Education

District Dismantles Oversight of Low-Income Student Programs

Published

5 years ago

April 26, 2019

By Ken Epstein

The Oakland Unified School District is dismantling its Department of State & Federal Programs—eliminating all eight staff positions—leading some of the department’s staff to question how the district will continue to meet the legal requirements to receive restricted funding that supports the educational needs of low-income and English Learner students.

“OUSD is removing the systematic checks and balances in place needed to ensure State and Federal funds are both allocated and used according to state and federal mandates,” according to a recent internal “Memorandum of Impact” produced by State and Federal staff and submitted to Supt. Kyla Johnson-Trammell and other senior district leaders.

The memo, obtained by the Oakland Post, cited the district’s one-paragraph rationale for the layoffs in a document called “Reallocation Impact Analysis,” which said that the budget office can handle the work and that State and Federal is less important now because funding has shifted to new programs.

“There are fewer responsibilities…Monitoring of compliance will be shifted to budget teams,” the district report said.

In response, the 13-page memo said, “The rationale lacks coherence, logical arguments and complete sentences, and highlights the absence of thoughtful reasoning; and ultimately a cavalier decision that can cost the district millions.”

“The lack of transparency and accountability by those who made the decision to dismantle State and Federal makes it difficult to speculate about the rationale or if the impact is truly understood,” the memo said.

The memo also raised concerns about the loss of “institutional knowledge.”

“Without individuals (who) have the knowledge to lead OUSD through audits…, there is a great potential for financial liability,” it said.

Responding to the Post’s questions, the district said it is “redesigning” the department as part of its efforts to “streamline” central office functions but is not eliminating oversight of state and federal funding.

Funds that State and Federal oversees total about $22 million, including:

• Title I ($17.6 mil), programs serving low-income students

• Title II ($2 mil), provides low-income and minority students access to effective teachers

• Title III ($2.4 mil), offers supplementary services to English Learner students.

The memo also said that State and Federal, like other OUSD departments, for years has had to perform its duties without adequate staff and revolving leadership.

“Constant change in leadership and understaffing of State and Federal has resulted in department instability leading to fragmented policies and procedures not uniformly implemented. For the first time in years, State and Federal currently has adequate staffing with a leader capable of creating and sustaining meaningful change for the department,” the memo said.

According to the memo, cutting six of the eight people in the department (as was originally proposed) would save the district only $21,739 in General Purpose funds and “does not substantially further the aim towards reducing debt and (enhancing) fiscal vitality.”

“The flippant assertion that State and Federal’s ‘work’ will go to budget (staff) demonstrates the lack of understanding of the scope and extent of the department’s responsibilities and the specialized knowledge required to perform such functions,” the memo said.

Oakland’s eight-person department is comparable in size to those in similar districts, Fresno, San Francisco and Stockton, according to the memo.

The memo provided examples of the department’s work and how much money it has saved the district.

Among its duties, the department makes sure students receive “mandated minimum instructional time.” This year, the department “mitigated” a $1.2 million negative finding from 2017-18, reducing the amount that had to be repaid from General Purpose funds to $350,000 and saving the district $850,000.

The department “assists and defends” school sites during audits. In a recent audit, the district was facing a negative finding of $3.3 million. Due to the work of State and Federal, according to the memo, the the district only paid back $539,758, saving $2.7 million.

The department manages funding to 15 private schools, which are “entitled to receive equitable services” for students who qualify for the funding.

State and Federal also “trains and assists all OUSD sites” to establish legally compliant School Site Councils, which are responsible for approving Title I budgets.

“Without State and Federal, sites will be fully exposed,” the memo said.

The “misuse and mismanagement of State and Federal funds” can also result in criminal investigations, which could lead to fines or prison terms, according to the memo, which mentioned a 2012 FBI investigation of an “OUSD employee regarding dubious use of funds and disbursements,” without elaborating further.

In response to questions from the Oakland Post, Michael Fine, CEO of the Fiscal Crisis Management and Assistance Team (FCMAT), which collaborates with the Alameda County Office of Education (ACOE) to oversee the school district, defended the district decision.

He said that the numbers of State and Federal Programs in recent years have fallen from 72 to 14-16. “Consolidating financial management and monitoring for these programs with our similar financial management and monitoring activities makes a lot of sense,” he said.

He said FCMAT was not involved in decisions to cut staff. “FCMAT has not been involved in any budget reduction decisions or recommendations,” he said. “We do have the task, along with ACOE, to evaluate the approved reductions for reasonableness, and we are doing that.”

“Districts are moving to managing their total resources together and not separating out by funding agency,” he said. “This practice provides for a dramatic improvement in resource management of the overall instructional programs…”

In a response to Post questions, district spokesman John Sasaki said, “OUSD is well aware of the problems that could arise if we don’t administer and oversee our state and federal programs and dollars properly. We would never shirk that responsibility.”

Sasaki said central office redesign is still a work in progress and not yet ready to be made public.

Ken Epstein

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Activism

S.F. Black Leaders Rally to Protest, Discuss ‘Epidemic’ of Racial Slurs Against Black Students in SF Public School System

Parents at the meeting spoke of their children as no longer feeling safe in school because of bullying and discrimination. Parents also said that reported incidents such as racial slurs and intimidation are not dealt with to their satisfaction and feel ignored.

Published

2 hours ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Rev. Amos C. Brown, president of the San Francisco NAACP and pastor of Third Baptist Church. Photo courtesy Third Baptist Church.

By Carla Thomas

San Francisco’s Third Baptist Church hosted a rally and meeting Sunday to discuss hatred toward African American students of the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD).

Rev. Amos C. Brown, president of the San Francisco NAACP and pastor of Third Baptist Church, along with leadership from local civil rights groups, the city’s faith-based community and Black community leadership convened at the church.

“There has been an epidemic of racial slurs and mistreatment of Black children in our public schools in the city,” said Brown. “This will not be tolerated.”

According to civil rights advocate Mattie Scott, students from elementary to high school have reported an extraordinary amount of racial slurs directed at them.

“There is a surge of overt racism in the schools, and our children should not be subjected to this,” said Scott. “Students are in school to learn, develop, and grow, not be hated on,” said Scott. “The parents of the children feel they have not received the support necessary to protect their children.”

Attendees were briefed last Friday in a meeting with SFUSD Superintendent Dr. Matt Wayne.

SFUSD states that their policies protect children and they are not at liberty to publicly discuss the issues to protect the children’s privacy.

Some parents said they have removed their students from school while other parents and community leaders called on the removal of the SFUSD superintendent, the firing of certain school principals and the need for more supportive school board members.

Community advocates discussed boycotting the schools and creating Freedom Schools led by Black leaders and educators, reassuring parents that their child’s wellbeing and education are the highest priority and youth are not to be disrupted by racism or policies that don’t support them.

Virginia Marshall, chair of the San Francisco NAACP’s education committee, offered encouragement to the parents and students in attendance while also announcing an upcoming May 14 school board meeting to demand accountability over their mistreatment.

“I’m urging anyone that cares about our students to pack the May 14 school board meeting,” said Marshall.

This resource was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library via California Black Media as part of the Stop the Hate Program. The program is supported by partnership with California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to CA vs Hate.

Oakland Post

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Community

ELITE Charter School Conducts Sit-In Protest at Vallejo City Hall After City Council Vote

ELITE Public School staff and students staged a sit-in at Vallejo City Hall on Wednesday afternoon to protest the City Council’s decision to vote against their Major Use Permit to expand into downtown. “We are deeply troubled by the turnover of the 6-1 vote, which we believe to be red-lining in 2024,” said Dr. Ramona Bishop, CEO of ELITE Public Schools.

Published

6 hours ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

ELITE Sit in 1 & 2: ELITE Public School staff and students staged a sit-in at Vallejo City Hall on Wednesday afternoon to protest the City Council’s decision to vote against their Major Use Permit to expand into downtown. Photo by Magaly Muñoz.

By Magaly Muñoz

“We are deeply troubled by the turnover of the 6-1 vote, which we believe to be red-lining in 2024,” said Dr. Ramona Bishop, CEO of ELITE Public Schools. “We have followed all the requirements set forth for approval by the city and are dismayed by this sudden reversal of fortune. Our sit-in at City Hall is a testament to our unwavering commitment to justice and fairness.”

The sit-in was triggered after the Vallejo City Council members held a lengthy, special meeting on Tuesday evening to continue discussing the April 23 appeal that was made against the Planning Commission’s decision to grant ELITE a permit for expanding their charter high school into a retrofitted building in the heart of downtown.

During the deliberations, various options were presented to the Council for approving the project. These included a provisionary review period for the permit and imposing extensive conditions, such as limiting student enrollment.

The ELITE plan was to accommodate a maximum capacity of 400 students at their proposed school site, starting with an initial rollout capacity of 200 students in the first year.

Bishop rejected the suggestion by the City Council for a smaller charter capacity because the funding for the school was based on the projected number of students they would eventually seat.

During the meeting, council members complained about the lack of availability of economic impact reports that assessed the school’s potential impact on Vallejo’s downtown area.

Economic Development Director Michael Nimon sent a letter to the City Council, stating that while there was no official report, schools serve as economic generators to the surrounding areas of where they’re located.

“Schools also diversify uses and create pedestrian activity by bringing more people to downtown. Diversification of uses makes local economy more resilient by balancing residential, commercial, office, entertainment, and institutional uses,” Nimon’s letter said.

The letter also states that foot traffic is needed in an area of Vallejo that currently has minimal activity and the presence of the proposed school will likely not disturb any future developments.

Despite this, the council dismissed the letter as “merely an opinion” and not anything based on fact or concrete data.

Councilmember Peter Bregenzer, who remained silent throughout most of the seven-hour discussion, ultimately motioned for City staff to draft a resolution to approve the appeal and deny the project. The motion passed by a 4-3 vote.

About 50 students gathered on the second floor of the City Hall building where they chanted “Say it loud, say it clear, we don’t want no racists here” and “Where is the mayor? Bring him out, bring him out.”

The proposed high school has sparked intense debate, with many speculating that those opposed to the school are saying no to the expansion because the majority of the students are Black and Brown.

Retired Solano County Judge Paul Beeman and his wife, Donna, who filed the appeal against the school, have consistently denied that their opposition stems from racism or personal feelings toward anyone associated with the school.

In interviews with the Post, the Beemans seem to regard the proposed high school as a “nuisance” and an ill-advised choice for downtown development. They claim that it would be ineffective in economically revitalizing the community. However, they have provided no substantial evidence to support their opinions.

In contrast, ELITE has drawn parallels to redlining in relation to the community’s opposition to the proposed school location. Redlining refers to the discriminatory practice in which mortgage companies and other financial services systematically withhold loans and access to predominantly white neighborhoods from racial and ethnic minorities, particularly Black and African American communities.

“We’ve been fighting for this school for two years. We’re going to make our emergency, their emergency,” one student said in reference to Vallejo Mayor Robert McConnell’s previous comments about not rushing to make a decision on the school permit.

Within two hours of the start of the sit-in at City Hall, the City of Vallejo issued a statement that the building would be closed for the rest of the day because of the protest. The statement said that the loud noise from the protesters “hindered staff and visitors’ ability to conduct regular business.”

Although the mayor was not present at City Hall on Wednesday afternoon, interim City Manager Beverli Marshall addressed the ELITE group to answer several questions the students had. She explained the appeal process, how the different city officials played a role in the decision, and what the possible outcomes could be after the Council makes its final decision in a few weeks.

Students and staff were ultimately upset that they were being treated like criminals and that all their work over the last two years might be in vain since they believed that the Council had zero intention of ever granting them the permit in the first place.

The City Council is scheduled to meet for another special meeting on June 4 at 7 p.m. to continue discussing the future of ELITE Public Schools.

Oakland Post

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Community

Salesian Coach Knew Angel Jackson Could Play in WNBA

Back in 2019, Salesian Girls Basketball Head Coach Stephen Pezzola made a bold prediction about one of his players, Angel Jackson. “If she keeps putting in the work like she did for us, she could be in the WNBA,” the coach said. That turned out to be very true. Last month, the Las Vegas Aces selected Jackson with the 36th overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. She is the second player from an Historically Black College or University, or HCBU, to be selected in the draft in 20 years.

Published

7 hours ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Angel Jackson. Photo courtesy of Jackston State.

The Richmond Standard

Back in 2019, Salesian Girls Basketball Head Coach Stephen Pezzola made a bold prediction about one of his players, Angel Jackson.

“If she keeps putting in the work like she did for us, she could be in the WNBA,” the coach said.

That turned out to be very true. Last month, the Las Vegas Aces selected Jackson with the 36th overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. She is the second player from an Historically Black College or University, or HCBU, to be selected in the draft in 20 years.

Jackson’s success came as little surprise to Pezzola, who last year led the Pride to their 8th North Coast Section championship since he took over the program in 2008-2009. In 2019, Pezzola commended Jackson as “a very coachable kid” from the time she arrived at Salesian.

Tomekia Reed, her coach at Jackson State, shared similar sentiments, noting Jackson worked “very hard” to reach this moment.

“She came into our program doing great things and never looked back,” Reed told the Clarion Ledger. “She has trusted our leadership as we were able to develop her into an amazing player. I have watched her improve tremendously over the years.”

The 6’-6” Jackson played three seasons at the University of Southern California before transferring to Jackson State. She was ranked 10th in the NCAA in blocked shots and averaged 10 points per game in her final college season.

She finished her collegiate career with 1,047 points and was twice named Southwestern Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year.

As the 36th pick, Jackson was the final pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. In a television interview, Jackson said she didn’t expect to be picked, and called the moment “surreal.”

“It made me feel so appreciative that HBCU is getting back on the map again,” she said.

All she could do in that moment was cry.

“I called my mom immediately, and she started crying,” Jackson said. “It was the best moment you can feel as a young lady.”

There’s no stopping Jackson now. “The sky is the limit,” she said.

Her high school coach agrees.

“I knew that Angel could do it,” Coach Pezzola told the Richmond Standard this week. “We are so proud of Angel and what she has accomplished. It was an honor and joy to coach Angel at Salesian.”