Meeting Time: February 12, 2025 at 4:00pm PST
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Agenda Item

I.-1 25-0381 Presentation of, and Notice thereof, by the Alameda County Superintendent of Schools, to the Governing Board of the Oakland Unified School District, and the District's Superintendent of Schools, of a Fiscal Intervention Plan, pursuant to California Education Code Section 42127, et seq., being officially implemented as a result of the Board's Certification of Its First Interim, Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Budget Report (December 11, 2024), as "Negative." - Alysse Castro, Alameda County Superintendent of Schools.

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    HK Ishida at February 12, 2025 at 9:22pm PST

    I am in strong opposition to Superintendents Castro’s forced takeover of this democratically elected school board.

    Superintendent: We are concerned that you are now usurping this boards local decision making mere weeks into their new tenure. The voters elected a school board here in Oakland. What else can we believe but that you are working with Oakland Unified top management to undermine the will of the voters.

    Yet you are strong arming one set of choices, to a newly elected school board.
    Top admin have doubled spending on outside contracts and consultants- up to $190 million. Four years ago, that budget area was $90 million. There’s your savings!

    To our board: Fight with us! Interrogate this budget. Look for savings away from student programs and essential staff.

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    Susan S at February 12, 2025 at 7:46pm PST

    It is imperative that we take the Superintendent Castro's letter and presentation and plan very seriously. Shoutout to the brand new board members who were open and honest about their dedication to rectifying the budget as they understood it as a key issue for their tenure. So many of our students are suffering because as Superintendent Castro shared "we are so stretched thin, it is killing us." I am excited to see what the redesign looks like and excited for Oakland public schools to thrive!

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    Autumn Y at February 12, 2025 at 7:04pm PST

    We need to look at the budget really hard and hold the OUSD board members accountable to the decisions made when it comes to money. WE SHOULD be asking the OUSD board WHY it has gotten this far. We care more about negotiating labor when our students in Oakland cannot read or do math on grade level.

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    muslimah mohammed at February 12, 2025 at 6:56pm PST

    I am in strong opposition to Superintendent Castro’s forced takeover of this democratically elected school board.

    Superintendent: We are concerned that you are now usurping this board’s local decision-making mere weeks into their new tenure. The voters elected a school board here in Oakland. What else can we believe but that you are working with Oakland Unified top management to undermine the will of the voters?

    Yet, you are strong arming one set of choices, to a newly elected school board.
    Top admin have doubled spending on outside contracts and consultants—up to $190 million. Four years ago, that budget area was $90 million. There’s your savings!

    To our board: Fight with us! Interrogate this budget. Look for savings away from student programs and essential staff.

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    Madison Moore at February 12, 2025 at 6:34pm PST

    I am in strong opposition to Superintendents Castro’s forced takeover of this democratically elected school board.

    Superintendent: We are concerned that you are now usurping this boards local decision making mere weeks into their new tenure. The voters elected a school board here in Oakland. What else can we believe but that you are working with Oakland Unified top management to undermine the will of the voters.

    Yet you are strong arming one set of choices, to a newly elected school board.
    Top admin have doubled spending on outside contracts and consultants- up to $190 million. Four years ago, that budget area was $90 million. There’s your savings!

    To our board: Fight with us! Interrogate this budget. Look for savings away from student programs and essential staff.

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    Steph conrad at February 12, 2025 at 6:28pm PST

    Ive been here since 4 waiting for this meeting to start. It’s after 6pm and i cant believe the board would disrespect the community like this. The board makes it as difficult as possible to participate in these meetings. Shameful. Come out, you cowards.
    You want to talk about budget cuts and closing schools? Lets talk about how IAs makes 19 dollars, the district cant fill the classrooms with credentialed teachers and how our students cant read? How about you consider taking away funding from the superintendent’s almost 400,000 salary? I’m calling for salary cuts for all higher up admin who are running this district into the ground. Let’s get some pay transparency.
    Embarrassing

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    Christine Lu at February 12, 2025 at 6:24pm PST

    I am in strong opposition to Superintendent Castro’s forced takeover of this democratically elected school board.

    Superintendent: We are concerned that you are now usurping this board’s local decision-making mere weeks into their new tenure. The voters elected a school board here in Oakland. What else can we believe but that you are working with Oakland Unified top management to undermine the will of the voters?

    Yet, you are strong arming one set of choices, to a newly elected school board.
    Top admin have doubled spending on outside contracts and consultants—up to $190 million. Four years ago, that budget area was $90 million. There’s your savings!

    To our board: Fight with us! Interrogate this budget. Look for savings away from student programs and essential staff.

  • Default_avatar
    Eric Espinosa at February 12, 2025 at 6:09pm PST

    I am in strong opposition to Superintendents Castro’s forced takeover of this democratically elected school board.

    Superintendent: We are concerned that you are now usurping this boards local decision making mere weeks into their new tenure. The voters elected a school board here in Oakland. What else can we believe but that you are working with Oakland Unified top management to undermine the will of the voters.

    Yet you are strong arming one set of choices, to a newly elected school board.
    Top admin have doubled spending on outside contracts and consultants- up to $190 million. Four years ago, that budget area was $90 million. There’s your savings!

    To our board: Fight with us! Interrogate this budget. Look for savings away from student programs and essential staff.

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    Colleen Zak at February 12, 2025 at 6:02pm PST

    I am in strong opposition to Superintendents Castro’s forced takeover of this democratically elected school board.

    Superintendent: We are concerned that you are now usurping this boards local decision making mere weeks into their new tenure. The voters elected a school board here in Oakland. What else can we believe but that you are working with Oakland Unified top management to undermine the will of the voters.

    Yet you are strong arming one set of choices, to a newly elected school board.
    Top admin have doubled spending on outside contracts and consultants- up to $190 million. Four years ago, that budget area was $90 million. There’s your savings!

    To our board: Fight with us! Interrogate this budget. Look for savings away from student programs and essential staff.

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    Phoebe Sauter at February 12, 2025 at 5:34pm PST

    I am in strong opposition to Superintendents Castro’s forced takeover of this democratically elected school board.

    Superintendent: We are concerned that you are now usurping this boards local decision making mere weeks into their new tenure. The voters elected a school board here in Oakland. What else can we believe but that you are working with Oakland Unified top management to undermine the will of the voters.

    Yet you are strong arming one set of choices, to a newly elected school board.
    Top admin have doubled spending on outside contracts and consultants- up to $190 million. Four years ago, that budget area was $90 million. There’s your savings!

    To our board: Fight with us! Interrogate this budget. Look for savings away from student programs and essential staff.

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    Hilah Saeed at February 12, 2025 at 5:24pm PST

    I am in strong opposition to Superintendent Castro’s forced takeover of this democratically elected school board.

    Superintendent: We are concerned that you are now usurping this board’s local decision-making mere weeks into their new tenure. The voters elected a school board here in Oakland. What else can we believe but that you are working with Oakland Unified top management to undermine the will of the voters?

    Yet, you are strong arming one set of choices, to a newly elected school board.
    Top admin have doubled spending on outside contracts and consultants—up to $190 million. Four years ago, that budget area was $90 million. There’s your savings!

    To our board: Fight with us! Interrogate this budget. Look for savings away from student programs and essential staff.

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    Paul Reynolds at February 12, 2025 at 5:03pm PST

    I am in strong opposition to Superintendents Castro’s forced takeover of this democratically elected school board.

    Superintendent: We are concerned that you are now usurping this boards local decision making mere weeks into their new tenure. The voters elected a school board here in Oakland. What else can we believe but that you are working with Oakland Unified top management to undermine the will of the voters.

    Yet you are strong arming one set of choices, to a newly elected school board.
    Top admin have doubled spending on outside contracts and consultants- up to $190 million. Four years ago, that budget area was $90 million. There’s your savings!

    To our board: Fight with us! Interrogate this budget. Look for savings away from student programs and essential staff.

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    Kaili Carr at February 12, 2025 at 4:50pm PST

    I am in strong opposition to Superintendents Castro’s forced takeover of this democratically elected school board.

    Superintendent: We are concerned that you are now usurping this boards local decision making mere weeks into their new tenure. The voters elected a school board here in Oakland. What else can we believe but that you are working with Oakland Unified top management to undermine the will of the voters.

    Yet you are strong arming one set of choices, to a newly elected school board.
    Top admin have doubled spending on outside contracts and consultants- up to $190 million. Four years ago, that budget area was $90 million. There’s your savings!

    To our board: Fight with us! Interrogate this budget. Look for savings away from student programs and essential staff.

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    Joanna Davis at February 12, 2025 at 4:21pm PST

    Ms. Castro, Tonight we expect to hear from you on the following points:

    -Has your fiscal audit led to offering cuts to all the redundant or overpaid central office positions?

    - Are you doing everything possible to keep cuts away from the people who directly serve students?

    If the answer is 'no' then you are a gatekeeper to a corrupt bureaucracy and not a servant to the children you chose to serve.

    Do the right thing!!

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    Edgar Sanchez at February 12, 2025 at 4:21pm PST

    I know it’s last minute but if people can make an e-comment for todays board meeting!

    I am in strong opposition to Superintendents Castro’s forced takeover of this democratically elected school board.

    Superintendent: We are concerned that you are now usurping this boards local decision making mere weeks into their new tenure. The voters elected a school board here in Oakland. What else can we believe but that you are working with Oakland Unified top management to undermine the will of the voters.

    Yet you are strong arming one set of choices, to a newly elected school board.
    Top admin have doubled spending on outside contracts and consultants- up to $190 million. Four years ago, that budget area was $90 million. There’s your savings!

    To our board: Fight with us! Interrogate this budget. Look for savings away from student programs and essential staff.

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    Bethany Meyer at February 12, 2025 at 4:04pm PST

    I support our elected school board in managing the district budget. I oppose any takeover by the county or state.

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    Olivia Udovic at February 12, 2025 at 3:26pm PST

    I am in strong opposition to Superintendents Castro’s forced takeover of this democratically elected school board.
    Top admin have doubled spending on outside contracts and consultants- up to $190 million. Four years ago, that budget area was $90 million. There’s your savings!

  • Default_avatar
    Sara Holderfield at February 12, 2025 at 3:23pm PST

    I am in strong opposition to Superintendents Castro’s forced takeover of this democratically elected school board.

    Superintendent: We are concerned that you are now usurping this boards local decision making mere weeks into their new tenure. The voters elected a school board here in Oakland. What else can we believe but that you are working with Oakland Unified top management to undermine the will of the voters.

    Yet you are strong arming one set of choices, to a newly elected school board.
    Top admin have doubled spending on outside contracts and consultants- up to $190 million. Four years ago, that budget area was $90 million. There’s your savings!

    To our board: Fight with us! Interrogate this budget. Look for savings away from student programs and essential staff.

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    Susan Keen at February 12, 2025 at 3:15pm PST

    I am in strong opposition to Superintendents Castro’s forced takeover of this democratically elected school board. In fact, I’ve been emailing her for months to share my concerns and try to offer a different perspective, but she has failed to respond to me about my specific concerns.

    Superintendent: We are concerned that you are now usurping this boards local decision making mere weeks into their new tenure. The voters - I VOTED FOR DIRECTOR WILLIAMS! - elected OUR school board. What else can we believe but that you are working with Oakland Unified top management to undermine the will of the voters, especially as you ignore voters emailing you.

    You are strong arming choices to a newly elected school board. Top admin have doubled spending on outside contracts and consultants- up to $190 million. 4 years ago, that budget area was $90 million. There’s your savings!

    To OUR board: Fight with us! Interrogate this budget. Look for savings away from student programs and essential staff.

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    gabriel kahn at February 12, 2025 at 2:58pm PST

    I am in strong opposition to Superintendents Castro’s forced takeover of this democratically elected school board.
    Superintendent: We are concerned that you are now usurping this boards local decision making mere weeks into their new tenure. The voters elected a school board here in Oakland. What else can we believe but that you are working with Oakland Unified top management to undermine the will of the voters.
    Yet you are strong arming one set of choices, to a newly elected school board.
    Top admin have doubled spending on outside contracts and consultants- up to $190 million. Four years ago, that budget area was $90 million. There’s your savings!
    To our board: Fight with us! Interrogate this budget. Look for savings away from student programs and essential staff.