1

The K-12 Options Initiative

A presentation to the Board of Education of the Oakland Unified School District

Presented by Noah Bookman, Manager of Student Assignments, and John Newsome, Executive Officer for Strategic Projects

November 30, 2005

2

Why OUSD is revising the student assignment process

Despite district-wide policies for school admission (based on neighborhood priority and other factors), families often face hurdles to enrollment in Oakland Public Schools. While maintaining these policy priorities, we are introducing some refinements to make the enrollment process more efficient and user-friendly for families and staff.

As we work to improve existing OUSD schools and to

create more new school options in neighborhoods across the city, we want to ensure that students’ access to those new and improved schools is fair and transparent.

3

Community outreach to inform the revised process Meetings with key stakeholders (parent leaders, student

leaders, board members, principals, CBOs, and District employees)

Principal feedback sessions in the summer and fall

Community advisory group

Presentations to each school network/each OUSD principal

Community meetings

4

Revised Options process Any student can apply to any school:

New students, and transitioning students (rising 5th graders & rising 8th graders) must participate (and are the target population).

Other students can participate, but do not have to (in line with our current Open Enrollment process).

Students participate in one, centralized system (a simplified approach modeled after High School Options).

Exceptions: Some students in the Program for Exceptional Children.

Timeline for OUSD student assignment applications: High School Options: December 9, 2005 – January 6, 2006 Elementary and Middle School Options: January 7, 2006 – February

3, 2006 Intradistrict transfer window (“Open Enrollment Options”): January 7,

2006 – February 3, 2006

5

Admissions priority system: Entering grade levels (K, 6th grade and 9th grade) Any student can apply to any school. If there is space available, each student is assigned to

the school of his/her choice. If there are more applicants than spaces, a system of

priorities (reflecting legal requirements and OUSD values) determines admissions: First priority: Neighborhood Second priority: Siblings Third priority: Program Improvement neighborhood

applicants (students living in a neighborhood where their Options are Program Improvement schools)

Fourth priority: Open lottery

6

Admissions priority system: Non-entering grade levels (1st-5th, 7th-8th, and 10th-12th grade) These students do not need to participate, and can continue at their current

schools. Any student can apply to any school. Students who request a change of

schools maintain their seat at their current school, unless their request is granted.

If there is space available, each student is assigned to the school of his/her choice.

If there are more applicants than spaces, a system of priorities (reflecting legal requirements and OUSD values) determines admissions: First priority: Neighborhood Second priority: Program Improvement transfer requests Third priority: Siblings Fourth priority: Program Improvement neighborhood Fifth priority: Open lottery

7

Ongoing community outreach Direct mail

Letters to rising kindergarteners Preschoolers at OUSD Child Development Centers and in the Bananas network Head Start providers

Letters to all OUSD 5th graders

School-based outreach (OUSD schools) Provision of applications to all OUSD schools (training provided to OUSD staff to assist families with

the enrollment process) Distribution of applications to 8th graders

Outreach to charter, private, and parochial schools

Electronic and print media New OUSD enrollment website (enroll.ousd.k12.ca.us) Print media advertisements

Targeted work with Oakland community-based organizations

Community forums Community meetings (3 held in November, 2 more planned in December) High School Options Fair (December 9-10, 9am-3pm at the Kaiser Convention Center) Elementary and Middle School Options Fair (January 7, 9am-3pm at the Oakland Convention Center

at Marriot City Center)