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Oakland Unified School District Strategic Equity Partner Request for Qualifications – RFQ 2015

Important Dates and Pre-Proposal Conference:

A. Important Dates • October 30, 2015: RFQ issued by OUSD • November 6, 2015: Pre-Proposal Conference • November 6, 2015: Last day to submit email questions; see page 11 for email contact

information • November 13, 2015: Last day for District to respond to email questions • November 23, 2015: Applicant submissions due by 3:00pm • December 7, 2015: Interviews begin • December 18, 2015: Notification of qualified applicants • Winter/Spring 2016: Work with Engagement & Planning Strategic Equity Partner begins • Winter/Spring 2016/17: Work with Implementation Strategic Equity Partner(s) begins

B. Pre-Proposal Conference: A. Pre-proposal conference for prospective applicants will be held on November 6, 2015 from

11:00 AM to 12 NOON at 1000 Broadway, Suite 300, Oakland, CA, 94607 (Jack London Conf Rm); Prospective applicants may attend in person or by calling in. Telephone call-in #: 712-770-4010; Access code: 448615

B. Attendance or call-in participation at this conference is encouraged, but is not mandatory. The purpose of the pre- proposal conference will be to allow prospective applicants the opportunity to obtain clarification of the RFQ and ask questions directly of District staff to assist them in the preparation of their proposal responses.

C. Applicants shall provide the names of the person(s) who will attend the pre-proposal conference. Please send no more than two representatives. Send the names to Kristin Elizalde, Executive Assistant, no later than 4:30 p.m. on November 4, 2015 via e-mail to Kristin.Elizalde@ousd.org

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Table of Contents

Important Dates and Pre-Proposal Conference: ......................................................................................... 1

A. Important Dates.................................................................................................................................. 1

B. Pre-Proposal Conference: ................................................................................................................... 1

I. Introduction and Overview ...................................................................................................................... 3

A. Need for Strategic Equity Partners ..................................................................................................... 3

B. OUSD Equity Frame............................................................................................................................. 4

II. Scope of Services .................................................................................................................................... 5

A. Engagement & Planning...................................................................................................................... 5

B. Implementation .................................................................................................................................. 7

III. Response Elements and Format ............................................................................................................. 7

A. Application Cover Sheet...................................................................................................................... 7

B. Organizational Experience .................................................................................................................. 7

C. Project Approach ................................................................................................................................ 8

D. Rate/Fee Structure ............................................................................................................................. 9

E. Evaluation of Applications ................................................................................................................... 9

IV. Submission Instructions ....................................................................................................................... 10

V. Contract Award ..................................................................................................................................... 11

VI. Rejection and Waivers of Proposals ..................................................................................................... 11

VII. Compliance with Laws and Regulations .............................................................................................. 11

VIII. Questions / Contact Person ............................................................................................................... 11

IX. Deadline for Submission of Proposals .................................................................................................. 11

Attachment A: Cover Sheet Template ...................................................................................................... 13

Attachment B: Pathway to Excellence ...................................................................................................... 14

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I. Introduction and Overview The Oakland Unified School District served approximately 36,400 students in the 2014-2015 academic year. During that year, the District operated a total of 90 schools: 50 elementary schools (K-5), 5 elementary/middle schools (K-8), 14 middle schools (6-8), 3 middle/high schools (6-12), 6 comprehensive senior high schools (9-12), and 12 alternative/continuation schools. The District employs 4,360 staff, including certificated (credentialed teaching), classified (non-teaching) and management. The District’s 2014-2015 Fiscal Year Budget was $551.9 Million, of which $423.6 Million was general funds. We encourage you to explore our website for more information about the District at: http://www.ousd.org and http://www.thrivingstudents.org.

Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) is committed to closing the opportunity, achievement and belief gaps in the District, in order to ensure that every student, irrespective of ethnicity, origin, learning differences, sexual orientation, or religion, receives what he or she needs to thrive. OUSD is issuing this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to identify potential partner(s) that will work with the District to develop and implement steps toward greater equity throughout the District. OUSD invites interested individuals and organizations to respond with their qualifications to serve as Strategic Equity Partners in engaging stakeholders, developing administrative regulations, writing an implementation plan, and supporting the execution of actions that will lead to more equitable learning throughout every classroom in the District. Individuals and/or organizations selected as Strategic Equity Partners will have experience in delivering similar services to other school districts and/or complex organizations, and will have a frame for equity that aligns with OUSD’s. In their responses, applicants should identify which service categories described in the Scope of Services they feel they are best suited to support as Strategic Equity Partners.

A. Need for Strategic Equity Partners Multiple measures indicate that OUSD has a pervasive equity gap. As compared with their non-African American peers, African American students are far more likely to be suspended, experience chronic absence, have low academic achievement in terms of grades and standardized tests, and lag behind on opportunity indicators like academic pathway participation and A-G completion. Students with disabilities are similarly situated on most indicators. English Language Learners (ELLs) are far less likely to participate in academic pathways or complete A-G courses. And as compared with their White and Asian peers, Latino students show disparate outcomes on achievement and opportunity, as well.1

While there are complex reasons for the achievement and opportunity gaps that show up in the data, OUSD recognizes that it has a responsibility to provide an equitable education to all students. Equity is at the center of OUSD’s strategic plan, Pathway to Excellence (see attached). After a year of engaging stakeholders across all priority areas within the Pathway to Excellence through regular committee meetings resulting in key recommendations, the District is now embarking on an effort to realize equity in: Effective Talent Programs, Accountability and Organizational Effectiveness, and Quality Community

1 Please see the OUSD Balance Scorecard for a more detailed breakdown of indicators by student characteristics: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B6QEqRqzjxxzUWlMcFhYQ0FzT0k&usp=drive_web&tid=0B6QEqRqzjxxzaHFjdDNXeDlteVk

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Schools. OUSD has decided to engage one or more Strategic Equity Partner(s) with expertise in this area, to help build capacity, “from the classroom to the board room.” OUSD expects its work with the Strategic Equity Partner(s) to permeate classroom instruction and behavior supports, increasing the capacity of all OUSD employees to create equitable learning environments leading to more equal learning outcomes for all students.

B. OUSD Equity Frame Under the leadership of Superintendent Antwan Wilson, OUSD seeks to understand the systemic factors which perpetuate inequity and address them, so that every student thrives. OUSD holds the simple yet powerful belief that equity is providing each student what he/she needs to achieve at the same high level, and graduate prepared for college, career and community success. OUSD operationalizes equity in education using a framework that centers around four A’s: Affirmation, Access, Acquisition, and Achievement.

1. Affirmation – Every adult involved in student learning (including those in the systems that support students and families) must affirm the inherent talent, ability, and potential in every student; value their culture, beliefs and communities; and create relationships and environments where every student feels a deep sense of belonging;

2. Access – Every student must have equal access to high-quality teachers, administrators and support personnel, to rigorous courses, and to the opportunity to maximize his or her potential as a scholar and as a person – this includes equal access to quality schools and learning time;

3. Acquisition – All students must have support, according to their needs, that will enable them to learn and practice the skills they need to be successful in life, from pre-school through graduation and post-secondary completion;

4. Achievement – Through rigorous, relevant, responsive, and personalized teaching and learning every student will achieve on all measures of learning, including Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, Advanced Placement passage, Scholastic Reading Inventory, Grades/Grade Point Average, A-G course completion, SAT, etc.

Equity

Affirmation

Access

Aquisition

Achievement

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II. Scope of Services Qualified Strategic Equity Partner(s) will assist OUSD with two distinct sets of tasks: Engagement & Planning, and Implementation.

A. Engagement & Planning A single Strategic Equity Partner will work with the District to engage district stakeholders (including the Board of Education; District officials; community advocates and partners; teachers, administrators and school personnel; families and students; and community members) in the development of an implementation plan for the Equity Board Policy (Equity Roadmap 2020). The engagement with this Strategic Equity Partner is expected to span an eight-to-ten month period.

For the Engagement component, the Strategic Equity Partner will be expected to work closely with District officials to convene groups, large and small, and facilitate meaningful discussions around the implementation of the Equity Policy. For the Planning component, the Strategic Equity Partner will be expected to generate (in concert with OUSD’s Office of General Counsel and with the approval of the Superintendent), Administrative Regulations for the OUSD Equity Policy, currently under development,2 as well as a plain-language three-to-four year implementation plan.

The qualifying Engagement & Planning Equity Partner will have experience and expertise in facilitation and writing as well as in advancing equity in education. Demonstrated competence and comfort facilitating conversations about race and other areas of inequitable opportunity, achievement, and belief is a requirement to be recognized as a qualified applicant.

2 The draft Equity Policy is a public record, which can be found in OUSD’s Board Meeting Records https://ousd.legistar.com/DepartmentDetail.aspx?ID=3805&GUID=8F4A7423-0C38-4C3A-BB83-485A96F99772&Mode=MainBody (see Meeting Agenda for 8/12/2015). This draft document is still under development and should not be considered OUSD policy until finalized by the Board of Education.

Engagement & Planning •Engage stakeholders at multiple levels around the

implementation of the Equity Policy •Craft administrative regulations and an

implemenntation plan for the Equity Policy

Implementation •Support OUSD in the implementation of the plan,

working at multiple levels of the organization to ensure district capacity to provide equitable experiences for all students in every classroom at every school

8-10 month process 3-4year process

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The Engagement & Planning Strategic Equity Partner will:

• Assess OUSD’s existing efforts and approaches to create equity in learning – identify strengths, opportunities for growth, and leverage points for expansion or deepening of equity work.

• Convene and solicit input from teachers, coaches, and the Teaching and Learning Department regarding how the Equity Policy can and should be implemented at the classroom level. Discussions will center on practical measures that should be taken to dismantle implicit bias and ensure equitable treatment of all students in every classroom, and strategies for culturally responsive and relevant teaching and learning

• Convene and solicit input from school administrators and principal supervisors regarding how the Equity Policy can and should be implemented at the school level.

• Convene and solicit input from District leaders, including but not limited to leaders in Community School & Student Support, Organizational Effectiveness & Culture, Teaching & Learning, African American Male Achievement, Programs for Exceptional Children, English Language Learner & Multilingual Achievement, the Chief of Schools, the Chief Academic Officer, and the Chief Talent Officer, regarding how the Equity Policy can and should be implemented throughout the District.

• Convene and facilitate discussions with families & students, community partners/providers, community advocate groups, unions, and other community stakeholders regarding how the Equity Policy can and should be implemented throughout the District.

• Consult with the District Superintendent and the Board of Education on how the Equity policy can and should be implemented at the district level.

• Meet with Human Resources, Legal, and other District officials to ensure that other District policies and procedures align with Equity Policy and that Administrative Regulations comply with legal requirements.

• Synthesize input from all District and community stakeholders into draft Administrative Regulations for the Equity Policy, as well as a three-to-four year plan for implementation.

• Review best practice research and consult with additional experts as needed to inform Administrative Regulations and three-to-four year plan.

• Facilitate internal review and finalization of documents.

It is expected that the process of engagement will also build the capacity of participants to understand bias and become champions for equity in the context of education and learning. For this reason, the Engagement & Planning Equity Partner must have skills and expertise in facilitation and writing, as well as a depth of experience in working with equity issues and education.

The final Administrative Regulations and the threeto-four year plan must align with and support OUSD’s Pathway to Excellence Strategic Plan, organizational effectiveness and values work, the Voluntary Resolution Plan with the Office of Civil Rights to address disproportionate discipline, the English Language Learner and Multilingual Achievement Roadmap, and the Programs for Exceptional Children (Special Education) Roadmap.

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B. Implementation Once the threeto-four year plan is finalized, the District will engage with one or more Strategic Equity Partner(s) to assist in the implementation of the plan to dismantle implicit bias, ensure equitable treatment of all students in every classroom, and advance strategies for culturally responsive and relevant teaching and learning. The specific services that will be needed from the Implementation Equity Partner(s) will depend on the final content of the plan, but implementation steps are likely to include:

• Integration of equity principles into existing professional development (PD) approaches • Creation or adaptation of PD modules • Training of trainers in new PD modules • Advising and supporting the development and/or revision of HR processes and procedures • Supporting as a strategic partner at targeted school sites to help implement strategies and

approaches • Coaching district and/or school leaders in strategies and approaches • Training and technical assistance to key community partners • Helping to monitor effective implementation • Reporting to the Superintendent on barriers to and progress on implementation

The period of engagement with the Implementation Equity Partner(s) will vary based on the specific capacity building service(s) the Strategic Equity Partner is expected to provide. Activities may range from serving a single school site to facilitating systems change and alignment work.

III. Response Elements and Format Your response to this RFQ should follow the format described below, in the order indicated. Responses describing qualifications to serve as Engagement & Planning Equity Partner alone should not exceed 12 pages. Responses describing qualifications to serve as Implementation Equity partner alone should not exceed 12 pages. Responses describing qualifications to serve in both Engagement & Planning and Implementation capacities may be up to 18 pages. All applications should be in 12 point font, using at least 1.5 spacing.

A. Application Cover Sheet Please use the attached Cover Sheet Template (this will not count against the overall page limit).

B. Organizational Experience Please detail the experience and expertise that make you or your firm uniquely capable to implement the services sought through this RFQ. Please describe qualifications that would make you an effective Strategic Equity Partner in each service category you have indicated on the cover sheet.

1. Similar Project Experience For each service category for which you are seeking qualification, please provide a description of three-to-five projects undertaken by you or your firm that demonstrate your ability to partner with OUSD in the ways described in this RFQ. For each project, include a description of the client/partner, an overview of the project, its duration, and a listing of project outcomes. If the organization was a school district or

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educational agency, please indicate that in your description. If it was another sort of organization, please describe how the experience might, nevertheless, be applicable to the qualifications you would need to partner with OUSD. Experience in diverse, urban, public schools, and school systems is preferable.

2. Key Team Members Please identify key staff members on the project team. Describe each team member’s relevant experience and describe the role he or she would play in the project (indicate whether the individual would support Engagement & Planning and/or Implementation). Conclude this section with a written assurance that the key individuals listed and identified will be performing the work and will not be substituted with other personnel or reassigned to another project without the District’s prior approval. If you are applying as an individual, and you are the sole team member, please indicate so in this section.

Resumes for each team member listed should be attached as an appendix to the application (this does not apply to page limits).

3. References Please provide up to five references total (irrespective of whether you have indicated one or two service areas) for clients or organizations for whom you have performed similar work. Include the organization name, project title, and primary contact name, address, telephone number, and email.

C. Project Approach Please describe the approach you would take if you were to work with OUSD as a Strategic Equity Partner.

1. Equity Frame Please describe your understanding of and approach to equity in education. What do you see as the ways that educational systems perpetuate inequity? What needs to happen to ensure that education is equitable in a large and diverse system like OUSD? What evidence, strategies, and activities in your portfolio support your frame?

2. Partnership Approach For Engagement & Planning Equity Partners: What is your approach to collaborative engagement and planning in general? Please describe how you would engage district stakeholders (including the Board of Education, District officials, community advocates and partners, teachers, administrators and school personnel, families and students, and community members) around what implementation of the Equity Policy should look like. Describe how you believe the process of engagement could also build the capacity of participants and District employees to understand bias and become champions for equity in the context of education and learning. What are the major outcomes you would hope to accomplish in the eight-to-ten month engagement with OUSD? Describe what you anticipate would be the biggest challenges or barriers in this work, and how you would anticipate overcoming them.

For Implementation Equity Partners: What is your approach to implementation support in general? What are the biggest strengths that you think you would bring to OUSD as an implementation partner?

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What are the major outcomes you would hope to accomplish as an Implementation Equity Partner? Describe what you anticipate would be the biggest challenges or barriers in this work, and how you would anticipate overcoming them.

D. Rate/Fee Structure

1. Rates Please describe you or your firm’s rate/fee structure. Please list how you anticipate charging for work performed on the project (for example, if you have an hourly rate that differs from a daily or half-day rate, please specify). If you are a firm, please specify if there are variable rates for different team members listed in this application.

2. Estimates If you are applying to qualify as an Engagement & Planning Equity Partner, please provide an itemized estimate for the eight-to-ten month engagement. If you are applying to qualify as an Implementation Equity Partner, please describe your process for developing a project estimate and provide your best estimate for the work you would do in year one. If you are applying under both categories, a single budget will suffice.

E. Evaluation of Applications Applicant qualifications will be reviewed by a Strategic Equity Partner RFQ Team, primarily comprising OUSD staff at various levels within the organization. Points will be assigned for each narrative section, as follows:

Similar Project Experience and Key Team Member Qualifications 50 Equity Frame 10 Partnership Approach 40

Possible Points 100

The following questions will also be considered:

Is application complete? Y/N Is Rate/Fee Structure feasible? Y/N Did references confirm applicant's qualifications? Y/N

All applications received by the submission date will be reviewed by the RFQ team using a standard template and designated Highly Recommended, Conditionally Recommended, or Not Recommended. Applicants receiving a final evaluation of Highly Recommended or Conditionally Recommended will be included on the list of “Qualified Potential Strategic Equity Partners.” Applicants responding under both service categories will be scored separately for each service category.

Highly Recommended: Prioritized for an interview with the RFQ Review Team.

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Conditionally Recommended: May be asked to submit additional supporting information and a plan of action to improve in areas deemed insufficient by the RFQ Review Team. Conditionally recommended applications may be included in the “Qualified Potential Strategic Equity Partners” list.

Not Recommended: Will not be included in the list of “Qualified Potential Strategic Equity Partners.”

The list of “Qualified Potential Strategic Equity Partners” will be utilized by the District for a period of up to five (5) years to select Equity Partners. No individual or firm shall have any legal or equitable right or obligation to enter into a contract or to perform services as a result of such individual or firm being identified on the list as a “Qualified Potential Strategic Equity Partners.”

IV. Submission Instructions Respondents to this Request for Qualifications must submit four (4) hard copies of their Proposal as well as an electronic copy on a USB flash drive no later than 3:00pm on November 23, 2015. .

The Proposals must be submitted to:

Kristin Elizalde, Executive Assistant, Oakland Unified School District, 1000 Broadway, Suite 600, Oakland, CA 94607 (510) 879-8156 or (510) 879-8200

The District assumes no responsibility for non-receipt of submittal packages due to any delay including, but not limited to, carrier delay. It is the Proposer's responsibility to meet the deadline stated above.

Proposals that do not contain the required number of copies and all of the information requested in this RFQ may be considered non-responsive and rejected without evaluation.

Submittals received after the deadline or at the wrong location may be considered non-responsive. Fax or e-mail copies will not be accepted. All submittals become the property of the District and will not be returned.

Application Checklist Please review the application checklist and ensure that your response is complete.

Engagement & Planning Implementation Both

Cover Sheet 1 1 1 Narrative

Organizational Experience Project Approach Rate/Fee Structure

12 pages

12 pages

18 pages

References Up to 5 Up to 5 Up to 5 Resumes No limit No limit No limit 501(c)3 Documentation (if applicable) If applicable

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V. Contract Award The District reserves the right to contract with any entity responding to this RFQ. The awarding of a contract is at the sole discretion of the District. The District may select a firm or firms based on the highest rated proposal and an interview without further discussion or interviews with other firms.

The firm selected will be expected to enter into a Professional Services Agreement with the District. The District shall not be bound, or in any way obligated, until both parties have executed a contract. No party may incur any chargeable costs prior to the execution of the final contract.

VI. Rejection and Waivers of Proposals This RFQ does not commit the District to award a contract or to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of a proposal in response to this Request.

The District reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals received; to negotiate with qualified proposer(s) or cancel the Request; and, to waive any minor irregularities and informalities in the proposal or proposal process.

VII. Compliance with Laws and Regulations The successful Responder shall comply with federal, state and local laws, regulations, and Industry standards. The proposer shall also comply with the Drug Free Workplace Act requirements of California Government Code Sec. 8350 et seq.

VIII. Questions / Contact Person The District will accept written questions via e-mail until November 6, 2015. Questions regarding the work must be submitted to both of the following: curtiss.sarikey@ousd.org and moira.denike@ousd.org

The District will respond to each question by email directly to the applicant submitting the question. If the question demonstrates that clarification or additional information is needed, an addendum will be issued to all proposers by e-mail. Proposers should acknowledge any and all e-mails sent by the District regarding this RFQ by replying to the e-mail sender that the e-mail was received.

Proposers shall not contact any District employee or official regarding this proposal other than the individual listed above as the contact person.

Contacting District staff or officials regarding this work may result in disqualification. No verbal comments made by District staff or officials are binding regarding this RFQ except for that which is made in writing by the above mentioned contact person. This will assure that all proposers receive the same information in a timely manner.

IX. Deadline for Submission of Proposals To be considered, proposals must be received at the address below no later than 3:00 P.M. on November 23, 2015. Late proposals will not be considered. The District highly encourages early submittal of proposals.

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This request is not a formal request for bids or an offer by the District to contract with any party responding to this RFQ. The District will provide its form of agreement to firm(s) that the District chooses to perform a specific project including the Proposed Project. Any award of a contract will be subject to the District’s Board’s approval.

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Attachment A: Cover Sheet Template Please reproduce the following cover sheet for your application. All information below must be included on your cover sheet:

1. Name and Mailing Address of Applicant:

2. Are you applying as an individual or firm?

Individual Firm

3. Contact Person:

4. Email and Telephone:

5. Service Category (check at least one area of work for which you are interested in partnering):

Engagement & Planning (six-to-nine month contract period) Implementation (variable contract periods)

NOTE: Only one application needs to be completed, even if more than one service category is checked. Be sure to speak to each service category in your application.

6. Does your organization have 501c3 status? Please provide documentation of this status in your supporting documentation section. If you have a fiscal agent, please provide agency information for your fiscal agent, as well.

7. Are you currently an OUSD contractor?

8. Have you served as an OUSD contractor before in past years? If so, please describe the scope(s) of work.

OAKLAND UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

Pathway to Excellence n 2015–2020

Released NovembeR 2014

Every Student Thrives!

Every Student

Thrives

3Pathway to Excellence Oakland Unified School District

November 19, 2014

Dear Oakland Community,

As a twenty-year educator and father to three young children, I’ve dedicated my adult life to supporting the growth and development of children. Having served as a teacher, a principal, a district leader, and now your Superintendent, I’ve had a track record of success that has expanded opportunities for young people, decreased the achievement and opportunity gap between students of diverse backgrounds, improved school performance by transforming failing schools, and prepared more students to be college, career, and community ready. My commitment is to partner with you in the effort to ensure that every student has access to a high-quality education. This is my professional calling and a personal mission, rooted in the fundamental belief that our success in this work is not only just for our students in Oakland, but also rests at the very heart of American democracy.

Many of the ills that plague our society can be traced back to our education system and its shortcomings. When we are satisfied with mediocrity and some students doing without the best, all of us lose in the long run. It puts our city and our nation at risk. The answers to these disparities lie in our ability to transform public education so that it serves students of all backgrounds and all abilities. Our vision is that all OUSD students will find joy in their academic experience while graduating with the skills to ensure they are caring, competent, fully-informed, critical thinkers who are prepared for college, career, and community success.

This work sits at the intersection of race, gender, class, religion, status, access, opportunity, and social advocacy—some of the most vexing questions of this or of any other era. If we are to realize our goals for our children and our society, we must transcend these demographic differences and political considerations in pursuit of a higher non-partisan standard—success for each and every student! It’s incredibly hard work, but the solutions are not obscure, they’re not mysterious, and they’re certainly not out-of-reach. Of course, intellectual debates about methodology, instructional practice, public funding, and private philanthropy come into play; but, in the final analysis, the way we implement a fundamental set of standards will determine our success.

We have a moral imperative to help every child reach his or her potential. If we are to ensure that every student thrives, then we must:

These commitments are non-negotiable; they are the bedrock upon which we’ll continue to build this district. I promise to work tirelessly to provide all Oakland Public School students with a high quality education and rich, rewarding social experiences. The plan before you is our pathway to excellence and the roadmap for the next five years as we uphold our moral obligation to the students and residents of Oakland.

• Provide every student with access to a high-quality school

• Ensure each student is prepared for college, career, and community success

• Staff every school with talented individuals committed to working in service of children

• Create a school district that holds itself and its partners accountable for superior outcomes

• Guarantee rigorous instruction in every classroom, every day

The plan before you is our

pathway to excellence

and the roadmap for the next five years as we uphold our moral

obligation to the students and residents of Oakland.

4Pathway to Excellence Oakland Unified School District

No matter your place in Oakland society, man or woman, mature or young, native or transplant, heartland or hills, we all have a stake in this work. Our collective and unified voice will always be more powerful than our individual efforts. We can no longer pit one faction against another or elevate adult concerns above student needs. We can no longer settle for “good enough.” We must become a city that expects the best.

Guiding principles drive every decision I make as Superintendent, and will further our efforts towards becoming the district we must be for our students.

As the Strategic Plan makes clear, the foundational principles for the Oakland Unified School District are:

Relentlessly pursuing these guiding principles and infusing them into every aspect of our work will produce the results we seek. No longer will we allow the storyline of the “haves” and the “have-nots” to define Oakland. Instead, we will write a new narrative of strong communities and service to students. We will position OUSD as an employer of choice and the provider of a world-class educational system. As we embark on this journey, we must find common ground on providing an education that challenges students, prompts them to think, encourages them to create, inspires them to dream, motivates them to succeed, and prepares them not just for college and career, but for the world at large.

I cannot wait to partner with you in this work and our students can’t afford to wait for its results. Someday, somewhere in America, a school district and a city will fulfill its obligation to its children. Why not now? Why not Oakland?

This is the time. This is the place. This is when we come together to ensure that EvERy STUDENT THRIvES!

Respectfully,

Antwan Wilson Superintendent

1. Putting StudentS FirSt

2. equity

3. integrity

5Pathway to Excellence Oakland Unified School District

MISSIONvISION

Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) will

build a Full Service Community District focused

on high academic achievement while serving the

whole child, eliminating inequity, and providing

each child with excellent teachers, every day. All OUSD students will find joy in their

academic experience while graduating with

the skills to ensure they are caring, competent,

fully-informed, critical thinkers who are

prepared for college, career, and community

success.

the Oakland Way!Ensuring that each and every child receives a quality education is an economic necessity, a moral imperative, and a matter of social justice. That’s something this community understands better than perhaps any other town in America. For more than 60 years, Oakland has been a trailblazer in issues of equity and empowerment and the center of some of the country’s most powerful social movements. We are standard-bearers. No place is better suited for the fight to support children.

Our charge is to transform a public education system that reinforces race and class-based fault lines into one that breaks down barriers to achievement and prepares every student for college, career, and community.

Oakland is a city that, for too long, has been defined by the word “potential.” It’s time to transform potential into results and to ensure that “Every Student Thrives!” As a community, it’s our duty to make Oakland’s promise manifest. As a school district, it’s our responsibility—and our privilege—to prepare every student for success in school, success in career, and success in life. The urgency is tremendous. We don’t have time to waste and we don’t have time to wait. It’s only by undermining the tolerance for mediocrity, condemning low expectations, and establishing uncompromising standards of performance that we can provide our children with the education they deserve and create the community we desire.

Our belief is that significant improvement in student outcomes is driven at the school level. Our every action centrally is in the service of one purpose: building quality community schools that prepare students for college, career, and community success. Empowered school communities that make decisions best suited for the needs of their particular children, align instruction to effective practices, constantly measure academic and social growth, and adapt as necessary to increase student learning, are the foundation of a world-class school district. All schools will benefit from our work to recruit, develop, and retain talented staff in every classroom and every department. All schools will receive defined autonomies, support, and recognition—as well as targeted interventions—to improve student performance. And when, over time, a school demonstrates it doesn’t have the capacity for strong site governance or to produce significant academic and social growth in its students, we will intervene to accelerate student performance, enhance school quality, and ensure that Every Student Thrives!

6Pathway to Excellence Oakland Unified School District

Effective Talent ProgramsOur work starts with our people. We need to make OUSD the premier employer for educators in the Bay Area. This means we must recruit the best talent, create a system that cultivates their growth, and develop a culture that facilitates high retention of effective employees.

n By 2020, the number of employees who are strongly engaged with OUSD as measured by our Engagement Program will increase to 85 percent.

Accountable School DistrictA school district that supports its people is grounded in values and effective systems. We will ensure that we are one team dedicated to the development of quality schools in every Oakland neighborhood. We will also provide exemplary service to all Oakland schools with an emphasis on increasing achievement and engagement for our students.

n By 2020, the number of high performing and high quality schools, as measured by the district’s School Performance Framework, will increase to 75 percent.

n By 2020, at least 80 percent of respondents on OUSD’s Performance Management Survey will rate district departments favorably.

Employees Engaged2020 ............... 85%

Now ............... Not currently measured

High Performing & High Quality Schools2020 ............... 75%

Now ............... Not currently measured

District Departments Performing Favorably2020 ............... 80%

Now ............... Not currently measured

TARGET

TARGET

Priority 1

Priority 2

PRIORITIES & OUTCOMES

7Pathway to Excellence Oakland Unified School District

Quality Community SchoolsEvery student deserves the right to attend a quality community school in their neighborhood. The Community Schoolswork in Oakland is some of the most compelling work in the country. By targeting our focus, we will build schools that all Bay Area students are proud to attend.

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By 2020, the percentage of high school students in Linked Learning Pathways will increase to 80 percent, 100 percent for rising sophomores.

By 2020, the cohort graduation rate will increase to 85 percent.

By 2020, the percentage of African-American, Latino, Special Education, English Language Learner (ELL), and Foster Youth students who meet the California College admission requirements for a 4-Year university or college will increase to 60 percent.

By 2020, the percentage of Long-Term English Language Learners (six or more years in US schools) reclassified to fluent will increase to 50 percent.

By 2020, the percentage of African-American and Latino males without an out-of-school suspension during the year will increase to 97 percent.

By 2020, the percentage of 3rd grade students who are reading on grade level will increase to 85 percent.

Priority 3

High School Students in Linked Learning Pathways

2020 ................. 80%

Now ................. 37%

Cohort Graduation Rate

2020 ................. 85%

Now ................. 67%

TARGET

TARGET

High School Sophomores in Linked Learning Pathways

2020 ................. 100%

Now ................. 47%

Long-Term ELLs Reclassified as Fluent

2020 ................. 50%

Now ................. 7%

African-American, Latino, Special Education, ELLs & Foster Youth Students Meeting Four-Year University or College Requirements

2020 ................. 60%

Now ................. 23%

African-American Males Without Out- of-School Suspension

2020 ................. 97%

Now ................. 87%

Third Graders Reading on Grade Level

2020 ................. 85%

Now ................. 38%

PRIORITIES & OUTCOMES

8Pathway to Excellence Oakland Unified School District

PRIORITIES STRATEGIES RECRUITING & ORIENTATIONWe will focus on recruiting the best talent and develop efficient systems for supporting their successful transition into their roles in the district.

SUPPORTING & EVALUATINGWe will make OUSD the employer of choice in the Bay Area by creating conditions for success through effective teams, a culture of professional learning, and the use of observation and constructive feedback.

LEADING & RETAININGWe will create professional growth opportunities that facilitate the development of all employees as educators and leaders within our system in a way that supports the placement and retention of our effective employees.

IMPLEMENTING DISTRICT CORE VALUESWe will collaboratively develop a set of district core values that will be used to guide how we support our employees, engage with our families and communities, and provide services to our students. These core values are intended to permeate our culture and will be used to drive us towards a north star of excellence as a school district.

QUALITY SCHOOL DEVELOPMENTWe will engage in a Strategic Regional Analysis to inform where we need more quality programs, and to inform where district facilities need to be used more effectively. Additionally, we will develop a School Performance Framework to measure quality at all individual schools. Finally, we will begin a Call for Quality Schools focused on facilitating the development of effective school models from the ground up and to ensure that every student is able to attend a quality school in their neighborhood.

DISTRICT-CHARTER COMPACTWe will partner with charter schools to provide access to quality schools in every neighborhood while building common systems for enrollment, transfers, discipline, performance, and serving all Oakland students.

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENTWe will measure the effectiveness of central services to ensure that student needs are put first and schools receive the support they need to be successful. We will engage in cycles of inquiry to elevate exemplary services and to improve our supports to our stakeholders.

LINKED LEARNINGWe will provide learning opportunities for all of our students that meet college and career readiness standards, provide experiential learning, and embed technology-based learning to ensure students are prepared for college, career, and community success. This will begin with early-childhood education to ensure students are prepared for success by third grade. It continues by focusing extra attention to improve our secondary schools by embedding pathways that prepare students for success in careers in the science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics, health, and entrepreneurial fields. Each Linked Learning pathway will require students to take college-level Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and/or Dual Enrollment courses while providing support to students who need additional help in meeting college and career-level expectations.

EQUITY-BASED EDUCATIONWe will support our schools with implementing strategies that accelerate the academic achievement of all students while ensuring that we are closing the opportunity gap for our African-American, Latino, English Language Learner, Foster Youth, and Special Education Students. This includes building upon the progress of African-American Male Achievement; and, it also includes providing additional resources and supports to some schools to promote the success of our most impacted students that our data shows we need to do more to support in reaching higher academic outcomes.

SCHOOL SITE GOVERNANCEWe will focus on clear, transparent, and representative engagement that empowers stakeholders to work collaboratively with the school principal to improve educational outcomes for all students. This will include prioritizing improvement strategies targeted to the needs of the students the school serves and that are tightly aligned with district priorities.

EFFECTIvE TALENT PROGRAMS

ACCOUNTAbLESCHOOL DISTRICT

QUALITy COMMUNITy SCHOOLS

9Pathway to Excellence Oakland Unified School District

lOcal cOntrOl Funding FOrmula & lOcal cOntrOl accOuntability Plan To ensure that every Oakland public school student is prepared for success in college, career, and community, we must use all the resources at our disposal and allocate them in a manner that reflects our shared beliefs and supports a common vision for Oakland students.

n The Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) determines how the state funds our school district. The money is allocated based on our enrollment of English Learner, Low-Income, and Foster students.

n The Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) is a three-year accountability plan that requires input from stakeholders, to ensure LCFF funds are spent intentionally and strategically, for our state and local target populations: Students with Economic Hardship, English Language Learners, Foster Youth, Students with Disabilities, African-American Students, and Latino Students.

During the 2013-2014 school year, OUSD engaged over 5,000 staff, parents, community members and students through a process to help develop the LCAP, which our Board of Education approved in Spring 2014. The input gained during this ongoing process was used to help inform District funding decisions and shape the objectives, themes, and strategies of this Strategic Plan Update.

As we create a world-class school system, we will continue to incorporate community values; collect key data; outline measures of success; and establish commitments to students, staff, and families to guide us as we build a school district where “Every Student Thrives!”

During my listening engagements, I often heard parents ask questions such as, “What should my child be reading by 5th grade?” or “Why does it matter that she takes Algebra by eighth grade?” From birth through graduating from high school, what are the minimum aspirations that we want for all Oakland students to be prepared for a high standard? In the model below, we provide an easy-to-understand path that explains what each student needs at every step in order to be college, career, and community-ready and to have true choices for their future.

Why itMatters:

n More Lifetime Earnings

n Lifelong Career Connections

n More Engagement in the Democratic Process

FROM CRADLE TO CAREER: StePS tO SucceSS

My 0-5 yeAr old NeedS To know 100 commonly used words, miss no m

ore than 9 days

of school, have self-restraint, view one’s characteristi cs and abiliti es positi vely, enjoy

demonstrati ng them and assert one’s own preferences and desires IN ORD

ER

TO be prepared for Kindergarten success.

My 2Nd/3rd grAder NeedS To be on grade level or above in reading and math, miss no m

ore than 9 days of school, persevere

through diffi cult tasks, and identi fy the steps needed to perform routi ne tasks or accomplish goals (e.g., for academ

ic

success, personal success, classroom behavior) IN ORDER TO be prepared for success throughout school, be more

likely to graduate on-track, and take more challenging middle school courses and electi ves.classroom behavior)

IN ORDER TO be prepared for success throughout school, be more likely to graduate on-track, and take more

challenging middle school courses and electi ves.

My 5Th/6Th grAder NeedS To be on grade level or above in reading and math, miss no more than 9 days of school, begin a Personal Educati on Plan (PEP),

persevere through diffi cult tasks, and demonstrate cooperati ve behaviors in a group (e.g., listening, encouraging, acknowledging opinions, com

promising,

reaching consensus) IN ORDER TO be prepared for middle school and high school success, have more course choice, and be prepared for a Linked

Learning college & career pathway.

My 8Th/9Th grAder NeedS To receive an A, B or C in Algebra and English-Language Arts; miss no more than 5 days of school; conti nue with the Personal Educati on Plan

(PEP); and, evaluate emoti onal responses to various challenging situati ons, how to communicate them, and persevere through them IN O

RDER TO be on track for college by

11th/12th grade, be ready for a Linked Learning college & career pathway, have more course choices, and be ready for college preparatory A-G courses.

My 9Th/10Th grAder NeedS To be taking college preparatory A-G courses; be on grade level or above in reading; be engaged in a Linked Learning college & career pathw

ay;

conti nue implementi ng a Personal Educati on Plan (PEP); and, identi fy verbal, physical, and situati onal cues that indicate how others may feel IN O

RDER TO be on-track to

graduate, take multi ple college-level courses in high school, and have more electi ve choices.

My 11Th/12Th grAder NeedS To complete their college preparatory A-G courses; earn a qualifying score in at least 5 college-level courses; meet the college-ready

standard on the Early Assessment Program (EAP), Scholasti c Assessment Test (SAT), and/or the American College Test (ACT); parti cipate in at least two extra-curricular,

work-based, or civic engagement acti viti es per year; complete a Personal Educati on Plan (PEP); and, evaluate factors that lead to goal achievement and success (e.g.,

managing ti me, adequate resources, perseverance and confi dence) IN ORDER TO have their choice of a 4-year college, 2 year college, or career training program; graduate

with college credit; have a stronger resume; be competi ti ve for fi nancial aid and scholarships; and, be more prepared to give back to the comm

unity.

11Pathway to Excellence Oakland Unified School District

Every Student Thrives!

RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS

n In the past two years, OUSD employees have been named California Teacher of the Year (I’Asha Warfield, 2013) and California Classified Employee of the Year (Marcus Board, 2014).

n Since 2010, three OUSD schools have earned National Blue Ribbon Status and 10 sites have been recognized as California Distinguished Schools.

n Between 2011 and 2013, OUSD’s graduation rate improved by 8.1 percent, while the dropout rate fell by 9.0 percent

n OUSD operates 15 school-based health clinics, the most per capita of any school district in the country.

n OUSD supports its college and career preparatory goals with the most California Partnership Academies of any school district in the state.

n Oakland is one of only eight school districts in the country selected to participate in a special initiative by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) to help students manage emotions, achieve positive goals, show empathy for others, maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.

OUSD VitAl StAtS | 2014-15

total Enrollment 48,181OUSD Community Schools 37,147OUSD Charter Schools 11,034

Total Employees 4,457 (OUSD Community Schools)

Total Number of Schools 118OUSD Community Schools 86OUSD Charter Schools 32

demographicsoUSd Community Schools TK-12

African-American 30%Asian 14%Latino 39%White 12%Other 5%English Learners 31%Free/Reduced Price Lunch 71%Foster Students 1%Special Education Students 10%

oUSd Charter Schools K-12

African-American 21%Asian 11%Latino 57%White 6%Other 6%English Learners 30%Free/Reduced Price Lunch 76%

OUSD Graduation Rates, 2013*OUSD Community Schools, 2013

All Students 67%

OUSD Charter Schools, 2013

All Students 72%

oUSd Community Schools BudgetTotal Budgeted Expenditures $607.7 millionRestricted $284.8 million Unrestricted $322.9 million

Unrestricted Budget Allocation (2014-15)Direct to Schools $196.7 million (61 percent)School Support $82.2 million (25 percent)Infrastructure $38 million (12 percent)State Loan $6 million (2 percent)

* Students who graduated within four years of entering 9th grade

1000 broadway, Oakland, California 94607ph 510.434.7790 | www.ousd.k12.ca.us

© 2014 OAkLAND UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT. PHOTOS: HASAIN RASHEED.

Our secret ingredient—and it’s not too secret—is the professional skill and dedication of each member of our staff, certificated and classified.you see, that’s where we’re going to win. We’ll

have differences, but as long as we don’t let those

differences separate us and tear us apart in a disruptive

confrontation; if we can believe in each other and stand

on the common ground that children are what we

are all about; if we do nothing to rob children of the

opportunity to learn; if we are willing, whatever our

adult differences may be, to work them out as

professionals and adults; if we will not cause children

to suffer while we solve our problems, we will make

education work. Then, we must be determined that

after we have worked with our young people, those

little tags they brought to us will never have written

on them, “reduced in value, cheap,” but rather because

they came to the Oakland Public Schools; because

they’ve met you and have dealt with the schools across

the city; they will have on their little tags, “of surpassing

worth, increased in value.”

— DR. MARCUS FOSTER SUPERINTENDENT

OAKLAND UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT 1970 – 1973