brings an entirely different set of challenges, so it's important to be specific. All survivors have different preferences for how they'd like to be referred to. Some people want to be identified as victims or survivors. Others are OK with both. Some don't want to be identified as either.
The board has said it hopes to land a new leader by April, and the first step is to find a search firm to helm the process. This week the district is expected to post a request for proposals, following approval at tonight's meeting. The RFP lays out the work the firm will carry out and the board's intended timeline.
