S.-3 20-0605 Approval by the Board of Education of a Charter School Facilities Agreement between District and Aspire Public Schools, Inc., a California non-profit public benefit corporation ("Aspire") operating Aspire Berkeley Maynard Academy (the nonprofit corporation and the Berkley Maynard Academy, for use of the facilities (formerly Golden Gate Elementary School) located at 6200 San Pablo Avenue, Oakland, CA 94608-2228, for a term of fifteen (15) consecutive fiscal years, commencing on July 1, 2020 and ending on June 30, 2035, subject to earlier termination as set forth in this Agreement ("Initial Term"), for annual rent as set forth in Section 3 of Agreement.
We need to keep Oakland facilities for Oakland public schools. Charter schools are not public schools. They do not have to have unionized employees. They do not have to adhere to the same education regulations. It perpetuates a tiered system of education.
I support the facilities lease renewal for BMA which is successfully serving Black & Brown students. It provides families with choice, equity and access to high quality education. BMA is a model school that has received national recognition for the amazing work that they do for Black & Brown students. Why would anyone want to disrupt that? They work hard to provide the best possible support toward higher learning.
Support - BMA has earned recognition multiple times for its effectiveness in serving students and families of color and deserves to continue its operation in that space.
This resolution is insulting to Oakland families. A 40 year lease is not something that must not be authorized during a global health crisis. This resolution takes advantage of parents’ current inability to engage on their own behalf. How dare you push long term privatization of our public schools instead of funding current OUSD students. OUSD teachers demand that OUSD’s debt be forgiven, not pay off the debts of privatizers.
I oppose giving charter schools OUSD properties essentially rent free. This is stealing from our students! Please at least postpone the vote on this, as approving it feels criminal. Thanks for listening.
BMA is a staple school in the north oakland community that has served generations of families. Before it became a charter is was Golden Gate Elementary and that is one of the reasons why so many children are still enrolled and attending. Families do what feels safe for them and returning to a location that was/is familiar to them provides that security. Many families who live in this community have their children enrolled at BMA; they were BMA (Golden Gate) children themselves. These children deserve to be educated in facilities that are clean, safe and modernized. High quality learning happens in high quality environments. All children deserve both of these attributes in their schools while receiving quality public education.
OUSD schools have already suffered from many millions in budget cuts over the past few years, and with the uncertainty of the economy post Covid-19, it is likely to continue - OUSD needs every dollar of revenue from every source and to give up $17 million on this lease alone is unconscionable when this board continues to make cuts to schools. This charter will not be the last to ask for a 40 year term, at least 5 other schools could get Prop 51 loans, and those charter schools will want the same terms, resulting in more than $50 million in lost general fund revenue, the very revenue we need to support students and educators at school sites. We need to get this right now. The charter industry is pushing these low or no cost leases across California as a way to grow charter schools, something OUSD cannot afford to do.
Please do not be swayed by a special interest group - your charge is to the district and the public. Please postpone or vote no on the 40 year lease. OUSD cannot take more mistakes and this is a big one.
As a teacher and Oakland resident, this is not the right time to support a 40 year charter lease. We are already in a budget deficit and will certainly be in a larger one next year. This budget deficit undermines 38,000 students in OUSD. To sign a 40 year lease will severely impact every single one of those students going forward as we face a larger deficit and cuts. Especially in these times, this is not the right decision. And especially when there are two years on this lease, this is not appropriate. Reject the lease!
We need to keep Oakland facilities for Oakland public schools. Charter schools are not public schools. They do not have to have unionized employees. They do not have to adhere to the same education regulations. It perpetuates a tiered system of education.
I support the facilities lease renewal for BMA which is successfully serving Black & Brown students. It provides families with choice, equity and access to high quality education. BMA is a model school that has received national recognition for the amazing work that they do for Black & Brown students. Why would anyone want to disrupt that? They work hard to provide the best possible support toward higher learning.
Oppose
I oppose
I am opposed.
Support - BMA has earned recognition multiple times for its effectiveness in serving students and families of color and deserves to continue its operation in that space.
This resolution is insulting to Oakland families. A 40 year lease is not something that must not be authorized during a global health crisis. This resolution takes advantage of parents’ current inability to engage on their own behalf. How dare you push long term privatization of our public schools instead of funding current OUSD students. OUSD teachers demand that OUSD’s debt be forgiven, not pay off the debts of privatizers.
This is such a bad idea and sets a terrible president.
Focus OUSD time and resources on the district’s public schools that truly serve ALL students.
I strongly oppose the choice to allow Aspire to take control of the building. Please make Aspire find somewhere else!
Oppose
This is not the time to push through a lease that will last 4 decades!
I oppose giving charter schools OUSD properties essentially rent free. This is stealing from our students! Please at least postpone the vote on this, as approving it feels criminal. Thanks for listening.
This is financially irresponsible.
Oppose
Now is not the time. This is not the solution.
BMA is a staple school in the north oakland community that has served generations of families. Before it became a charter is was Golden Gate Elementary and that is one of the reasons why so many children are still enrolled and attending. Families do what feels safe for them and returning to a location that was/is familiar to them provides that security. Many families who live in this community have their children enrolled at BMA; they were BMA (Golden Gate) children themselves. These children deserve to be educated in facilities that are clean, safe and modernized. High quality learning happens in high quality environments. All children deserve both of these attributes in their schools while receiving quality public education.
OUSD schools have already suffered from many millions in budget cuts over the past few years, and with the uncertainty of the economy post Covid-19, it is likely to continue - OUSD needs every dollar of revenue from every source and to give up $17 million on this lease alone is unconscionable when this board continues to make cuts to schools. This charter will not be the last to ask for a 40 year term, at least 5 other schools could get Prop 51 loans, and those charter schools will want the same terms, resulting in more than $50 million in lost general fund revenue, the very revenue we need to support students and educators at school sites. We need to get this right now. The charter industry is pushing these low or no cost leases across California as a way to grow charter schools, something OUSD cannot afford to do.
Please do not be swayed by a special interest group - your charge is to the district and the public. Please postpone or vote no on the 40 year lease. OUSD cannot take more mistakes and this is a big one.
As a teacher and Oakland resident, this is not the right time to support a 40 year charter lease. We are already in a budget deficit and will certainly be in a larger one next year. This budget deficit undermines 38,000 students in OUSD. To sign a 40 year lease will severely impact every single one of those students going forward as we face a larger deficit and cuts. Especially in these times, this is not the right decision. And especially when there are two years on this lease, this is not appropriate. Reject the lease!