Schools in Oakland, like many, if not most, cities across the country reflect the segregation of our neighborhoods more than the demographics of our city. We believe this reality undermines not only equity but the educational experience of all our children. Changing this requires changes in the individual choices families make and the policies that determine who gets to choose what schools. Our enrollment work is designed to work on both these issues with our end goal being schools that reflect the demographics of our City and give every child access to a quality education.
Building an Integration Committed Community
Equity Allies is partnering with the Oakland Chapter of the Integrated Schools Network to build a community of parents committed to integrated schools. Activities include:
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Each year we host a series of events for families approaching transition years (Kindergarten, 6th, 9th) where they can hear from school leaders and parents. The goal is to encourage families to explore a broad range of OUSD schools during their enrollment journey. Listen to recordings from this year's events.
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Integrated schools podcast listening events.
Rethinking Enrollment Policy
Equity Allies advocates for enrollment policies in OUSD that will foster racially and economically diverse student bodies. Meaningfully integrated schools and classrooms produce better academic and life outcomes for all students with the biggest gains going toward historically marginalized communities. OUSD should consider these changes:
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adjust attendance boundaries to encompass more schools and a diverse set of neighborhoods, and
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introduce controlled choice measures in the student lottery by reserving a portion of seats for vulnerable populations.
The longer we keep the current system in place, the longer we perpetuate inequitable outcomes. We need to reduce the number of economically segregated schools to bring about more equitable access to resources and high-quality schools.