OUSD faces budget challenges as new school year begins
On Monday, it was back to school for kids in the Oakland Unified School District. But along with the normal high hopes of the first day, were concerns about tough challenges that lay ahead for the district.
There was lots of new hope at East Oakland Pride Elementary School. The playground's smooth new colorful surface glistened in the afternoon sun.
"A lovely ground...and this is what it looked like before. All of it," said office administrative assistant Mariana Vega, pointing to an area at the back of the property where the old asphalt was buckled and cracked.
The new play area has everyone excited, but elsewhere, others are still waiting for improvements. At Oakland Technical High, District Superintendent Dr. Tyla Johnson-Trammell and Board President Sam Davis got a tour that included a pitch from the drama class to replace the old dilapidated seats in the school's auditorium. Unfortunately, the district is facing a huge deficit as COVID emergency funds have expired.
"Large districts like us, need to make some significant changes just to recognize that that federal funding and state funding is no longer present," said Davis.
Once again, the district is looking at closing or consolidating smaller schools to save money. Last time they tried, it caused a huge public uproar, but the district said with fewer campuses, it can better afford to provide things like new playgrounds and seats in auditoriums.
"It is causing a conversation around, 'Well, if we want all of this in a school, what is the size that the school needs to be in order to afford that?' To make sure that schools have what they need for the quality," said Superintendent Johnson-Trammell.
But first the kids need to be in school. The district is now posting YouTube videos encouraging students just to show up.
"Are you ready Oakland? We can't wait for you to show up today, everyday, all year long!" said a group of enthusiastic teachers in the video.
Kimi Kean, founder of a parent advocacy group called Families In Action, said the pandemic hit kids hard, especially students of color. Absenteeism is contributing not just to diminished revenues, but also to a huge achievement gap, where only a quarter of Black and Latino students read at grade level and less than half qualify for a four-year college upon graduating.
"Since kids really spent a year and a half at home trying to learn on Zoom, it really broke up some important habits of attendance," said Kean. "And we're working really hard, all schools, to get those back up."
Lots of challenges to start a new year. But it only takes a little hope - like a new playground - to make Mariana proud to have her daughter go to Pride Elementary when she starts school next year.
"Yes, of course," she said, gazing out at the new play yard. "If my baby's able to enjoy this for five years, yes, I want to bring her here."
Beginning in 2025, Oakland Unified is projected to have a $56 million deficit in its funding. That grows to $145 million the following year.
