Opinion

Op-Ed: Oakland Achieves School Progress Report Misses the Mark

Published

9 years ago

October 6, 2016

By Jan Malvin and Joel Moskowitz

Confusing the public may well be the major achievement of the fourth annual Oakland Achieves Public Education Progress Report prepared by Urban Strategies Council.

This report, deemed “primarily an update on the academic outcomes for the 2014-15 school year,” offers no trends data for Oakland Unified School District-run schools.

Rather, it is the first report in the series to feature student-level data from charter schools.

Without explaining the omission of trends data for district-run schools, the report appears crafted to tell a story that compares charter schools with district-run schools.

Commenting on Oakland Achieves, the Executive Director of GO Public Schools states, “The data is at a high level to spark collaborative learning, not to pit school types against each other and draw tentative conclusions.”

Yet, this report manufactures unfair competition between the charter and district-run school sectors, relying on incomplete or biased data.

For example, out-of-district students enrolled in OUSD-authorized charter schools ranged from 0-56 percent in 2015-16 (average = 14 percent).

How fair would it be to judge performance of a sports team that recruits exclusively from within the city against one that recruits from the whole Bay Area?

Urban Strategies announced, “One important finding revealed that while charter schools did poorly in ELA testing for 3rd-5th graders, by middle school, math testing of 7th & 8th grades were much better than for district schools—a flip in performance.”

Claiming such a “flip in performance” by comparing data from two different cohorts of students at a single point in time, one set of data from English (ELA) and the other from math, is absurd.

If this observation were valid, a more plausible interpretation is that many high achieving students in district-run elementary schools transfer to charters or private schools for middle and high school.

Much higher standards—matched comparison groups, measurement of each indicator at least twice—apply before one can make causal statements about school effects on student performance.

If these standards cannot be met by design, analysts must employ statistical controls for all pre-existing differences that may affect the outcomes.

Since Oakland Achieves failed to address pre-existing student differences, conclusions about charter vs. district-run schools are indefensible.

It is essential to understand the school-site practices and other factors that underlie different outcomes.

This report does not acknowledge this shortcoming and so misleads the reader with false comparisons between types of schools.

Many factors may account for student outcomes, but Oakland Achieves addresses none of these.

For example, selective enrollment and pushout practices, described by the ACLU in Unequal Access, its recent report on charter school enrollment practices, can influence indicators of student progress (see: www.aclusocal.org/unequal-access/).

Oakland Achieves does not consider the impact on student outcomes of teacher turnover and experience; instructional practices; curriculum; parental involvement, education, and occupation; and details about vulnerable subgroups.

For example, are special education students in charter schools less diverse than special education students in district-run schools?

A final shortcoming of Oakland Achieves is that a considerable amount of data was missing for charter schools. Although the report notes the omission, it does not spell out the implications.

Missing data, especially if not random, biases comparisons with district-run schools because charter results do not reflect the entire charter school population.

Despite public claims to the contrary, Oakland Achieves has not demonstrated that charter schools do a better (or worse) job than district-run schools on any of the indicators presented.

The outcomes are different because, from the start, the students are different.

Jan Malvin, Ph.D., is a retired University of California researcher; Joel Moskowitz, Ph.D., is in the School of Public Health, UC Berkeley.

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The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

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Advice

Women & Wealth: Tips for Navigating Your Lifelong Financial Journey

Published

3 weeks ago

March 15, 2026

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Sponsored by J.P. Morgan Wealth Management

We are in the midst of a seismic shift in wealth. This phenomenon, often referred to as the “Great Wealth Transfer,” describes the unprecedented movement of assets from the Baby Boomer generation to their heirs – an estimated $105 trillion by 2048. And women are poised to inherit most of this.

J.P. Morgan Wealth Management’s 2025 Investor Study found that women are not only set to receive significant wealth – they’re actively working to build it on their own. Ninety-three percent of women surveyed who are expecting an inheritance aren’t relying on it to reach their goals.

Here are a few tips for women to consider in their wealth-building journey:

Create a financial roadmap

A detailed, well thought out plan is important. J.P. Morgan’s study found that 90% of those surveyed with a plan feel confident about reaching their financial goals, compared to 49% without one.

Your plan should reflect your unique goals, priorities and circumstances. Consider your investment horizon and risk tolerance, and remember to revisit your plan regularly as life evolves.

Are you saving up for goals like buying a house, sending your kids off to college or retiring early? Where do you want to be in the next five, ten or twenty years? Everyone’s financial situation is unique, so it’s important to think about these questions and build a plan that is unique to your life.

Women tend to live longer than men on average. Many take career breaks or care for family members, which can influence long-term planning. It’s important to adjust your strategy with these factors in mind.

Where to start with investing

Don’t let misconceptions hold you back. Starting to invest doesn’t require a large sum, and beginning early can be beneficial. The earlier you start, the more time your money has to potentially grow over the years. Understand your overall financial situation, set clear goals and develop a long-term plan.

It’s important to also make sure you’re covered for unexpected expenses that come up before you start to invest. Build up a cash emergency fund, typically enough to cover three to six months of expenses, and pay down any high-interest debt.

Taking charge of your finances

The good news is that women are taking charge of their finances. J.P. Morgan’s research found that 75% of women respondents make financial decisions with their partner or take the lead themselves. For those who have a spouse or partner, it’s important for each person in the relationship to play an active role in the process.

Building wealth can be empowering for many women. The same survey found that 73% of women respondents said money gives them “security,” while 64% of Gen Z and Millennial women associated it with “freedom.”

The power of having a team

Some people find it helpful to work with a financial advisor, so you don’t have to tackle things alone. An advisor can help you craft a plan tailored to your needs and keep you on track throughout your lifelong financial journey. If you expect to receive an inheritance, you should also consult with estate planning and tax professionals.

No matter where you are on your wealth-building path, education is key. It’s so important to be an informed investor, and there are plenty of resources out there to help. You can find a library of free educational resources at chase.com/theknow.

As the landscape of wealth continues to evolve, women have a unique opportunity to shape their financial futures and those of generations to come. By staying informed and planning ahead, women have the tools to help them confidently navigate the Great Wealth Transfer and set themselves up for financial freedom.

The views, opinions, estimates and strategies expressed herein constitutes the author’s judgment based on current market conditions and are subject to change without notice, and may differ from those expressed by other areas of J.P. Morgan. This information in no way constitutes J.P. Morgan Research and should not be treated as such. You should carefully consider your needs and objectives before making any decisions. For additional guidance on how this information should be applied to your situation, you should consult your advisor.  

JPMorgan Chase & Co., its affiliates, and employees do not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors before engaging in any financial transaction.  