Oakland Education Policy Top 10 Wish List for 2011

January 3, 2011

In Latest News

2011 brings renewed opportunity for us to get things done for Oakland students. Here is GO's Top 10 Wish List for 2011!

1. Participation from Oakland's best teachers in the Oakland Education Association's Representative Council and March 2011 Executive Board Election.
   
2. A Deputy Mayor for Education in Mayor Quan's office who knows the issues, speaks for all students, and is empowered to convene and align agencies and partners.
3. Wisdom within Oakland's education leadership to ensure that Thriving Students (OUSD's new strategic direction) puts Oakland public schools on a path to be both hubs of services and centers of learning and high-quality teaching.
4. An outcomes orientation for these final 6 months of OUSD strategic planning that sees the forest through the trees and doesn't spend all its time and energy on process.
5. A new and better answer to an Oakland principal who in a recent meeting said that the biggest pain point within OUSD is having to retain mediocre teachers.
6. Audacity and resilience among West Oakland leaders to come together to do something different and bold on behalf of West Oakland public schools and students.
7. Specificity within Thriving Students about the positive role charter public schools play in providing quality educational opportunities to Oakland children and youth.
8. Constructive dialogue to address long-standing critiques of Oakland's charter movement (e.g. access to special education programs, "creaming," expulsion, etc.)
9. Increased vision and emphasis on the roles of education technology and virtual learning environments in our public schools as we endeavor to do more for our students with fewer resources.
10. Generosity of spirit across neighborhoods, communities and organizations with renewed mindfulness of the proverb that rain does not fall on one roof alone.
    

In 2010, GO was an important watchdog for student-centered policy and good governance on the Board of Education -- launching new websites and a policy fellowship, and continuing the Board Agenda Watch which previews and reports on every board meeting.

GO played a critical role on the YES on Measure L campaign and emerged as an important actor on the local political scene -- providing Oaklanders with a video voter guide of candidates' views on education policy and demonstrating to local candidates that student-centered positions are good politics.

GO also convened community dialogues about the role of the school board, OUSD's strategic planning task force process, and effective principals which were attended by more than 300 Oakland community members.

In 2011, GO will continue to 1) advocate for GO's beliefs and visions within OUSD's strategic planning process, 2) promote engagement among Oakland teachers with OEA and OUSD decision-making, and 3) participate in the West Oakland coalition working to change conditions and accelerate achievement for West Oakland students.

Posted by Admin - Comments (0) - Permalink