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Agenda Item
S.-2 26-0106A Presentation of the Financial Stabilization Implementation Plan: Protecting Equity, Maintaining Local Control, and Prioritizing Students - Progress Report to the Board and Community by the Interim Superintendent of Schools, or designee, and discussion with the Board of Education, and possible further adoption of direction (votes or otherwise) by Board, scenarios, without restriction, that will result in the District's Budgets for Fiscal Years 2025-2026, 2026-2027 being balanced, as required by Resolution No.2526-0177A, As Amended.
I respectfully urge the Board to immediately rescind proposed TSA and CSM cuts at all Title 1 schools to uphold the district’s commitment to equity. At Sequoia, 46% of our 465 student body – approximately 214 children – are unduplicated pupils. Sequoia’s high and growing enrollment means we serve more unduplicated students in 46% of our student body than at least nine other elementary schools serve in their TOTAL student body. Under the proposed 2026-27 staffing plan, Sequoia will serve approximately 14 students per staff member, compared to approximately 7 students per staff member at those 9 schools. The proposed school site funding profile shows that those same 9 elementary schools receive 300% to 400% more per-pupil funding than Sequoia receives. This disparity raises a critical question: How can Sequoia close achievement gaps for unduplicated students while operating with 50% staffing and only 25% to 33% of the per-student funding?
Joaquin Miller needs its CRM and TSA's! They are essential to the functioning of the school and provide targeted, data-driven help for our most vulnerable students. Please reconsider the effects of this budget for all of the Title I schools!
I respectfully urge the Board to immediately rescind proposed TSA and CSM cuts at all Title 1 schools to uphold the district’s commitment to equity. At Sequoia, 46% of our 465 student body – approximately 214 children – are unduplicated pupils. Sequoia’s high and growing enrollment means we serve more unduplicated students in 46% of our student body than at least nine other elementary schools serve in their TOTAL student body. Under the proposed 2026-27 staffing plan, Sequoia will serve approximately 14 students per staff member, compared to approximately 7 students per staff member at those 9 schools. The proposed school site funding profile shows that those same 9 elementary schools receive 300% to 400% more per-pupil funding than Sequoia receives. This disparity raises a critical question: How can Sequoia close achievement gaps for unduplicated students while operating with 50% staffing and only 25% to 33% of the per-student funding?
I respectfully urge the Board to immediately rescind proposed TSA and CSM cuts at all Title 1 schools to uphold the district’s commitment to equity. At Sequoia, 46% of our 465 student body – approximately 214 children – are unduplicated pupils. Sequoia’s high and growing enrollment means we serve more unduplicated students in 46% of our student body than at least nine other elementary schools serve in their TOTAL student body. Under the proposed 2026-27 staffing plan, Sequoia will serve approximately 14 students per staff member, compared to approximately 7 students per staff member at those 9 schools. The proposed school site funding profile shows that those same 9 elementary schools receive 300% to 400% more per-pupil funding than Sequoia receives. This disparity raises a critical question: How can Sequoia close achievement gaps for unduplicated students while operating with 50% staffing and only 25% to 33% of the per-student funding?
Read more: https://tinyurl.com/mrx45wek
I respectfully urge the Board to immediately rescind proposed TSA and CSM cuts at all Title 1 schools to uphold the district’s commitment to equity. At Sequoia, 46% of our 465 student body – approximately 214 children – are unduplicated pupils. Sequoia’s high and growing enrollment means we serve more unduplicated students in 46% of our student body than at least nine other elementary schools serve in their TOTAL student body. Under the proposed 2026-27 staffing plan, Sequoia will serve approximately 14 students per staff member, compared to approximately 7 students per staff member at those 9 schools. The proposed school site funding profile shows that those same 9 elementary schools receive 300% to 400% more per-pupil funding than Sequoia receives. This disparity raises a critical question: How can Sequoia close achievement gaps for unduplicated students while operating with 50% staffing and only 25% to 33% of the per-student funding?
I respectfully urge the Board to immediately rescind proposed TSA and CSM cuts at all Title 1 schools to uphold the district’s commitment to equity. At Sequoia, 46% of our 465 student body – approximately 214 children – are unduplicated pupils. Sequoia’s high and growing enrollment means we serve more unduplicated students in 46% of our student body than at least nine other elementary schools serve in their TOTAL student body. Under the proposed 2026-27 staffing plan, Sequoia will serve approximately 14 students per staff member, compared to approximately 7 students per staff member at those 9 schools. The proposed school site funding profile shows that those same 9 elementary schools receive 300% to 400% more per-pupil funding than Sequoia receives. This disparity raises a critical question: How can Sequoia close achievement gaps for unduplicated students while operating with 50% staffing and only 25% to 33% of the per-student funding?
I respectfully urge the Board to immediately rescind proposed TSA and CSM cuts at all Title 1 schools to uphold the district’s commitment to equity. At Sequoia, 46% of our 465 student body – approximately 214 children – are unduplicated pupils. Sequoia’s high and growing enrollment means we serve more unduplicated students in 46% of our student body than at least nine other elementary schools serve in their TOTAL student body. Under the proposed 2026-27 staffing plan, Sequoia will serve approximately 14 students per staff member, compared to approximately 7 students per staff member at those 9 schools. The proposed school site funding profile shows that those same 9 elementary schools receive 300% to 400% more per-pupil funding than Sequoia receives. This disparity raises a critical question: How can Sequoia close achievement gaps for unduplicated students while operating with 50% staffing and only 25% to 33% of the per-student funding?
I learned last week that Cleveland Elementary is facing cuts to its TSA and CSM positions. While I recognize the district’s budget challenges, these cuts would have a disproportionate and damaging impact on Cleveland. Both Ms. Arroyo and Mr. Knight are not supplemental—they are essential to instructional quality, student support, and school culture. These are resources families should not have to lose. I urge you to reconsider this decision and preserve full funding for both positions.
I am urging you to immediately protect and fully fund Oakland's Violence Interrupter Program. Do not allow the funding for this program to lapse because of politics and finger pointing. It is your obligation to protect the lives of our students. Slide show is great and all but we need to PUT STUDENT SAFETY FIRST. Your budget is where your values are.
I learned Peralta is going to lose our TSA and CSM next year. This would be a huge loss to the school community and would impact the most vulnerable students directly. Christina Means and Jennifer Everhart are integral to the school's success and without them the school - the teachers, staff, and students - and the school community, would suffer. These are both critical staff positions at Peralta, and I imagine at many other school sites, and should not be under consideration to be cut.
How can Sequoia close achievement gaps for unduplicated students while operating with 50% staffing and only 25% to 33% of the per-student funding?
I urge the Board to immediately rescind proposed TSA and CSM cuts at all Title 1 schools to uphold the district’s commitment to equity. At Sequoia, 46% of our 465 student body – approximately 214 children – are unduplicated pupils. Sequoia’s high and growing enrollment means we serve more unduplicated students in 46% of our student body than at least nine other elementary schools serve in their TOTAL student body. Under the proposed 2026-27 staffing plan, Sequoia will serve approximately 14 students per staff member, compared to approximately 7 students per staff member at those 9 schools. The proposed school site funding profile shows that those same 9 elementary schools receive 300% to 400% more per-pupil funding than Sequoia receives.
I have a number of specific questions about the presentation. First, the Unaudited Actuals identifed, over $69 million in Restricted Reserves under "other restricted local." I understand that approximatley $30 million of this was MAA reimbursements, which comes back iinto the district as essentially unrestricted money. At First Interim, I see that this portion of the Restricted reserve is reduced to under $21 million. How was the MAA spent? Second, comparing the staff reductions from HYA's scenario to those from the previously proposed Scenarios 1 and 2, I see that HYA (Slide 16) lists $52.95 reductions in Central Staffing, compared to Scenario 1 and 2's 47.5 to 51.5. How does this relate to the additional percentage proposed by Dr. Saddler? Neither does it work out as a "net of" analysis of the staff reductions listed in the Appendix on Slide 32. This is an example of why I have been saying that a clear tracker form for budget adjustments is needed.
To date I have never received a copy of OUSD's budget. It is concerning that on OUSD's budget page and budget documents page the budget is unvailable. I reached out to the School Board and received a link to OUSD's budget page, but no budget was there. Making millions of dollars in cuts without transparency is fiscally irresponsible. The budget should be readily available for the entire community to view. All we have been given are slideshows, but not the entire budget. Why has the budget being hidden?
Please show the budget to people so that we can see it and recommend solutions.
I respectfully urge the Board to immediately rescind proposed TSA and CSM cuts at all Title 1 schools to uphold the district’s commitment to equity. At Sequoia, 46% of our 465 student body – approximately 214 children – are unduplicated pupils. Sequoia’s high and growing enrollment means we serve more unduplicated students in 46% of our student body than at least nine other elementary schools serve in their TOTAL student body. Under the proposed 2026-27 staffing plan, Sequoia will serve approximately 14 students per staff member, compared to approximately 7 students per staff member at those 9 schools. The proposed school site funding profile shows that those same 9 elementary schools receive 300% to 400% more per-pupil funding than Sequoia receives. This disparity raises a critical question: How can Sequoia close achievement gaps for unduplicated students while operating with 50% staffing and only 25% to 33% of the per-student funding?
I respectfully urge the Board to immediately rescind proposed TSA and CSM cuts at all Title 1 schools to uphold the district’s commitment to equity. At Sequoia, 46% of our 465 student body – approximately 214 children – are unduplicated pupils. Sequoia’s high and growing enrollment means we serve more unduplicated students in 46% of our student body than at least nine other elementary schools serve in their TOTAL student body. Under the proposed 2026-27 staffing plan, Sequoia will serve approximately 14 students per staff member, compared to approximately 7 students per staff member at those 9 schools. The proposed school site funding profile shows that those same 9 elementary schools receive 300% to 400% more per-pupil funding than Sequoia receives. This disparity raises a critical question: How can Sequoia close achievement gaps for unduplicated students while operating with 50% staffing and only 25% to 33% of the per-student funding?
As a social studies teacher at Dewey Academy for the past 7 years, I've seen the district threaten either closure or cuts every year I've been employed here. So, when the superintendent shared an OUSD budget analysis which confirmed what OEA has been saying all along -- Oakland Unified is NOT facing the crisis the District claimed -- it's clear there are real opportunities to stabilize our schools if the District changes its priorities. A truly student-centered budget that improves teaching and learning conditions for students, educators, and families is essential.
The District CAN and MUST invest in a student-centered budget that improves teaching and learning conditions for students, educators, and families.
I'm calling for:
While I appreciate the intention to keep cuts furthest away from students and school sites as possible, the reality is that the scenarios mentioned in the slides don't align with that sentiment. School site Case Managers have been identified as a classification at risk for reductions/elimination. In fact, the School Site Funding Profile completely removes the Case Manager allocation for 2026-27, impacting 80 Case Managers (39.2 FTE collectively), who are at risk for losing their jobs. These SEIU support positions are vital to student success, including: attendance, goal setting, identifying barriers and partnering with families to resource students for academic achievement. School sites and Administrators depend on Case Managers to provide the necessary support that would otherwise be deficient. At a time when attendance is so crucial, especially as funding structures depend on it, any cuts to Case Manager positions would be detrimental to the District's projected goals.
I am urging you to immediately protect and fully fund Oakland’s Violence Interrupter Program, which is at risk of expiring at the end of the year. Recent student-on-student shootings, including the one at Skyline, show that prevention programs save lives and that our students need increased support now more than ever. The Board should adopt a resolution to commit to preserving this funding.
I am concerned about the ACOE's report regarding the district not taking action and not meeting the reserve requirements. I am not taking sides but unfortunately, one Board director has been stating what would happen for a while. You can't give raises without cutting. The district has too many schools and declining enrollment. That's great that attendance has improved but that's not enough to make the budget cuts. I am a parent and I am concerned that we're going to lose local control if you don't make the hard decisions. Cutting central office isn't enough. Your biggest expenses are most likely salaries and facilities. No one wants to see school closures or consolidations but that's the reality that we're in with declining enrollment. The financial consulting team that you hired really needs to be transparent about what is the balance as of current and give direction on where to cut. You were elected to not only get us in local control, but keep it in local control.
I respectfully urge the Board to immediately rescind proposed TSA and CSM cuts at all Title 1 schools to uphold the district’s commitment to equity. At Sequoia, 46% of our 465 student body – approximately 214 children – are unduplicated pupils. Sequoia’s high and growing enrollment means we serve more unduplicated students in 46% of our student body than at least nine other elementary schools serve in their TOTAL student body. Under the proposed 2026-27 staffing plan, Sequoia will serve approximately 14 students per staff member, compared to approximately 7 students per staff member at those 9 schools. The proposed school site funding profile shows that those same 9 elementary schools receive 300% to 400% more per-pupil funding than Sequoia receives. This disparity raises a critical question: How can Sequoia close achievement gaps for unduplicated students while operating with 50% staffing and only 25% to 33% of the per-student funding?
Joaquin Miller needs its CRM and TSA's! They are essential to the functioning of the school and provide targeted, data-driven help for our most vulnerable students. Please reconsider the effects of this budget for all of the Title I schools!
I respectfully urge the Board to immediately rescind proposed TSA and CSM cuts at all Title 1 schools to uphold the district’s commitment to equity. At Sequoia, 46% of our 465 student body – approximately 214 children – are unduplicated pupils. Sequoia’s high and growing enrollment means we serve more unduplicated students in 46% of our student body than at least nine other elementary schools serve in their TOTAL student body. Under the proposed 2026-27 staffing plan, Sequoia will serve approximately 14 students per staff member, compared to approximately 7 students per staff member at those 9 schools. The proposed school site funding profile shows that those same 9 elementary schools receive 300% to 400% more per-pupil funding than Sequoia receives. This disparity raises a critical question: How can Sequoia close achievement gaps for unduplicated students while operating with 50% staffing and only 25% to 33% of the per-student funding?
Read more: https://tinyurl.com/mrx45wek
I respectfully urge the Board to immediately rescind proposed TSA and CSM cuts at all Title 1 schools to uphold the district’s commitment to equity. At Sequoia, 46% of our 465 student body – approximately 214 children – are unduplicated pupils. Sequoia’s high and growing enrollment means we serve more unduplicated students in 46% of our student body than at least nine other elementary schools serve in their TOTAL student body. Under the proposed 2026-27 staffing plan, Sequoia will serve approximately 14 students per staff member, compared to approximately 7 students per staff member at those 9 schools. The proposed school site funding profile shows that those same 9 elementary schools receive 300% to 400% more per-pupil funding than Sequoia receives. This disparity raises a critical question: How can Sequoia close achievement gaps for unduplicated students while operating with 50% staffing and only 25% to 33% of the per-student funding?
Read more: https://tinyurl.com/mrx45wek
I respectfully urge the Board to immediately rescind proposed TSA and CSM cuts at all Title 1 schools to uphold the district’s commitment to equity. At Sequoia, 46% of our 465 student body – approximately 214 children – are unduplicated pupils. Sequoia’s high and growing enrollment means we serve more unduplicated students in 46% of our student body than at least nine other elementary schools serve in their TOTAL student body. Under the proposed 2026-27 staffing plan, Sequoia will serve approximately 14 students per staff member, compared to approximately 7 students per staff member at those 9 schools. The proposed school site funding profile shows that those same 9 elementary schools receive 300% to 400% more per-pupil funding than Sequoia receives. This disparity raises a critical question: How can Sequoia close achievement gaps for unduplicated students while operating with 50% staffing and only 25% to 33% of the per-student funding?
I respectfully urge the Board to immediately rescind proposed TSA and CSM cuts at all Title 1 schools to uphold the district’s commitment to equity. At Sequoia, 46% of our 465 student body – approximately 214 children – are unduplicated pupils. Sequoia’s high and growing enrollment means we serve more unduplicated students in 46% of our student body than at least nine other elementary schools serve in their TOTAL student body. Under the proposed 2026-27 staffing plan, Sequoia will serve approximately 14 students per staff member, compared to approximately 7 students per staff member at those 9 schools. The proposed school site funding profile shows that those same 9 elementary schools receive 300% to 400% more per-pupil funding than Sequoia receives. This disparity raises a critical question: How can Sequoia close achievement gaps for unduplicated students while operating with 50% staffing and only 25% to 33% of the per-student funding?
I respectfully urge the Board to immediately rescind proposed TSA and CSM cuts at all Title 1 schools to uphold the district’s commitment to equity. At Sequoia, 46% of our 465 student body – approximately 214 children – are unduplicated pupils. Sequoia’s high and growing enrollment means we serve more unduplicated students in 46% of our student body than at least nine other elementary schools serve in their TOTAL student body. Under the proposed 2026-27 staffing plan, Sequoia will serve approximately 14 students per staff member, compared to approximately 7 students per staff member at those 9 schools. The proposed school site funding profile shows that those same 9 elementary schools receive 300% to 400% more per-pupil funding than Sequoia receives. This disparity raises a critical question: How can Sequoia close achievement gaps for unduplicated students while operating with 50% staffing and only 25% to 33% of the per-student funding?
Read more: https://tinyurl.com/mrx45wek
I learned last week that Cleveland Elementary is facing cuts to its TSA and CSM positions. While I recognize the district’s budget challenges, these cuts would have a disproportionate and damaging impact on Cleveland. Both Ms. Arroyo and Mr. Knight are not supplemental—they are essential to instructional quality, student support, and school culture. These are resources families should not have to lose. I urge you to reconsider this decision and preserve full funding for both positions.
I am urging you to immediately protect and fully fund Oakland's Violence Interrupter Program. Do not allow the funding for this program to lapse because of politics and finger pointing. It is your obligation to protect the lives of our students. Slide show is great and all but we need to PUT STUDENT SAFETY FIRST. Your budget is where your values are.
I learned Peralta is going to lose our TSA and CSM next year. This would be a huge loss to the school community and would impact the most vulnerable students directly. Christina Means and Jennifer Everhart are integral to the school's success and without them the school - the teachers, staff, and students - and the school community, would suffer. These are both critical staff positions at Peralta, and I imagine at many other school sites, and should not be under consideration to be cut.
How can Sequoia close achievement gaps for unduplicated students while operating with 50% staffing and only 25% to 33% of the per-student funding?
I urge the Board to immediately rescind proposed TSA and CSM cuts at all Title 1 schools to uphold the district’s commitment to equity. At Sequoia, 46% of our 465 student body – approximately 214 children – are unduplicated pupils. Sequoia’s high and growing enrollment means we serve more unduplicated students in 46% of our student body than at least nine other elementary schools serve in their TOTAL student body. Under the proposed 2026-27 staffing plan, Sequoia will serve approximately 14 students per staff member, compared to approximately 7 students per staff member at those 9 schools. The proposed school site funding profile shows that those same 9 elementary schools receive 300% to 400% more per-pupil funding than Sequoia receives.
How do you justify this disparity?
I have a number of specific questions about the presentation. First, the Unaudited Actuals identifed, over $69 million in Restricted Reserves under "other restricted local." I understand that approximatley $30 million of this was MAA reimbursements, which comes back iinto the district as essentially unrestricted money. At First Interim, I see that this portion of the Restricted reserve is reduced to under $21 million. How was the MAA spent? Second, comparing the staff reductions from HYA's scenario to those from the previously proposed Scenarios 1 and 2, I see that HYA (Slide 16) lists $52.95 reductions in Central Staffing, compared to Scenario 1 and 2's 47.5 to 51.5. How does this relate to the additional percentage proposed by Dr. Saddler? Neither does it work out as a "net of" analysis of the staff reductions listed in the Appendix on Slide 32. This is an example of why I have been saying that a clear tracker form for budget adjustments is needed.
To date I have never received a copy of OUSD's budget. It is concerning that on OUSD's budget page and budget documents page the budget is unvailable. I reached out to the School Board and received a link to OUSD's budget page, but no budget was there. Making millions of dollars in cuts without transparency is fiscally irresponsible. The budget should be readily available for the entire community to view. All we have been given are slideshows, but not the entire budget. Why has the budget being hidden?
Please show the budget to people so that we can see it and recommend solutions.
I respectfully urge the Board to immediately rescind proposed TSA and CSM cuts at all Title 1 schools to uphold the district’s commitment to equity. At Sequoia, 46% of our 465 student body – approximately 214 children – are unduplicated pupils. Sequoia’s high and growing enrollment means we serve more unduplicated students in 46% of our student body than at least nine other elementary schools serve in their TOTAL student body. Under the proposed 2026-27 staffing plan, Sequoia will serve approximately 14 students per staff member, compared to approximately 7 students per staff member at those 9 schools. The proposed school site funding profile shows that those same 9 elementary schools receive 300% to 400% more per-pupil funding than Sequoia receives. This disparity raises a critical question: How can Sequoia close achievement gaps for unduplicated students while operating with 50% staffing and only 25% to 33% of the per-student funding?
Read more: https://tinyurl.com/mrx45wek
I respectfully urge the Board to immediately rescind proposed TSA and CSM cuts at all Title 1 schools to uphold the district’s commitment to equity. At Sequoia, 46% of our 465 student body – approximately 214 children – are unduplicated pupils. Sequoia’s high and growing enrollment means we serve more unduplicated students in 46% of our student body than at least nine other elementary schools serve in their TOTAL student body. Under the proposed 2026-27 staffing plan, Sequoia will serve approximately 14 students per staff member, compared to approximately 7 students per staff member at those 9 schools. The proposed school site funding profile shows that those same 9 elementary schools receive 300% to 400% more per-pupil funding than Sequoia receives. This disparity raises a critical question: How can Sequoia close achievement gaps for unduplicated students while operating with 50% staffing and only 25% to 33% of the per-student funding?
Read more: https://tinyurl.com/mrx45wek
As a social studies teacher at Dewey Academy for the past 7 years, I've seen the district threaten either closure or cuts every year I've been employed here. So, when the superintendent shared an OUSD budget analysis which confirmed what OEA has been saying all along -- Oakland Unified is NOT facing the crisis the District claimed -- it's clear there are real opportunities to stabilize our schools if the District changes its priorities. A truly student-centered budget that improves teaching and learning conditions for students, educators, and families is essential.
We need:
• No cuts to schools
• No cuts to union jobs
• No cuts to our most vulnerable students
• A transparent, student-centered budget
• A fair contract now
The District CAN and MUST invest in a student-centered budget that improves teaching and learning conditions for students, educators, and families.
I'm calling for:
• No cuts to schools
• No cuts to union jobs
• No cuts to our most vulnerable students
• A transparent, student-centered budget
• A fair contract now
While I appreciate the intention to keep cuts furthest away from students and school sites as possible, the reality is that the scenarios mentioned in the slides don't align with that sentiment. School site Case Managers have been identified as a classification at risk for reductions/elimination. In fact, the School Site Funding Profile completely removes the Case Manager allocation for 2026-27, impacting 80 Case Managers (39.2 FTE collectively), who are at risk for losing their jobs. These SEIU support positions are vital to student success, including: attendance, goal setting, identifying barriers and partnering with families to resource students for academic achievement. School sites and Administrators depend on Case Managers to provide the necessary support that would otherwise be deficient. At a time when attendance is so crucial, especially as funding structures depend on it, any cuts to Case Manager positions would be detrimental to the District's projected goals.
I am urging you to immediately protect and fully fund Oakland’s Violence Interrupter Program, which is at risk of expiring at the end of the year. Recent student-on-student shootings, including the one at Skyline, show that prevention programs save lives and that our students need increased support now more than ever. The Board should adopt a resolution to commit to preserving this funding.
I am concerned about the ACOE's report regarding the district not taking action and not meeting the reserve requirements. I am not taking sides but unfortunately, one Board director has been stating what would happen for a while. You can't give raises without cutting. The district has too many schools and declining enrollment. That's great that attendance has improved but that's not enough to make the budget cuts. I am a parent and I am concerned that we're going to lose local control if you don't make the hard decisions. Cutting central office isn't enough. Your biggest expenses are most likely salaries and facilities. No one wants to see school closures or consolidations but that's the reality that we're in with declining enrollment. The financial consulting team that you hired really needs to be transparent about what is the balance as of current and give direction on where to cut. You were elected to not only get us in local control, but keep it in local control.