Oakland Unified School District Board of Education - Regular Meeting

Mr. Rickstar, can we have roll call to establish quorum, please? Uh, calling to order the May 13th uh, meeting of the board of education. Mr. Mr. Rickstar, can we have roll call to establish quorum? Yes. On the roll call to establish quorum, Student Director Simmons, Student Director Smith, Director Lau, present. Director Williams, present, sir. Director Hutchinson, Director Barry, Director Thompson present. Uh, vice president Bachelor here. And President Bhart here. Forum present.

Thank you. And Mr. Mr. Setcha, can we have an interpretation check, please?

Yes. Moving to interpretation announcement. For tonight's meeting, we have three languages for live interpretation. They are Arabic, Spanish, and Cantonese. For in person, we have laptops for interpretation. Please see us. We will start with Arabic. Please only raise your hand if you need Arabic interpretation. Miss Abdi, if you can come off mute and make the interpretation announcement for Arabic, please. Arabic instruction is done.

Great. Thank you, Miss Abdi. Check attendees to see if any hands are raised for Arabic interpretation. Seeing no hands raised, we will now start Arabic with Arabic interpretation. Next, we will go to Cantonese. Again, please only raise your hand if you need Cantonese interpretation. Mr. Euan, if you can come off mute and make the interpretation announcement for Cantonese, please. announcement is done. Mr. Sich,

great. Thank you, Mr. Yuing. Check attendees to see if we need hands raised for Cantonese interpretation. Seeing no hands raised for Cantonese inter interpretation, we will not start with any um interpretation for Cantonese. Next, we'll go to Spanish. Again, only please please only raise your hand if you need Spanish interpretation. Miss Vargas, if you can come off mute and make the interpretation announcement for Spanish, please. Of course. Raise hand Spanish. Thank you. Great. Thank you, Miss Vargas. Check attendees to see any hands raised for our Spanish interpretation. Seeing no hands raised, we will now start with Spanish interpretation. And that conclude interpretation announcement and we check again later during the meeting. Turning back to you, President Bhard.

Thank you. Tonight in close session, we will discuss the following items. D125-1864 Conference with Labor Negotiators. D2 Conference with legal counsel existing litigation. D3 26-0703 Conference with legal counsel existing litigation. D4 26-0926 Conference with legal counsel existing litigation. D526-0946 conference with legal counsel existing litigation. D6 conference with legal counsel anticipated litigation. D726-102 conference with legal counsel anticipated litigation. D7, I'm sorry, D8 26-1138, conference with legal counsel, anticipated litigation. D9 26-1147 conference with legal counsel anticipated litigation. D10 24-1967 public employment superintendent of schools under pupil matters D11 24-3059 readmission student K D12 25-2515 readmission student X D132-2636 readmission student Z D142-266 6 readmission student BB D1525-2925 readmission student HH D1626-1027

expulsion student VV we will reconvene to public session at 5:30 uh do we have public we have 10 minutes for public comment do we have public comment on non on close uh session items uh yes madam president we have 16 speakers in total, seven students. If the students would come up first, uh so to call those seven students names. Okay, there are seven students who've submitted cards. Excuse me. Um first name Carter. Okay, you're Carter. Would you come up to the dis? Uh next is Nicole Bogard.

Nicole, come up next. Uh, next is Lucia Gramio. Lucia, if you would come up. So, it's Carter, Nicole, Lucia. Uh, next is Ariana Austin. Next, Ariana. We have uh Giani Petel. Path. Giani. Patho. Okay. Um, Aaron Austin. Aaron. Okay. And Bella Ramio. And Bella Ramio. If you did not hear your name called, please have a seat.

Okay, you excuse me. You have one minute each. You can see we have a lot of things to cover tonight. So, I appreciate and I appreciate that you guys keep coming back in support of Miss Donna. I don't want to take your time. Go ahead. Hi, my name is Carter and I go to Lolita Elementary and I'm here to talk about Miss Donna. Miss Donna should not leave because y'all made some irresponsible decisions that you had to cut people all over the district. The people you have cut and token out of their jobs did not deserve that. I really hope y'all make better decisions and y'all still have time to make this first one. Good luck.

My name is Nichollet and I go to La Escalita Elementary. I'm here because I want Miss Donna to stay because every time we get hurt, Miss Donna is always there for for us. And every time I need things for recess, she always gets it for me. Miss Donna is my favorite supervisor and she is always there when trouble is there. Thank you for your time. My name's Lisa and I go to Losita Elementary. I'm here because I want to speak out for Miss Donna because she is a wonderful person and I mean wonderful. She keeps ordering recess and she actually cares. And the fact that you want to take her away from us is not okay. You need to put a stop to this. My name is Arian. My name is Ariana. I go to La Escalita Elementary. I am here for Miss Donna. He is a great person and a lot of people love her like me and the other people in and the other people in here. You should not do this. A lot of people will miss her if you don't make the right decisions. It's not fair. We love her.

If the adults could adjust the mic as the kids go up so we can hear them, that'd be great.

Hi, my name is Giani and I'm here to talk about the events happening with Donna Jackson. Miss Donna is loved by many and is like a second mom to a lot of kids. She know she donates clothes and shoes to families without and keeps her smile for the kids. When I go when I feel sad, I go to her like many kids. When I wake up, I know I will see her smile as the second son. She is my adoptive mother. And to hear that your mistakes are taking her from not only a school but her home, it pains me to see that your bad decisions are paying a bad price. You take good people. I wake up in fear she will not be there for us. Miss Donna will stay and we will not let her go away.

My name is Aaron and I go to Lalita Elementary. I am here because I want to speak up for Miss Donna because she helps us in a lot of different ways and she give us sports equipment and whatever else we need are want.

My name is Bella and I go to Lasita Elementary. I am here because we want Miss Donna to stay. Because every time we get hurt, Miss Donna's always there for us. And every kid can agree with me that when there is a problem, Miss Donna's there. And she always maintains taking care of us. And you guys want to take away our pride and joy. And to be honest, she is always she's the one that makes me laugh the most. So don't take our and when I mean our I mean our pride and joy away. Hi my name is

Hi my name is Sophia. I go to La Scalita and I'm here because Miss Donna is an important part of La Scalita. If you take away Miss Donna, nobody will forgive you. You can ask anybody here how much they love Miss Donna and they will all say that they love her more than anything. Miss Donna takes good care of us and will love to and we will love to be well. Oh my gosh, I'm really stressing. Okay. If you take them away, Miss Donna, it's like taking away a part of the school. Thank you. Hi, my name is Maggie and I go to La Scalita Elementary. I am here because Miss Donna deserves to stay. She's the one who helps all the kids and she cares for us. She is the light to our school. She helped my siblings and still does.

Thank you. We can do the next five speakers at one minute. Yes. Next five speakers are Gabriel Khan, Tanya Kapner, Dela Morris, Assada Ola Bala, and Kimberly Mayfield. And are those speakers online?

Point of clarification before you start the time. Is it legally required that council be present at this point? Okay. I want to start off by saying I don't know if it's legal to have on the consent agenda 141 items for you to approve at one time. I am concerned about D2 uh the Oakland Jewish Alliance suing you. The state of California has found you uh uh guilty of discrimination against Jews in this community. You were instructed to deal with that in some form. I'm not sure. I think you need to go ahead and resolve that without this lawsuit. There are items on the consent agenda that I feel need at some point uh legal concerns could be result of these items. 071 identify and interrupt racism. If you have racism going on in this school, at some point it can result in some legal action. 060 FBI incards fingerprint service for volunteer clearance. Now, you have a system where you do not require uh background checks if the individual is volunteering with a teacher. You can't do that. At some point, you're going to have to deal with it. Uh can I finish or you want me to stop? I can. Okay, one more. Uh the health issues that are identified last time, you have many other you have on the Exea O uh I think it's 01 health issues uh at the central kitchen. that could potentially result in some lawsuits if we don't rectify that.

Thank you. Well, the next uh public speaker who's present.

Good afternoon. I'm Dr. Kimberly Mayfield, education policy advisor for black women organized for political action, incoming dean of the school of education at St. Mary's College, teacher, educator, and community activist. I'm here to urge you to confirm Dr. Denise Sadler as the superintendent for the Oakland Unified School District. This academic year, she has accomplished what many superintendent don't in years. kept every school open during a fiscal crisis, ratified agreements with OEA and SEIU, delivered the district's first enrollment increase in nearly a decade, and verified 50% of unverified absences in two months through working with the community-based organization Oakland Natives Give Back, which directly strengthens ADA funding. With over 50 years in Bay Area education, including as OEEA president, Dr. Satler brings institutional knowledge, strong relationships with Mayor Lee and Alama County leadership and deep community trust that no external hire can replicate. Please allow her to finish as superintendent, not interrum. Thank you.

Thank you. Uh can we have the first speaker online, please? On Zoom. Uh yes, first hand raised is Tanya Kapner. Uh one minute.

Yes. I'm with the Equal Opportunity Now by Any Means Necessary Teachers Caucus and I want to speak to two issues this evening. The first is I want to stand for the restitution of the full-time job of Miss Donna Jackson and oppose all the cuts and layoffs to our school sites. That's it's it must be reversed. The second thing I want to speak to is around the right-wing lawsuits against this district that are attempting to ban academic freedom, to speak the truth against injustice in all forms. And this school board needs to stand up against that. It's not surprising in the Trump era with the attempts to rise fascism to have these attempts at things like book banning and attacks on progressive curriculum. But Oakland teachers are committed to the right of quality education for all students to develop critical thinking skills to make up their own mind about the world. And that means we stand up and tell the truth as we understand it. So stop attacking teachers who support equal rights for the Palestinian people and stop conflating. We do not conflate discussion or critiques of the Israeli government's policies with any kind of anti-semitism. Teachers in Oakland are opposed to anti-semitism, opposed to Islamophobia, for religious freedom, for the right to not be religious. And we know that genocide means the mur. We look at the UN definition of genocide.

That's your time. Thank you. Thank you. Uh, next speaker, please. Uh, there are no further hands raised on Oh, there we go. Um, uh, Dr. Da. Uh, oh, hold up. Da,

one minute, please. Good evening members of the board and superintendent Salor. My name is Dr. Da Morris and I am speaking on behalf of the NAACP Oakland branch education committee regarding the items D2252682 and D326703. The NAACP has always opposed hate, discrimination, and inequality in all forms. Every student, regardless of their race, religion, ethnicity, identity, or background, deserves access to a safe, inclusive, and academically supportive learning environment. We are deeply concerned whenever allegations arise that students have been faced with hostility, exclusion, discrimination, or accountability issues within our public school system. Anti-seeticism, racism, isopobia, and all forms of bias have no place in Oakland Unified School District schools. These issues highlight the urgent need for transparency, accountability, and real action. There should be no more delays, evasions, or excuses when addressing concerns that affect students safety, trust, and civil right protections. The UN NAACP Oakland branch advocates for educational environments where every child can learn free from fear, discrimination, or unfair treatment while promoting respectful dialogue, healing, and unity across our school systems.

Thank you. That's your time. Uh last speakers are Mark Ergod, Bedruden Kukayovic, uh Mimi Stole, and Frasier Scurry Scott. Uh one minute each.

Yeah. Uh Mark Ergood, uh equal opportunity now by any means necessary. First off, I want to say that Eon Bam stands absolutely with the te the students and teachers fighting to bring Miss Donna back full-time. You can see from the number of students who've been coming out repeatedly to defend their education, their program, how much this means to the school. So, do the right thing. Keep Miss Donna in place. Secondly, I'll just say on the other question, anti- Zionism is not anti-semitism. To oppose the Zionist policy of slaughter of Palestinians, of genocide in Palestine and Iran, to oppose that is not anti-semitism. So, we stand for the freedom of speech and right to academic freedom.

Thank you. Next speaker.

Good afternoon board. Great to see you again. Um I want to talk a little bit about same the pent people mentioned we need to reverse cuts to and layoffs to those tough that we have through OEAC me BCTC teamsters UAOS and everybody else. uh that inflicted actually uh our district really badly in every way possible that we can. Uh so we need to talk about and do something about that. I also want to bring up the BTC bargaining that is happening right now. Uh we being presented for the to the uh labor relations Janine uh one-year extension because we see the district is kind of in a deficit in need of the maybe restructuring. So we're thinking that one year extension for our contract in uh cost cost of living assessments of 14%. So we can talk about bargaining next time next year. So we present that two months ago. We're still waiting for answer. Hopefully tomorrow we have a bargaining date that that's going to happen. Uh I want to also talk about about safety throughout the district. that we also have a new speeding cameras throughout that we need to talk about a little bit more with everybody else because uh uh we need to talk to Siri about it somehow because most of my members and everybody through OED keep getting these speeding tickets. So who's paying for it? Uh is it the me that driving the OED vehicle because that's not mine or is somebody we need to figure that out somehow all together. I also want to give support to our Dennis Dr. Dennis Sadler about uh the work that she's been doing with BCTC definitely supports her in greatly. Uh I see somebody that taking the risk that nobody else did it before. Uh with you guys bored and asking the questions, right questions. We can make this district better than how was it before. We can't blame you guys. You can't be blamed for everything that you guys

inherit for all these years. People didn't do their jobs. So please look to extension or even make it permanently. I greatly support that and as well you guys doing great job for the whatever you've been doing right now. Thank you so much. Thank you. Next speaker.

Good evening board or good afternoon. Thank you so much for all your cons care and consideration of students and families. My name is Mimi Stole and I'm a fourth grade teacher here at Lasalita. I'm super grateful to work in such a strong community of families and educators. Our noon supervisor, Miss Donna, is a very important part of our community here at Lasalita. We count on her for six hours a day, every day. Her devotion goes way beyond lunch supervision, as students can attest to. Miss Donna, Miss Donna, Miss Donna, Miss Donna, Miss Donna, Miss Donna, Miss Donna.

She is a super vital part of the fabric of our community. Forcing her to move to another site to keep her full hours in healthcare does not make sense. Students need stability, not a cont constant reinventing of the wheel, not a constant rebuilding of relationships. If you are not responding favorably to the advice of adults in this matter, please respect and recognize the tremendous love and advocacy of students and the incredible negative aspect that losing Miss Donna will have at our school. Positive impacts of keeping Miss Donna here at Lasalita include an important adult on the yard that students have learned to trust through experience over time resulting in less conflict between students, less suspensions, higher academic engagements due to the social emotional support between classes and between teachers and what's happening outside of class. The way I see it is that the choice is yours to vote to allow Miss Donna to stay at Lasalita full-time or allow a tearing of a very loving fabric of supervision that has been built carefully over time. Thank you so much for your consideration. And

with that, we will go into close session and reconvene at uh 5:30 Gate Bridge.

Uh excuse me. Uh since you recess the meeting, Madam President, we have to take a roll call. take a roll call to establish quorum. Okay. Uh on the roll call to establish quorum uh for reconvened.

Is the microphone coming on? It's on. Thank you. Not yet. Not yet. But they're not recording it. Okay. Um on the roll call to reestablish quorum. Uh, Director Lauder. Uh, she's absent. Okay. Director Williams, present, sir. Director Hutchinson absent. Director Barry, present. Okay. Director Thompson, present. Vice president Bachelor. Yes.

Uh, and the two student board members are noted as absent. Uh, President Bart. Yes. Quorums present. Go ahead. Uh, Miss Frasier Scott.

Good evening. I'm Frasier Scurry Scott. I've been a citizen of the city of Oakland for over 50 years. I have 35 years of business experience. So when I heard that you were out looking for a new superintendent, which is costly, and that you also you having a budget problem, it didn't make business sense to me. You have someone on board, Dr. Sadler, who has done a great job with Oakland Unified School District. Anyone who can make a could avert a union strike has saved you a tremendous amount of money. That's number one. You're going to go out and look for someone who may or may not know the city, the Oakland public school system. You already have someone who knows the Oakland public school system. So why are you looking for another person? Extend her contract for two years so that she can continue to do what she's doing. She has local, state, and national contacts which bring resources to our school system. She's also has a family who has had a viable business in the city for over two generations. So, she brings to you not only her expertise, but she brings to you contacts and resources. I suggest you keep her on for as long as you possibly can as she continues to make Oakland Unified School District a positive place for our students. Thank you.

Thank you. And with that, we will go into close session and reconvene at 5:30.

Mr. Rickstar, can we have roll call to establish quorum, please? Yes. On the second roll call to establish quorum, Director Simmons is here. Director Smith here. Director Ladder. Director uh Williams. Okay. Director Hudson. Director Barry present. Uh Director Thompson present. Vice President Bachelor here. and President Prohark here.

Warm present. Director Williams is now on the dis. Mr. Secha, can we have an interpretation check, please?

Yes. Moving to interpretation check. For tonight's meeting, we have three languages for live interpretation. They are Arabic, Spanish, and Cantonese. For in person, we have laptops in the back of the room for interpretation. There is also translation close captioning feature available on Zoom that you can use by clicking the close caption icon on your Zoom taskbar. We will start with Arabic. Our I will lower in his hands. Please only raise your hand if you need Arabic interpretation. Mr. TK, if you can come off mute and make the interpretation announcement for Arabic, please.

Thank you. interpretation, Arabic, language interpretation done. Arabic announcement is over.

Great. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Turk. Check attendees to see if any hands are raised for Arabic interpretation. Seeing no hands raised, we will now start with Arabic interpretation. We'll next go to Cantonese. Again, please don't raise your hand if you need Cantonese interpretation. Mr. Euan, if you can come off mute and make the interpretation announcement for Cantonese, please. Candon announcements is done. Mr. Sicha.

Great. Thank you, Mr. Yuan. Check attendees to see if any hands raised for Cantonese interpretation. Seeing no hands raised, we will now start with Cantonese interpretation. Next, we will go to Spanish. Again, please only raise your hand if you need Spanish interpretation. Miss Vargas, if you can come off mute and make the interpretation announcement for Spanish, please. Of course. Raise hand. Spanish language. The Spanish announcement is done. Thank you. Great. Thank you, Miss Vargas. Check attendees if any hands are raised for Spanish interpretation. Seeing no hands raised for Spanish, we will not start with any interpretation and we'll check again later in the meeting. I to you, Mr. Rick.

Madam President, all of the uh the the announcements for the availability of translation services at tonight's meeting has been completed.

Thank you. Um tonight in clo in close session, we discuss the following items. Item D1, number 25-1864, conference with labor negotiators. The board discussed this matter under legal matters. Under item D2, number 25-2682, conference with legal counsel, existing litigation, the board discussed this matter. Under item D3, number 26-0703, conference with legal counsel existing litigation. The board discussed this matter. On item D4, number 28-0926, conference with legal counsel existing litigation. The board approved a settlement in this matter. Motion by President Brohard, seconded by Director Thompson. Vote six to zero. President Bhard, yes. Vice President Bachelor, yes. Director Barry, yes. Director Hutchinson, absent. Director Lada, yes. Director Thompson, yes. And director Williams, yes. On item D5, number 26-0946, conference with legal counsel, existing litigation. The board gave direction on this matter. Motion by President Brohard, second by Director Lada. Uh the yeses were President Brohard, Director Barry, Director Lada, Director Thompson, Director Williams, and D Vice President Bachelor voted no. On item D6, number 26-101, conference with litigation, uh with legal counsel, excuse me, anticipated litigation. The board approved a

settlement in this matter. Motion by President Brohard, second by Director Thompson. The yeses were President Brohard, Vice President Bachelor, Director Barry, Director Lada, Director Thompson, Director Williams, and Director Hutchinson was absent. On item D7, number 28-102, conference with legal counsel, anticipated litigation. Motion by President Brohard, second by Director Lada. The yeses. President Brohard, Vice President Bachelor, Director Barry, Director Lada, Director Thompson, and Director Williams, Director Hutchinson was absent. On item D8, number 26-1138, conference with legal counsel anticipated litigation. The board approved a settlement in this matter. Motion by President Brohard, seconded by Vice President Bachelor. The yeses were President Brohard, Vice President Bachelor, Director Barry, Director Lada, Director Thompson, Director Williams, and Director Hutchinson was absent. On item D9, number 26-1147, conference with legal counsel, anticipated litigation. The board approved a settlement in this matter. Motion by President Brohard, second by Vice President Bachelor. Was passed six to nothing. with the yeses. President Brohard, Vice President Bachelor, Director Barry, Director Lada, Director Thompson, Director Williams, and Director Hutchinson was absent. On item D10, number 26-1967, Superintendent of Schools, the board did not take up this matter. on items D11 through D16, pupil matters. The board heard these matters and will vote on the matters in public in section one on the agenda.

Okay. Uh we will now begin. Are there any um modifications to the agenda? I would like to pull item 01 122. Are there any other? And can I also pull O uh 121 and 0123 please.

Okay. Tonight we will hear um I'm going to alter the order of this a bit um so that we can hear I'm going to move um item S unfinished business to um after the superintendent report. So, we'll go um N superintendent's butt report and then um items S1 and we will then have our public hearing and then we'll move into items O P Q T and the rest of the agenda. All right, with that we will celebrate our special orders of the day. We have several. Um I'm going to hear we're going to um hear the um tributes to Maria Director Smith and Director Simmons together. So there'll be a presentation. We'll have 20 minutes of public comment and then there'll be board comment. Okay. So with that, do we have the plaques for the directors?

Yes.

A motion to approve. back in. All right. All right. Okay. This is a tribute to Maximus Simmons, student board director, July 1st, 2024 through June 30th, 2026. Whereas for the second year in a row, Maximus Simmons has served as student board director, this time as a senior at Oakland High School in the law and social justice pathway. And whereas director Simmons has been a delegate to all city council ACC since middle school and joined the ACC lead leadership team as a culture and climate director as a high school sophomore to help establish community within ACC. And whereas, Director Simmons has devoted much of his spare time over the last four years in service of others by volunteering and teaching restorative justice, holding circles at two national restorative justice conferences while also helping set up R.J. at Oakland High. And whereas, Director Simmons is also dedicated to helping lead Mayor Barbara Lee's Youth Advisory Council and the work it does in the community, including taking direct action to support OSD educators by holding regular fundraisers and school supply donation drives in the successful Help a Teacher Out campaign. And whereas Director Simmons has dedicated himself to representing Oakland students and amplifying every student's experience, ensuring that the district provides the resources and support needed to drive all students to graduate prepared for success. And

whereas, Director Simmons takes pride in his work with the board of education and especially in having secured superintendent bi-weekly memos for student directors, holding fellow board directors accountable and keeping our community updated throughout the year. And whereas, director Simmons will graduate from Oakland High and leave his position as student director on the board of education this spring. Now, therefore, be it resolved that the board of education of the Oakland Unified School District thanks Director Simmons for his dedicated service to the students, staff, and families of Oakland and commends him for the passion and commitment with which he gave a powerful voice to the 34,000 students of the district. Given under our hand in in the district seal this 13th day of May, 2026 in Oakland, California, gonna do a big picture.

We We do have time for We're gonna do big pictures at the end here. Uh Oakland uh Board of Education of the Oakland Unified School District resolution number 2526-0248 tribute to Mariana Smith student board director July 1st 2025 through June 30th 2026. Whereas Mariana Smith has served as student board director for her senior year at Oakland Technical High School. And whereas Director Smith has served on the All City Council Student Union Team for all four years of high school after becoming culture and climate director, a post she was elected to at the end of middle school. During her sophomore year and junior years, she served as ACC president. And whereas Director Smith is a passionate advocate for the power of restorative justice and the importance of listening to all sides of an issue to understand the different perspectives. And whereas Director Smith is proud to have helped increase participation in ACC high school meetings and events by creating more engaging agendas and actively creating a welcoming space for all students, especially those from underrepresented school sites. And whereas Director Smith has regularly updated ACC delegates and its governing board with clear and accessible information about ongoing policy discussions on topics such as choosing a firm to recruit a new superintendent, union negotiations, and sanctuary protocols. And whereas Director Smith takes pride in her work with the board of education, especially her communication of questions and concerns of students to the board when students believe the board failed to prioritize student participation in engagement processes, input on school safety, and concerns around staffing cuts. And whereas, Director Smith will graduate from

Oakland Technical High and leave her position as student director on the board of education this spring. Now, therefore, be it resolved that the board of education of the Oakland Unified School District thanks Director Smith for her dedicated service to students, staff, and families of Oakland and commends her for her passionate commitment with which she gave a powerful voice to the 34,000 students of Oakland. Given under our hand and the district seal this 19th day of May, 2026 in Oakland, California,

having a parliamentary conversation there. Uh, are there any public comments? Come on up. Um, sorry. Yes, madam president. So, we have one Sheila Haynes. Um, if you can raise your hand to be recognized on Zoom. If students wanted to speak and didn't come uh fill out a card, go ahead and fill one out. And I'll take, Madam President, how much time would you like to allot for public comment?

Uh, two minutes. We can do it and we'll we'll take board comments first and then student comments. But go ahead, Miss Haynes. Is she there? I see your hand.

Hi. Can you hear me? Yes. Hello. Yeah, we can. We can hear you, Miss Haynes.

Hi. So, I just um I wanted to appreciate both of you student directors just being the people that you are, the leading voices that our students need or you you give us you give us hope that the next generation of our youth can continue with the love and respect that you guys give yourself and each other. Um I'm proud of you both for first just having that character of respect for yourselves and others. more and more. I mean, it really starts with the character of a person like the characters that you guys possess. I appreciate you both for just being the leading example, you know, of what it means to have respect for yourself and each other. I mean, this truly uplifts our students, especially those who may have like an environment at home where they're not felt encouraged or may be in an abusive environment. They they look to the schools to be an uplifting place for them. So I again I'm proud of the leaders you have been. I urge all students and families who may be listening to have that same character of respect because more and more it really starts with having the res respect for yourself and each other. Um it's so much negativity that even happens with our music and the negative language too I continue to speak on. So thank you guys both so much. Um, I am hopeful and I hope the best for you guys in your future and just continue on being the great people that you are and the great adults that you are and um I know your parents are proud proud of you guys both. Thank you.

Thank you. Are there any other speakers in public on this item?

Uh I have no uh registered speakers for this item. If students want to speak, do you want to fill out a card? Okay. Oh, is it over here? It's Thank you. Yes, we have two speakers. Uh, Anara, uh, last name starts with a S and Sophia. Uh, last name starts with an M. Uh,

two minutes, please. ACC with Mariana and Maximus. Um, and I just wanted to come and speak to how how much I've learned from these two, not just as student leaders and engaged community members, but as people. Um, I don't think I've ever I mean, I mean this about my whole board and all of the people that are graduating, but I've never met two more or 11 more dedicated people that have so much sincerity and want wanting to make a difference in their community. And I'm so lucky to have gotten to be on a board with you guys, not for multiple years, not just one. And I just I don't it's hard to imagine it without you, but you set such an amazing foundation for student engagement in this district and I'm very proud to have known you and thank you so much for everything. Hi everyone. Um, I just wanted to come up to express how proud I am of both Mariana and Maximus. I have been I've had the pleasure of working and knowing and being friends with these two since the sixth grade. And I'm just so proud of how much we've all grown as a little trio and how we've just come and um been able to express our passion through the work we do. and I am so excited to see what you guys have um for the next chapter. To Mariana, I can't wait to see you be such a strong advocate in whatever school you go to and to really just be able to showcase your passion in the way that I know you love to do, which is by speaking up. To

Max, I can't wait to see you create more and just be the dedicated and heartful leader that you are. I love you both. Thank you. And are there any other speakers? All public commenters names have been called. Okay. All students have spoken who want to speak. Uh board comments raise your hand if you have a comment. Uh Director Barry.

Hi. Uh I just wanted to use my time just to say thank you. Uh growing up my father talked a lot about servant leadership. Um people who lead to serve, right? It's it that is your uh contribution to community is the leadership and how you show up in community. And you all embody all the things I've aspired to be and that I'm aspiring to be even as an adult. And I have asked my daughter to watch you all do the work that you do because I hope that I'm raising kids who show up the way that you do. I think you're amazing and I too am excited to see all that you will do.

Director Lada, um I just wanted to also um appreciate you all for the work that you've done. Um I have been um had the opportunity to see you all in not just here at the board and also kind of advocating behind the scenes but also in ACC spaces and um whether it's the middle school um convenings or the high school convenings and I um I think you have left a amazing imprint on the culture of this district. Um and um I'm excited that you're on to um your next chapter. You know we will really miss you. Um, so thank you both.

Um, I just want to say thank you. You guys are amazing. Um, I think at times you asked questions that were hard. Um, and they were questions I think that made all of us think and reflect on our actions. Um, so I've appreciated that. Uh, I've appreciated just seeing, you know, going to the mostly middle school. I think I remember seeing Maximus at a middle school, but I think the work that you've done with students, the work that it's um across the district, it's it's been amazing. So, um, I really I would say I would miss you guys except that would be a little selfish. And I really look forward to hearing great things about you in your future and um, continuing. I don't whatever colleges you're going to, whatever you're going to study, maybe you'll be come back and be a history teacher in Oakland. Who knows? But um you guys are amazing and I have really appreciated your work and working alongside you. Director Thompson,

like um my colleagues have mentioned, we appreciate really immensely what both of you have brought and what both of you have given to the Oakland Unified School District and especially sitting here on the board. Um I'm an individual that believes in allow me to just say the way I feel it. the hermeneutic expression of how one actually does things. Um, my expertise is in hermeneutics actually. And when I listen to what you guys say and how you say what you say, I interpret it based on what I call my prefiguration. And my prefiguration tells me that I'm working with two individuals who really believe in what they're doing. um to individuals who would like to promugate what they're doing so that others can embrace it and then make this world a parenthetic better place. So I appreciate the work of both of you. I appreciate what you have brought to the board. I appreciate what you have brought to all of us so that we can be introspective, take a look at ourselves and see if we are actually doing what we think is going to be most advantageous for those who are listening. So, thank you very kindly. I wish you the best um as you whatever your dream is for the future, I wish you the best in attaining that dream. Thank you very much. Director Hutchinson.

Yes. Thank you. And uh I'm not going to try to compete with Director Thompson's vocabulary there. That was that was impressive. Um so for for both Director Smith and Director Simmons, um thank you. I I hope you realize and can internalize how you are now a part of the legacy of student directors that we've had here at Od, which is really an amazing legacy, especially over the last decade. Um, you know, and I'm really excited for you two both very soon now to be joining another family of OD graduates. And um I really hope that you're going to carry these experiences that you've had here with you for the rest of your life. Um hopefully your journey will bring you back to Oakland at some point if you are going to leave. Um because we really need uh more people to come back home and really invest in our community and take everything that we've learned over the years and really put it back into our our family here that helped grow us. Um, I also hope especially over the summer and as you get a little separation, you'll be able to reflect on uh, Director Smith the last year and Director Simmons the last two years of what's really happened here and in OD. Um it's been some crazy times and I hope really that you can draw lessons from that that will set you up and prepare you for wherever you're going to go because remember if you can handle business in Oakland if you can handle business up on this DAS you can handle business any place that you go. So congratulations thank you and uh I look forward to welcoming welcoming you to the family of OD alumni going forward. Thanks. Director Williams.

Um, yeah. Yo, just really want to say congratulations for reals. I mean, it's a big accomplishment, you know, did 12 years here, you know, and as you are maturing into your next phase of life, right? You look back on elementary, middle, high school, all the relationships and it is really big like um going forth now you have some core beliefs, core principles that you going to stand by and not only just being a a leader at your whatever next school you are, but you really are like an activist. you really are, you can identify identify what needs to be changed, uh what needs to be lifted up, what needs to be supported. And I think that's really what makes, you know, Oakland really special. Like we have a a long history, folks fighting for the right thing, uh social change, and you know, it goes back to the Black Panthers all the way back. But in between that, there's just been so many activists. You can go through the streets of Oakland and and run into some folks who've been doing work. It's good to see that you represent that you got it from the soil of Oakland. So, I only wish you the best as you move forward. You take these lessons. My mom used to tell me uh you know, if you want friends, you got to be a friend to somebody. you, you know, want a relationship, you got to give that. You got to give what you want from people. You know, you got to show people what it is. And I think throughout this year, you've shown everybody that, you know, you stand firm for righteousness, stand firm for inclusion, and I think that anyone who comes and rocks with you will understand that, that that's what

they need to be as well. So, um, you know, do the best you can, travel as much as you can, get those opportunities, get out there and see the world. Um, that will really help your perspective as you come back to Oakland. When you come back to Oakland, you'll see how things are done elsewhere and you can continue to lift up the work that needs to be done because uh, uh, it's a lot of young folks doing a lot of great things. and I'm glad that you gonna join that that class of young folks for this particular year and do something. I only wish you the best. So, you know, keep it up and uh send you much love, much support, uh much activism, much energy, and just go conquer the world. Be fearless as you move forth in the world. Go for it. So, wish you all the best. Thank you. Um, with that, we'll move on for your last meeting. And oh, we have to have a vote. I'm sorry.

On the motion to formally adopt the resolutions, recognize the tribute to the two students. Uh, student directors, I'm going to assume that you're going to recuse yourself on your own vote, but vote for your colleague. Is that correct? Yes. Okay. On the roll call, it will be so recorded. The two students voted for each other, but not for themselves. Director Lada, yes. Director Williams, yes, sir. Director Hutchinson, yes. Director Barry, yes. Director Thompson, yes. Vice President Bachelor, yes. And President Prohark, yes.

Uh, unanimously adopted. Yes. Yes. This was a concurrent motion. Uh does the board me uh concur that this was a concurrent motion? Uh director uh I'm sorry, Superintendent Sadler,

I just wanted to just make a comment. It has just been a gift to be able to sit next to the two of you. Um I think it's pretty special. you have the same initials so that you are destined uh to be leaders and be together in this work. I also want to acknowledge something that was not mentioned your work on youth vote and just you've just been present everywhere um in the community as an advocate for youth and advocate for the schools. I also want you to carry with you that you have people here who know you and who are here for you. So when there are times when you have questions or you need help and support, please reach out because life has a lot of twists and turns. Sometimes you just need to reach out to talk to someone. You have people who will answer your call at any time. One of them. So I'm just really feel privileged to sit next to you and get to know you as wonderful people. Congratulations and I'm excited about your next Um, man, I've actually been waiting for this for like the past two years. Um, I really just I want to say that I want to take this time to highlight Mariana just because it's been a lot. It's It's definitely been a lot. It has definitely been a lot. Um, and I want to apologize because I could have been there I could have been there better for my second year.

just the the glamour of student director and the the the wow factor wasn't there for me no more the second year and I had got a lot of lot more responsibility on my back and I wasn't able to let it be fun for you as it was for me my first year and it was it was just serious but but we did it and and we did it together. And a lot of And none of y'all know, Sophie might know, Sophie might know, but me and Mariana said that we were going to be student directors together in eighth in 8th grade. And and see, we was really supposed to be student directors together for junior year and senior year, but some somebody backed out on me at the last minute. But but so this is something that that was planned and this was something that we thought about and we made the decision not not individually but together to make sure that this came into fruition at some point in time before we left here. And it was all in in every single battle that we fought and every single piece of change that I've made over these past five years. Mariana has literally been there for every single one of them. She has literally significantly been an ear and has lended advice and has lended a lot of unwarranted and unwanted opinions to a lot of stuff that

that I got going on. And I appreciate every single one of those words. And you know if one if one thing isn't if nothing is true and everything is a lie the one truth is that we have shown up for each other despite the the feelings or despite the angst or anger or anything like that we continue to show up and I appreciate you. So thank you.

Um next we want to honor the um classified employees of the year. And is there a motion to adopt this resolution? So moved. Second. Thank you. Um Terra Guard I believe has the presentation. Correct. Okay, thank you. Just waiting for

good evening uh community board superintendent. Thank you uh for having me here tonight. And I want to also thank Jeff Dylan. He's actually now the chief talent officer, but he's allowing me because I love this award particularly to do this tonight. Um and tonight we are here uh oh thank you to present the classified employees of the year and we have um categories of which people are honored. the paraprofessional, clerical and administrative services, food service, custodial and maintenance, security services, health and student services, technical services, and skilled trades. And we are um honoring each person tonight. Uh everyone is not here tonight, but for those that are, we'll come up. And I'm going to first start um with Polly Thai. I'm not I don't think that she is here tonight, but I just want to make sure. Okay, so we're gonna just I want to um excuse me name Pompali as in the paraprofessional um category. She's been with the district for 31 years as a library tech at Markham and we honored her at honoring our own and um she is just a wonderful employee and you can see that she uh is known for building strong relationships at the school and fostering love of reading for our students. So we thank her and we will move to Magros Rodriguez and I know that she is here. If you can come up please.

Thank you. She is Malagris is the uh she's been here for five years as the attendant specialist and working at Espironza. Thank you. And I want to read Oh, no. Don't don't go. Don't go. When Miss Magas Millie, they call you Millie at school, okay? Demonstrates excellence in work performance through her unwavering dedication to students, families, and staff, serving as a trusted attendant specialist who builds strong relationships, removes barriers to student success, and consistently goes beyond her role to support the school community. Miss Rodriguez exemplifies leadership, commitment, and community connection through her bilingual support, deep relationships with families, and ongoing contributions as a mentor, problem solver, and advocate, fostering a culture of belonging, and ensuring that all members of the school community feel welcome, supported, and valued. And we thank you for your work every day. Thank you. Okay, I Cynthia Johnson from food service. She is not here tonight. Um, but Cynthia has been with us for 11 years as a food service assistant three at Rsdale. So, we will shout her out as well. Thank you, Cynthia. You Yuthi Lie is also not here. Correct. Okay. and he has been a custodian for eight years at Skyline. So, if we could shout him out as well. And we'll move to Mr. Garrett Humphrey Garrett. He's been with us for 19 years and I know he's here. Central Culture Ambassador at Marcus Foster building.

Okay. Mr. Dr. Humphrey Garrett uh demonstrates excellence in his work performance through his professionalism, reliability, and commitment to maintaining a safe and welcoming environment, consistently going above and beyond to support colleagues and the broader school community. Mr. Garrett exemplifies leadership and community engagement through his proactive approach to safety, willingness to support school events beyond his assigned duties, and positive attitude that fosters trust, collaboration, and a strong sense of security and belonging for staff, students, and families. And we thank you. And he is going to say a few words. Thank you.

Thank you. uh first give an honor to God the leader of my life to my wife to my pastor to Dr. Sadler to Miss Guard to Mr. Dylan to the board to the student board to all my co-workers to students staff parents care providers and outside professionals and a special shout out to my children and my church family. You know I'm truly grateful and full of gratitude. You know, I pray daily to keep my patience and confidence in who I am and remember my integrity and stability so that I do not let people's first energy in their heart if it's anger fester in me. I bring positivity every day knowing what the chances are for people to show up with things going on in their own space. My wisdom and knowledge of people and my ability to deescalate does not allow any angry energy to transfer into my spirit. I've done this for 21 years on campus with our students and it's rewarding. The rewards is when students come back after graduating and going on to college and come back and they remember some of the positivity that you shared with them to assist them in navigating themselves in the directions of their achievements. So that that is some of the uh positivity. Um, I have done at Bennett Marcus Foster Leadership Center with the adults for the last 14 months and I'm sharing that same energy with them and I am very proud of what I do and I love what I do. Ultimately keeping the main thing the main thing with joy, passion, commitment and with gratitude while keeping a safe, welcoming, professional, engaging environment for everyone. Thank you to

everyone under the sound of my voice. Much love and much respect. And a special thank you to the people or the person who selected me for this recognition. God bless. Thank you. Adrian M. Miss Mandi is here. Miss Mindy. Yay.

Okay. Miss Mandi has been with us for 44 years and is a special education instructional aid at Prescott. Thank you. And I'm gonna um yeah, let's honor that time with us. Thank you. And so, Miss Mandi demonstrates exceptional dedication, professionalism, and compassion through her decades of service, serving as a trusted and welcoming presence at Prescott Elementary School, where she builds meaningful relationships with students, families, and staff, and ensures that all who enter the school feel seen, supported, and valued. Miss Mandi exemplifies leadership and commitment through her unwavering reliability, strong advocacy for colleagues, and ability to foster positive and inclusive school culture using her deep knowledge and experience to support the school community, strengthen relationships, and ensure a welcoming and supportive environment for all. And we thank you. Would you like to say anything? First of all, I want to say thank you to my Prescott family and thank you to uh Oh, okay. I want to say thank you to my Prescott family for nominating me. And I want to say thank you to our children at Prescott. I consider them my children. When they come through the gate in the morning, I'm the one who opened the gate and greet each child by their first name. We have 150 students present there, plus our preschool. I know all their names. I let the kids know that I care about them. I work real hard with them. I mean, I'm engaged with all the students and the students know that I love them and I wish them nothing but the best. Thank you all.

Thank you. Our next uh classified employee under technical services, Sabrina, can you come up? Thank you. Hey, Sabrina and I worked together in IT for a little bit. Um, and she is wonderful. Thank you. And has been with us now 35 years. 35 years and is retiring. Yes.

Yes. Then thank you. Thank you so much. Sabrina demonstrates excellence in work performance through her dedication as the primary point of contact for technology services support providing responsive, thoughtful, and solutionsoriented assistance that ensures staff and students can effectively access critical systems and tools. Sabrina exemplifies leadership and commitment through her ability to build strong relationships, improve systems and processes, and consistently go above and beyond to support colleagues across the district, fostering efficiency, collaboration, and a positive experience for all of those she serves. And we thank you. And thank you, Sabrina. And our last uh Siggy, I'm not sure. I don't think that Yep. is our um Siggy is our roofer at B&G and he's been with us for 13 years. He's not here tonight, but we will shout him out as well. And so that is the end of our classified employees of the year. Thank you board for allowing us to bring them forward and honoring them tonight.

Mr. Do you want to call them back up so we can give them their Oh yes, we got the picture. Did you want to talk first or do you want them to Okay. Yep. Oh, we can talk first. Okay. It's Yeah. Uh are there public comments on this item? Um public comment. Uh we have one Tim Davis online has a hand raised. I will allow them to speak.

Good evening board. Um thank you for the opportunity to speak on this um wonderful honor and want to congratulate all of the winners. But and I'm sorry I'm not there because I I uh intended to be excuse me but I just want to give a particular gratitude and love and shout out to Miss Mundy from Prescott who is absolutely uh the heart of of Prescott for 44 years or actually I guess she hasn't been at Prescott 44 years. She's either related or believes she's related to every child that's there. They get hugs in the morning. She is the the center, the rock. The kids look for her if they're, you know, having a moment and they need a little bit of of love and attention and a big hug. Um, so welld deserved to all of you, but Miss Mundy, we love you. I love you. And congratulations. Thank you. Are there any other public comments?

There are no further public comments commenters for this item. Director Lada.

Um I I mean I so first I just want to start by thanking and appreciating all of the classified staff who are honored. Um we have you know that sometimes the things in the district can feel you know especially up here on the board a little bit um intense and we're talking about very high level level things but the people um who are working every day in our district um whether it's with staff or with our buildings and grounds or with our students um do are one of the highlights for I think many of us um who have our children here or who work here. I do want to take a minute though to particularly appreciate Miss Mundy. Um I have had the um privilege of of having three kids um now know Miss Mundy like an aunt like part of their family who um and I can say that that not just them but all of the students at Prescott really um really are you hold the heart of the whole school. um when you're gone, which you deserve days off and you're sick and that's fine, but it is striking how many students are like, "Where is Miss Monday? Is she coming back? Is she okay? Should we call her? Should we bring her something?" Um, and when you're there, you can, you know, to to have the, you know, to see the light in students eyes running for you for their morning hug. students who come in crying um and they they know that they can turn to you. Um we have I think we have a very very wide open um yard area and somehow your ability to hold that um all of those students safe um and having fun is um is I think such a I'm just so glad that you're getting honored. Um, and I hope that you feel honored by all of us who

um, get to um, see you every day. Um, and I think on behalf of my three kids who love you so much, um, but all of their friends and and classmates and the staff at Prescott, I just thank you so much. Director Smith,

I just want to congla congratulate everyone that's being recognized tonight. you clearly are making a really really big impact on OD not just the students but the staff as well. I just hope that you continue to grow and you know contribute to the students and I really hope that OSD contributes to you right back Simmons. Congratulations to everybody who won. And I wanna I want to shout out my OG right here. My OG right here, Humphrey. I mean, he Let me tell you, every time I walk in the office, every single time I walk in the office, I'm greeted with a smile. I'm greet I'm greeted with a with a warm hug. And I'm greeted as a king. And I appreciate that. And it it goes a long way. And it means a lot to come from a to come from a black man. It means a lot specifically. So, I appreciate you and I thank you and congratulations,

Director Williams.

Uh, yes, Miss M. Just uh it's always a blessing to see you on Wednesdays when I show up. Uh but the community that's created with uh you coming out uh in front of the school and talking to each and every student, I I'm a witness to that. That is so beautiful. I've never seen it before. Um, and I go to a lot of schools, but your love for our young folks, um, and greeting them with love and care and nurturing, even when it's raining, uh, you, it is amazing. And so, I feel so honored to be in your presence because I know the work that you have done all these years. So, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Um, and uh, Mr. Garrett, yo, man, from the Mccclimate days, I appreciate you helping me figure out what's going on there as well. I mean, your your nurturing, uh, your guidance, your patience, uh, and just acceptance. Who's this new guy walking around that is willing to help me through the process and just uh be a guiding light u for mcclimates? I mean, we miss your energy there. Trust me, time and time again because you're an angel. You are an angel. When you walk in space, you radiate uh love. You radi You radiate like like you said, patience. Um, and you are a God's servant 100%. So, I am always blessed to be in your presence. Thank you, sir, for the work

you've done, for the years you've done. Uh, thank you, my man.

I also want to give a shout out to Mr. Humphrey. I when you I walk in and the other day I was exhausted and I was in a bad mood and I walked in and you were just like it was amazing. So I think for you know people coming into the the foster center that you're the first person they see that just puts people at it was amazing. So I really appreciate the the warmth and the um grace um showing me how to use the card thing was very I don't have to knock on the door anymore. Um, but I just appreciate it the warmth of it. It's it's just an amazing way to enter into that building. And then I also want to give a shout out to Magros Ramirez because any school that has pictures of you on their sign, that's a place I want to work. That is awesome. So, congratulations to all our our honores tonight. And with that, if they would all come up to the stage with your certificate, your your um plaques, we will. We have some gifts and of course pictures. Vote first. Okay. Uh on the roll call, Mr. Ra.

On the roll call, honoring uh the certificated employees of the year. Center Director Simmons. Yes. Student Director Smith. Yes. Director Lauder. Yes. Director Williams. Yes. Sir. Director Hutchinson. Yes. Director Barry. Yes. Director Thompson. Yes. Vice President Bachelor. Yes. And President Prohar.

Yes. Motion absolutely adopted. All right. Everybody right here. Wow. We want to see your name.

They're one more told me to wait. Everybody's

Thank you. I keep sending If board directors could return to the dis please Yeah.

No, I appreciate it. All right. Um, moving on to item I, which we're going back to actually, which is pupil consent. Do we have a motion to adopt the pupil consent?

So moved. I'll second it. And Mr. Rickstar, can we have a roll call on the vote, please? Public comment. Do we have public comment on this? Uh, yes, Madam President. We have one Assad Ola.

Mr. Obama, do you want to come up and uh public comment on K, which is pupil consent? I I I continue to advocate for the students who have been in the expulsion process in this district. Right now, you are going to approve, I think, five students to return and one student that will go into expulsion. I don't know how that works over the summer when school is out. Does Alama County still have opportunity for education opportunities during the summer? I don't know. I do know this that the most children or young people with need have to be put at the top. I did find out that you have a lady named Miss Tate who deals with the suspension students so they get support that needs to be broadened to include the expel expelled students and during the time that they have behavior issues that needs to be an assessment process to help them return to the normaly of behavior that they can achieve. So I do not think we are there. So I will continue to say students who are being expelled need support and if we we should have kept our community school open to give them our support. I don't know what's going on at Alama County. But I do know we we can do better than what we're having as far as how we handle our students who are being expelled. They have tremendous behavior needs. They might have personal needs. Their parents need to be involved in this process to help them get where they need

to go in terms of knowing that they can do better. Who's given that opportunity to say I will now return giving my best to graduate from this district. I hope you will take it under serious consideration and I'll be back to keep saying it. Thank you. Are there any other public speakers? There are no further speakers for this item, Madam President. Uh Mr. Rickstar, can we have a roll call on the vote, please? Yes. On the motion to adopt the people discipline consent report. Uh student directors are recused. Director Lauder,

yes. Director Thompson, yes. Director Barry. Yes. Director Hutchinson. Okay. Director uh Lauder, I mean sorry, Director Williams. Yes, sir. Vice President Bachelor. Yes. And President Brohart. Yes. Motion's adopted.

Uh the next item on the agenda is item K, which is our student report. Good evening board members, superintendent, students, parents, and community. Welcome to our last board report for the school year. We will invite our governing board members to join us and give the end of the year report where we will have an overview of all city council, talk about key accomplishments for the school year, general updates around our priorities, and we will be announcing our new governing board for the 2627 school year. Before we get started with our report, I would like to invite our all city council governing board members to I would I would like to announce I would like to invite our all city council governing board members to come up and introduce themselves. Um do we have the Oh, we don't.

Yeah, we do. Hello everyone. My name is Ashley Chanim. I'm a senior at Oakland Tech and I am the series president. Hello everyone. My name is Anara Shafi. I'm a junior at Skyline and I'm ACC's vice president. Hello everybody. My name is Lewis Allen. I'm a senior at Oakland Tech and I'm ACC's historian. Hi everyone, my name is Nala Kaplan Rasheed. I'm a junior at Skyline High School and I'm ACC's secretary. Hi, I'm Yman and I go to Met West High School and I'm a senior.

Hello everyone, my name is Sophie Molet. I'm a Bulldog at Oakland Tech and I am a senior. Good. Good evening everybody. My name is Amina Tongun. I'm ACC's media director and 11th grader at Oakland Tech.

Hi everyone, I'm Lena. I'm a senior at Skyline and I'm ACC's LCAP director. Hello everybody. Um, next slide please. Um, for those who don't know what ACC is, ACC, which stands for all city council, is a student union that represents 30,000 plus students in the district. We are a bridge between students and adult decision makers. And the governing board is an elected student student body that comes from different schools across the district. And we are a team that represents the voices of students in our district. Uh, next slide, please. Um we organized together to address the needs of the students and encourage them to participate in leadership at their school sites and district levels. And um in the presentation you can see some of our um vision um points and one of them is a strong unified all city council ACC student union with open and constant communication with the student body that functions as a powerful student union. And um we envision a district that leadership has a formal place during the school day as well as a multitude of quality after school and community- based programs where many students participate in improving their schools and communities. As for some of our key accomplishments this year, um we've met with 11 OD departments over the year. some being the health and wellness, academics and innovation, and special education. We've collectively committed hundreds of hours within our roles as all city council governing board members. And we we also have several members a part of

committees and partnerships outside of ACC such as OFCY, CLC, OIC, the Student Safety and Violence Prevention Committee, and Barbara Lee's Youth Advisory Council. This year, our high school meet our high school committee has had four general high school meetings with 13 high schools and 59 students in attendance. Some of the activities at these high school meetings included opportunities for student leaders to get to know other student leaders across OSD, engagement with student uh students around OSD's initiatives and students around or and student priorities such as career exploration, inclusion, and nutrition as well as leadership, skill building, training, public speaking, flip, smart goals, understanding the budget deficit, student power, etc. Along with that, we also had our 16th annual youth action summit held this year. Um, which included nine schools and a total of 55 schools or students engaged. Um, and yeah, on the next slide, we'll see the students from all the following schools that were represented at this youth summit. Yeah. Um much like the high school committee, we also have a middle school committee which focuses on the middle school students in our district which I am a part of. Um and this year we um had four general middle school meetings with 15 middle schools being engaged with and 80 students in total. Um we basically follow the same um idea of the high school committee and we end off our year with the middle school ethnic studies conference, peer resource and ethnic study conference. And this year we had 239 middle school students and participants from 12 schools, 73 youth um and student workshop facilitators and

50 middle school RJ circle keepers from Brewer, Roosevelt, Urban Promise. And on the next two slides, you'll see middle schools that we have collaborated with. We had three priorities this year. Our first one was career exploration. We chose career exploration because we found that at our high school retreat, many of the high schoolers that we engaged with um spoke about how they didn't feel like they had the resources or the support within their schools to kind of um actualize or realize or um reach the goals and dreams that they had for themselves after they graduated high school. And so within our priority this year, we did a lot of research surrounding the different resources and support and just the kind of um in reviewing a lot of surveys about how students felt like they were really being uplifted by their schools. And through all of that, we found that there's a big disconnect between the amount of students who say that they want to graduate and actually do and the amount of students who say that they want to, you know, pursue a career or go to college after high school but actually have the support to do that. And so we do recommend that um that the school board looks into that and make ensures that there is a college and career center at every OD high school. Um, another issue that OSD students that we worked with this year identified when we were choosing our priorities was both a lack of students that spend most of their time in special education classes and spaces in leadership spaces and boards like ACC as well as just on varying school sites like a bit of a a divide between students that spend most of their time in general education and students that spend most of their classes and students that spend most of their time in special education classes. Um so we launched a couple different things in collaboration with other student leadership this year at Skyline particularly um in order to address and

bridge the gap between students. One thing that was the idea of um Skyline leadership students was to have they started a chapter of an organization called Best Buddies that helps foster meaningful friendship and connection um between all kinds of different students on campus. And that's been very effective at getting students invol stu students that spend most of their time in special education involved in our student leadership at Skyline. And I've seen it happen and it's amazing. Um and also we worked very closely with Aruna and Amanda on the disability access team um in central office and they've given various different trainings to people at our um general high school and middle school meetings about just disability access education. Yes. In the nutrition committee, our assessment has revealed significant concerns within our current school meal services, including age appropriate food portions, delayed scheduling, food waste, and meals that don't reflect our community's culture. All of which contribute to student hunger and missed classroom time. In response, we posed a survey to students. Um, we engaged over 30 students. Um, we also recommend that the nutrition team um adopt a student-ledd task force um to inform so students can inform the meals that they're seeing on their plate, equitable portion sizes, local food sourcing, and dedicated funding to improve the overall meal experience. The nutrition committee has um partnered with the nutrition department and they have been very open and willing to adopt these things um especially local food sourcing. I know that they already have done this thing um have already done this and they are

excited to learn more about it. Through collaboration with the nutrition services department, we hope to ensure that every student feels nourished, represented and ready to learn. Um, so another one of our accomplishments this year was getting the state state seal of civic engagement out to a lot of different students this year. Um, if you don't know what the state seal of civic engagement is, it's just a recognition from um the government that goes on your diploma that tells that shows that you have had some sort of impact on your community. Um, so this information on the slide is wrong actually. It's been updated since we made the slides. 117 students received the seal of in of civic engagement from the following schools. CCPA, Fremont, um Madison Park Academy, Met West, Oakland High School, Oakland Tech, and Skyline. And 52 there has been a 52% increase in students receiving their seal this school year from last school year. So, yeah, it was awesome. Next, we have our work within Oakland Youth Vote. Within Open Youth Vote is the core leaders committee which is made up of about 20 different high schoolers across the Bay Area and we've basically worked well we worked on Oakland youth vote and right now um and we also gave you a presentation the other month and we're recommending a voter education week to um for the last two weeks of September 2026 as well as um reminding you guys that schoolboard elections are in November 2026 for all even districts. And so we want to really make sure that we're spreading the word out about Youth Vote and institutionalizing it within our school district.

Um here are some highlights of what CLC has accomplished this year. Um as you guys were all here for, we finished and presented our evaluation report of um our key takeaways of how the 2024 election went pertaining to youth vote. Um we helped develop youth vote strategies for the November 2026 election um in partnership with the registars's office and Alama County office of education and OSD. Um we had a media committee training in media literacy and an analytics and the civic engagement committee is currently working on reviewing the ov curriculum so that it can be distributed to schools during voter education weeks. Um here are some um a highlight that I have done as in my role as the health and wellness director. um at Oakland Technical High School um me alongside um a lot of um student leaders on on tech campus have launched it's our very first wellness center and peer wellness ambassadors program. Um we have trained 10 12 peer leaders um in topics like mental health first aid, crisis response, cycles of abuse, restorative justice, addiction response and many more. Um the wellness center has provided um support to over a hundred students weekly. This support looks like one-on-one wellness counseling referrals coming through the cost team um and self-referral forms um weekly affinity restorative justice circles such as black men's group and black girls circles um and LGBTQ plus um circles. Um we have done a lot of tier 2 um restorative justice circles um that is

harm and conflict and we have done academic tutoring and many more services. This year LCAP directors attended nine PAC meetings. During those meetings we presented updates from both our high school and middle school engagements. We shared data collected from students and made sure student voices were represented in conversations surrounding the district budget. We hope to work with PAC to make their meetings more studentfriendly. This year we encouraged some of our GB members to join the PAC meetings and give us feedback for what PAC can look like next year. Next slide. Um, future LCAP directors should plan to conduct classroom visits alongside high school leadership teams to help students better understand the LCAP process, the LCSF funding, and how the district budget directly impacts their schools and daily experiences. Through these classroom visits, they should collect more student feedback to bring back to PAC meetings and encourage greater student participation in district decision-making processes. So, how can the OD district support all city council? First, share more about what all city council is across the OD. I think that what we have here is a great board of students, a great collection of students, but it's not totally representative of the entire OSD. And part of that has to do with outreach and how um OSD markets um boards like these or groups like these. Next, you could provide more funding for student leadership and improvement projects and specifically for the school board. Be present at our engagement, especially with schools in your district. Reach out to us. Be proactive.

Um we want to hear from you. So, please make sure to reach out to us. Thank you to our all city council governing board for serving your full term and representing your peers in OSD. This year we say see you soon to our graduating seniors Ashley, Iman, Lena, Lewis, Mariana, Maximus, and Sophie. We also get to officially welcome the governing board for the 2627 school year. Now, before I allow the new governing board of the 2026 to 2027 school year come up and introduce themselves, I would like to let it be known that we have two LCAP positions that are not filled up. So, students in the fall when they have their retreat, that's where special elections will be held. So, again, LCAP, both of the positions are are vacant. So, please look into that. And now, can we please have our new GB step up and introduce themselves?

Hi again, my name is Amina Tong Woon. I'm an 11th grader at Oakland Tech and I will be one of next year's student directors. Hello, my name is Andrew Block, but you can call me Drew, and I'm going to be a freshman at Oakland High School next year, and I'm going to be um one of the student directors next year.

Hello, my name is Anara Shafi. I'm an 11th grader at Skyland High School and I'm going to be the president for the 2026 2027 school year. Hi again everyone. My name is Nala Kaplan Rasheed and I'm going to be the vice president for the 20 26 27 school year. Thank you.

Hello everyone. My name is Maria and I will be your ACC secretary for the 2026 to 2027 school year. I'm currently a junior and was recently elected as ASV president for Fremont High School. Hi, my name is Quedier. I'm going to be the historian for next year's school year. Hi, my name is Tiffany Buscos. I'm going to be the health and wellness director for next school year. Thank you so much everyone. Before we conclude our report, me and Max would like to reflect on our experience in governance and talk about what being student directors has taught us. So over the years, I haveworked with people from OSD central office to the local and national government because of my OSD education and personal experiences. I'm so grateful to look at my wallet every day and see all of the business cards from people all over the world. And something that I can say confidently is that a lot of them look like me and they looked like my classmates and people I saw walking down the street. I have learned that in this line of work, which is human services and helping people excel, we must not be afraid to listen to our hearts and allow empathy to be expressed not only in our words but may it reflect in our work as well. I have seen this board, political leaders, and even online personalities ignore the sole purpose of their positions. And may I remind you that you are here to help people excel by giving your furthest extension of power and influence to make sure our community stands strong and informed. As student director, I communicated the questions and concerns of students to the board members when they have failed to

prioritize student participation and engagement processes. like the superintendent search committee that I was a part of and didn't really get any updates on. But along with that, I also made sure to retain all student facing challenges and experience to guide my advocacy efforts throughout the year. I have time and time again communicated the questions and concerns of student board members. But as much as it hurts to say, none of it matters without your vote because student votes are not counted. The same people who decide how our school systems runs are the same people who have our district in shambles. The very people who say they do it for their community, but yet we sit here in debt with no plan and no unity to move us forward. I can sit up here and scold everyone, but I'd rather give a list of improvements. Number one, the board needs to be more proactive and face in studentf facing information in meetings that benefit us all. An example of this is the teaching and learning committee. We need to advertise these meetings across OSD platforms and increase the number of times the committee meets each school semester. Number two, the board should maintain a consistent and inclusive system that ensures students, families, and staff have a clear understanding of what adult decision makers are doing in our district to improve our sites and why these decisions are being made. Number three, I expect the board to take consideration, take careful consideration of all the possible options and solutions for our budget to keep the cuts as far away from our students as possible. And lastly, I expect updates about ongoing policy discussions such as the process for selecting a superintendent, further union negotiations and safety protocols. I expect real transparency with every single one of you because this year you have failed and every year before that. I can say confidently that the majority of the information and resources that I have is because I'm a student director. And even when I was a ACC governing

board member, I was never this informed on what was going on in the district. And I can confirm that many of our students have no idea the district is struggling this hard to communicate with one another and make the necessary adjustments to adhere to all demographics. But also as a student, it's very important to learn and ask questions, especially when it's things that affect our community. I definitely love being student director, not because of the attention or even because of the networking I'm so thankful to have experienced, but because it allows me to advocate for a large body of people who deserve a chance to dream big and have the available resources to support that dream. I appreciate my time on this dis and as a student board member and I will be sure to continue to live my life as an advocate for my community. Thank you. All right. So, I was told not to ramble um cuz I have a tendency to do that. But I also just before I get started saying my little spill, I also want to say that every single position of leadership that youth holds wherever wherever it is in this in this city and the city over and the state over and the country over it. The definition of what it means to be a youth leader is defined by those youth leaders. We are set up in parameters. We're set up in a box and we're try we're we're tried to be controlled and it's hard to show up as a youth leader

in a lot of spaces because you're shot down and you're undermined and you're overlooked and you're young and you don't have the experiences that those around you have. So, you're put into a box. But as student director over these past two years, um, and even more now as I, you know, as I represent not only the youth in OSD, but all the youth in Oakland under 25, um, I've learned unchecked and undefined resilience. I've learned what it means to chase for something that you've yet to fully understand, but feel the uncontrollable and immense importance of. I've learned what it means to swim, even if you're in the middle of the ocean with no land in sight. These past two years have been hard. And if I said anything else, I'd be fibbing. Consistency, consideration, and confidence has been what I have attempted to define myself by during my during my time served in this seat. I have learned how damaging expectations can be to oneself, seeing the effect of what thousands of expectations can do to someone who is yet to define themselves and who they are. In contrast to these hard lessons learned, I have learned how to practice peace, understanding emotions and controlling my own emotions. I have learned what unwavering support can mean to one person. And finally, I've learned what it means to love something so much and so intensely that you're willing to give

your entire self, sacrificing everything you want and even some things you need to search for an achievement of one goal that you will never benefit from. But many will prosper because I understand what it means to journey through life with thousands, millions of people, knowing that we are all here with one another at this unique time, laying down those tiny pieces in a puzzle that we'll never see completed. Roles like these roles that we sit in up here, they don't come with flowers. They don't come with pats on the back. Neither do they come with grace or understanding. Roles such as these come with expectations, criticism at every level of what you do, and many long nights where you feel your work isn't helping anyone. These roles are given to you already defined by countless people who has held them before you. These roles can make you feel like you're in a box to speak a certain way and to change up your way of communication, alter your style, and even the people you associate with. I've tried my hardest over these years to burst this bubble or break the box that many people have tried to trap me in. But the truth is that as a leader, you are defined by those who you by those who you represent. a mere vessel of the thousands or millions of people. You are the leader of this journey that I'm speaking about. Your actions define those expectations. Every action in every moment defines your style of leadership. Every single one of these moments, if you truly believe in the battle in

which you're fighting for define who you are and define the type of leader that you will be and that you will grow into. And so lastly, I have learned that I did define those expectations that were endowed to me. And to my future student directors who were out there, I ask you, will you allow them to define you? Wait, I'm not done.

We would also like to thank everyone who has made our year in ACC successful. Throughout the year, we collaborate with OSD student groups and many community- based organizations that specifically work with our OSD youth. Through our various collaborations, we're able to mobilize more students and find areas to really uplift student voices and pers and perspectives. We are housed under the office of equity. So we want to thank Rael Himemes Jerome Gordine Jamal Muhammad Phyllis. That is Phyllis. I bet Phyllis delivers our food. How could I forget Phyllis? I'm sorry. Phyllis Copes. Area Gonzalez. Sabria Hassan. Eve de Eve Delphin and the rest of the equity team for continuously showing up for OSD students and taking the time to support to support all of our events. Without all of our students and their adult allies, none of our events will be possible. These adult allies not only make sure that students are brought to our events, but also make the time during their classes to continue working on projects related to our work. And so we want to thank everybody who has helped all city council be successful in this year and in the year to come because as I said, unwavering support can make a true difference. And we would specifically wait one second. And specifically and especially we would like to thank our adult ally Audriana.

I don't know where she went, but she here. She Oh, there. Stand up. Stand up for him. Stand up for him. Here you go. Adriana has been with us less than two years and she has so showed so much love and support to all of the students that she's worked with, not just with ACC, but all of OSD students and a lot of us wouldn't even be here without her. So, thank you, Adriana. Truly. And thank you. That concludes our report. Uh public comment on this item.

Uh yes, Madame President. We have a total of four speakers with two student speakers. Okay. Uh we'll take the two student speakers first and two minutes. Uh yes. Uh two student speakers are uh Bella Richards and Ka Richards. And these two students here,

Bella and Ka. Was he the other one? Okay. And if you could make sure to pull the mic down low enough so we can hear the speakers.

Thank you for letting them speak. They're speaking about the school stability. Um, okay. So, my name is Bella Riker. I am a junior at Oakland High School and I have special education. In elementary school, I didn't have special education and no one understood me and I didn't know what was going on and it was like hard and scary and confusing. And then I joined an SDC and my life really changed and my teachers understood that too and supported me and they still do. And I don't think that I'm the only one who wouldn't feel happy about if special education was taken away. Thank you. I'm just gonna bring this down.

Hold it in front of you so I just read what's on the paper. Say your name and then read your paper. This is Ka Riker. She's in second grade. Walking Miller. Go ahead. You can just We're taking a lot of time, so go ahead and read exactly what it says.

Hey, breath. You did this very well. You can do this. You're just annoying. Do you stop speaking of the play? But that's different. No, it's exactly the same. No, it's not. Go read it. It's so much more powerful if you read it. Go for it. Should I lift you up? Okay, we're going to let the board move on.

Okay. They have lots of important work to do tonight. All you have to do is read the words. Go.

My best friend isn't learning well enough in our school and she needs to be in a special classroom. But right before I started, you closed our special classroom at Walking Miller. So now she has to leave our school. That's scary for her. She and her mom have to start all over. But what if she does that and next year you decide to take away special classes, too? Then she has to move again. How will she trust learning and making friends? My first two years in school, no one helped me learn well. But I got behind. I got in trouble a lot for just being me. It was awful. But we got a new principal and a new teacher. And now I'm ahead of my class and I have friends. I'm finally safe. You wouldn't come tell just us autistic kids that we have to leave our school, would you? So why would you if we were in a special class? Please let all of us feel safe where we are with friends and people who understand us.

Bye. U Madame President the other two speakers are Sheila Haynes and Assad Olabala.

Uh we'll take Mr. Assada in person and then we'll take Miss Haynes constantly taking clothes on and off with that fame. I will continue to challenge these young people to do more and do better. And I've come to you many times to say this is something you can take up. This is something you can help make a difference with. So I'm going to give you some more today. at city hall on Tuesday. Carol Fe was asking me could I identify some young people to work with her because we had an incident at first after first Friday where many young people engaged in a lot of violent activity and as a result of it uh first Friday might be cancelled and several business individuals in downtown Oakland say they're thinking about leaving. So they want to organize with the youth included of how we can dispense with a lot of the violence that's happening in the city of Oakland with our young people. So take that on, get in touch with Carol Fe and see if you can resolve that. The second thing is the city council allocates money for summer youth employment. It's insulting because most of it is they have these young people picking up trash. You want more substant youth employment and they can do that by outreaching to some of these businesses to have that happen. So take that on and make your youth employment significant, not just going out there

and picking up trash and getting paid for it. Thank you. Next up, I have Mr. Haynes. Uh, yes. Uh, Vice President, I will allow them to speak. Hello again. Can you hear me? Yes.

Okay. Thank you. So just um as I said um earlier uh student directors um once again um I do appreciate your ongoing strong leadership um and with the priorities you have continued to advocate for. I'm I'm hopeful that this work will continue especially around student safety and more inclusive activities for our disabled students. Um, I wish there was a way our online students that's been the most impacted with loss of services. I would really love to see like all services outlined in their IEPs to be fulfilled. There should be designated school sites where students who have been the most impacted through harm with lack of services. They should be able to receive consistency. I've spoke out, you know, ever since my resolution was introduced about the arts and there's been music cuts and more funding cuts and staffing. But for our students who have disabilities, that's a lot a lot of them, that's their only outlet to try to get better. Um, so I'm not sure where we are with the finances. That's a whole another story. But um the arts support our students with disability and language is also very critical in keeping our students in a loving and respectable space with helping to reduce violence. So I can just only hope that with the uncertainty of the budget that more harm won't be caused. I'm I'm praying that the ongoing priority, you know, despite funding cuts to programs will continue to be student safety. And I just also want to just appreciate you guys both again for just having that positive light. I mean, if only all students had the positivity and character that you both possess, there wouldn't be no violence. We we have to get back to the culture of respect. So, thanks for being a shining light for our youths and um just continue doing great

things. Thank you guys. Thank you. Board colleagues, any uh comments? Director Barry.

Sorry, I'm going to steal Director Barry's comment. Actually, no. Please go first. Please go first.

I We're still on the student report, correct? I just wanted to at some point and part of me wants to have this discussion in public, but I think we should talk about the specific things that this board should do today to fully create the conditions necessary for the next two student board directors to be successful. And that's not just what uh the board should do, but also just do do right now, but what we should do on an ongoing basis. and you I outlined or I took notes on all the things that you said in your reflections, but I know there's a lot more and I want to operationalize that. And we have a board retreat coming up on June 15 and I feel like having them present for some or all of that should be one way that we should get this off to a good start. um even if you all aren't available to participate in that knowing what's on the agenda and having all the materials for that and then be included in the briefing and the debriefing. But I feel like there's things that we need to do today to make sure you all have a good experience moving forward.

Director Smith,

I just wanted to speak directly to the two students who just came up here and were vulnerable with us. and not only vulnerable, but they came up here and advocated for their needs and the things that they they deserve. They deserve this things. I can definitely say in elementary school, you know, I have seen students who have got in trouble because they were quote unquote seen as different or they were just too hard to handle. But in reality, it was just the lack of understanding. And I really really am proud to see how the district has, you know, helped them. But I hope that the services continue and you know they're advanced for our students because nobody's different. We're all students and we all deserve the same level of education to help us thrive and achieve the dreams that we want to achieve. So thank you to you two for advocating for everyone. Director Director Simmons, do you want to go next? So, since I'm about to get out of here, I think this is this is our last official report of the year. Do we do is do we still present at other board meets? No, we do. I've been here before. I know how this works. I've been here. Um, I just want to say, you know, I've been I've been through a lot of ups and downs with y'all over these past 2 years. Um, I've I've been Yeah, I've been through a lot of ups and downs with y'all over the past two years. I've I've been here for a completely different board. Not completely different, but for a a different board majority. I've seen two separate sides of the same coin. Um, and you know, for for all of the

crazy and uncomfortable and damning things that have happened over these past two years. I appreciate and I love all of you guys dearly because you guys have taught me an immense amount and you guys have deepened my understanding of what it means to lead directly or indirectly. So I appreciate and I love you all dearly. So thank you.

Thank you. Um, Director Barry, did you want to finish your thoughts? Uh, Director Williams microphone.

Yeah, thank you. Um, in my mind, I've been thinking about this communication gap that we had this year. Um, and just the relationship that needs to be built, you know. Um, I think, uh, yes, I think we all can do better. For sure, we all can do better. Um and I and I want to just piggy back off of u director Barry's idea just been talking to my colleagues and saying what we should have at the beginning of year as an orientation so all of us can get grounded right because I think there's an opportunity there's a a real good opportunity which we didn't get at the beginning of this year is actually to get to understand what what is driving us and what our expectations are you know uh from from the beginning of the year, the get-go, you start up, we come together, all of us, and we talk about how we can work together. I think what we've noticed is that there's been this separation. You folks ain't doing right and you're not communicating with us. I think we could have knocked that out at the beginning of the year. Just really work on it each and every month, you know, about how we can actually bring you into the meetings, right? Like all of those conversations should happen at the beginning and hopefully as the new board directors come in, that's a great opportunity to kind of get started to begin the year off so uh we can align where our expectations are. Um I was really really excited for you uh Max to bring in the restorative justice. Really want to see that continue to grow, you know, as you move forth. Um because that is Oh yeah. Well, you know, we go we gonna find a way to get it funded and continue to support the program, right? But that essence of like all of us practicing it

on a regular, right? And that's how we try to intercede these feelings that we're not being listened to is have an opportunity to come together and work on a communication portal that we all can say, "Okay, let's reset and see where we need to be." So, I've learned a lot from both of you and uh really appreciate and seen seen your growth as well. know it hasn't been as easy as you like, but um I mean the experience in itself only builds you up for the next one. So just really appreciate all that you all that you um have brought to this conversation. Let's take it, capture it, bring the new folks in, create a space so they can actually learn from it and build off that. Thank you,

Director Lada. Dr. Thompson.

Yes. Just quickly, and it won't take very much time at all, but um I want to thank both of you for what you've brought to the board. Um and I just want to build on something that was stated earlier and an individual talked and I won't say the individual, but an individual talked about character that he or she might have. Um I think understanding that character and accepting that character is one thing but understanding that uh your character doesn't have to alter but you can embrace the bigness of the nudest that you've received that you've learned in order to make whatever organization you're working in more effective. So I appreciate that concept and along with that I appreciate the fact that you're both of you are very vocal and you will actually state your opinion and you don't regress from it. I appreciate that. Um, someone alluded to something earlier um, this evening and that was how your example of your being will help others when someone talked about the crisis that we're having on Friday nights. And they talked about how your examples and your positiveness would help others to see how things could be done and perhaps alter that negativity. So again, thank you very kindly for everything that you guys both of you have uh offered to the board and to the entire school community of over 34,000 kids. Thank you very much,

Director Hutchinson.

Yes, thank you. Um I also don't want to say too much at this point. I I really appreciate um the comments that both of you just made uh in framing up kind of what you've learned and what your experiences have been uh as student directors. Um I think it's really important that uh at the youngest age possible, everyone learns how to speak up and advocate. Everyone learns how to speak up and speak truth. Not even truth to power, but speak truth. And you know, uh, Director Simmons, in in your first year as a student director, uh, I will never forget when you and your fellow director, um, directly called out board leadership because they were lying to you. I'll never forget that. I've seen a lot at board meetings. I'd never seen that before. you know, just like uh director Smith even tonight again referencing how you all were asked to be a part of the superintendent search committee and then not once did anyone reach out to you, talk to you and here we are going to be tonight extending the superintendent's contract when there wasn't even a search and not one meeting happened. And so I'm really kind of disappointed that I didn't have more opportunities to meet with the all city council this year. Hopefully, one of the things you can spread uh to the all city council and to your adult allies is uh especially when we're talking about communication. You know, for me as a schoolboard director, I don't have any staff. Um it is really hard for me to proactively set up those meetings. And so I think one of the ways that we can build this in going forward is to have the all city council u be a little bit more aggressive in seeking meetings with school board directors. Um but I appreciate you both. I look forward to

running into you both in the next few months when we're away from here where we can all be a little bit freer with the language that we use to describe what's happened over the last year and the last two years. Um, but it's really uh I think empowering for the community and it makes me feel good to see that as you are exiting out of this position, you're making sure that you are speaking the full truth and leaving no rocks unturned. So, thank you again and I'm going to be sharing your speeches around later afterwards. Thank you.

Yeah, I want to start off by thanking the young people that spoke today about the stability resolution. um as a student um who um early in my career in my school career um had a teacher identify that I needed glasses that I needed something to support me. I really appreciate that folks are speaking up for themselves but also seeking um to continue the resources that we have for disabled students and so I will be supporting the stabilization resolution that's coming up on the agenda later on today. Um, I also, uh, want to uplift, uh, two of the priorities that you all mentioned. Um, I think inclusion is key to student experience at our school sites, and I just really want to appreciate the students from Skyline for continuing to uplift that as a uh, goal, as a priority. Uh, I was able to attend um, a graduation ceremony last year that the student um, leadership had at Skyline for disabled students who were graduating. And it was just such a wonderful experience to see students celebrating other students and putting the whole event together. Um we were uh able to get those students um some certificates to recognize their achievement. Um but I think that those are kind of ongoing things that I want to see and I want to figure out how we could do that across the district uh because it should be a practice that we have of inclusion everywhere. Um and then recently as of yesterday Dr. settler. Um yes, last night um I attended the Oaktown Leaders uh youth apprenticeship graduation um at um Berkeley City College where um our young people who are graduating this year who also now have they're either on the path to or currently will have as as graduating their associates degrees in early childhood education. And I want to give a shout out to the 18 Skyline students and the 36 CCPA students who are part of that program. They're already going to have the credentials

that they need to to start their education career. Uh and one of those speakers already talked about how she's going to come back to OSD to be a kindergarten teacher. And that just warms my heart because I'm like, "Yes, we need you. Yes, come back." Um and yes, Dr. Sadler and others specifically mentioned all of the openings that we have in early childhood education. So, uh, really want to make sure the career exploration is not only, um, sought at specific school sites or around specific programs, but just as a really holistic way that we're supporting our students throughout the district and want to continue to strengthen programs like that um, in other school sites as well. And thank you again for your service. Uh, it's been a pleasure getting to know all of you all, Max, for two years, uh, Director Smith for this year. And again, I really want to commend you all in the work that you've done. and I can't wait to see where you all go from here. So, thanks again. Um, Director Brohard, I will hand it back over to you.

Thank you both. I know you're heading out to study for finals. Good luck on your finals and uh look forward to hearing good things from you. I also want to give a shout out to the two students who spoke, but also to their mom who stood by them. And I think again for our students, it's having our families and moms and dads and aunties and uncles and grandmas beside us. And I think that makes all the difference in the world. So a shout out to a very lovely family moment there. We can applaud for them. Oops. Just kidding. Uh next on the agenda, we do have our active parents. We have the PAC report. So, continuing our supportive families and parents and activists. Yeah. All right. Good evening. Thank you all for uh allowing us to present uh representing the parent student advisory committee. Uh I am Demani Jackson and my son goes to Reach Academy. He's first grader.

Yeah, he's in the back. Um so first of all we want to start off by uh introducing a a new uh group uh the OS the OSD multistakeholder engagement group. Um it's a group of volunteers representing the various stakeholder groups of OD with leadership from our advisory committees including PAC in collaboration with the OD community. Our goal is to help shape how engagement and decision- making should look to inform the future of our district. Um there's been three meetings so far. Uh one was in person and two were Zoom. Uh the last meeting was based upon uh multilingual um participants and uh trying to get everyone's voice. And our next meeting is coming up. Uh will be June 1st. Everyone's welcome to come and join. Uh the meeting's from 5:30 to 8. There's also a um QR code if anyone wants to stay informed and get involved. Go ahead and uh snap that QR code and get involved. Also, we want to invite everyone to come out to our next PAC meeting, which would be next Wednesday, May 20th. Um, the public is welcome. We we love having our school board members attend. Uh, Superintendent Sadler has been there a lot and we appreciate it. Um, our next meeting will review planned revisions to the 2526 LCAP for student year 2627. we will understand which actions will stay the

same, change, end or be added to the LCAP. And um you can find a link at od.org and uh thank you. Oh, I'm sorry. Uh next up is the uh foster youth advisory committee.

Thank you so much. Um I don't know if we've been able to locate um Patty Jurgens in the participants. So if she's not able to be um promoted, I will fill in for her. Um she was the person you saw with the triple stroller last time. So um she was having a hard time connecting. So I will just um not read this, but basically say what's included. Oh yes, and Tara usually um steps in, but I can keep going. she is a member of the committee and a foster mother. So um you see the um enrollment of foster youth um from September till now and the end of year last year and it gives you a sense of the numbers and we always provide um suspension data because that is the focus of the foster youth advisories work this year. So that shows you where we were last year and where we are now comparatively. Um the um there was a very special meeting on the 28th. Um the committee met with Oak principal Nikki Williams and Misha Caragasha to discuss implementation of the foster youth suspension policy. And if people are interested in the policy, there it is. And this conversation was very interactive and really gave insight into elementary level experience implementing this. And there was there were many specific um asks of the principal and everybody in collaboration. So it's for you to review. These are very specific actions that most happen to um interrupt the suspension of foster youth. Some related to how notifications work on the ARIES system. What R.J. supports there can be in an elementary with that level of funding. Um a protected section in Aries that needs to exist. um a s a sitebased foster youth liaison at every school and um some very specific requests for presentations at the start

of this school year. There is um some outreach actions that are very specific um related to coordination of services teams and continuing the special education IEP review meetings um expanding them beyond high school which is their current focus. um be aware that um from 40% of foster youth having IEPs, now we're about 50%. So that's becoming a more um a larger area of work. So appreciation to the two staff and that was the foster youth advisories report. Uh good evening. I am JD Washan. I am the co-chair of the CAC, the Community Advisory Committee for Special Education. And um I'm going to go off script a little bit from the slides. Um I'll start um with legislative day. Uh a couple members went to Sacramento last week to discuss legislative priorities to improve how school districts serve disabled students. Um at the end of the CAC um slides, it covers some shoutouts from our last couple meetings where we heard um about encouraging efforts that have been made towards increased um inclusion of disabled students in both sports and community school communities that have been purposefully making changes for greater inclusivity. Um, and now I want to talk about the belonging resolution because if we are ever going to achieve full inclusion of disabled students, we need to ensure their basic rights. For anyone who wants a more indepth background, there's a tiny URL on the previous slide um, introducing this topic. Um uh but what I'll say about the history is that three years ago, the school district chose to save some money by closing and consolidating special education classrooms and moving the students still

in those classrooms to different schools. And you heard the impact of that earlier from um yeah um and um um children and youth experienced these removals as outright exclusion and expulsion. And um back then the staff uh that wanted these changes justified these changes by saying special education is a placement not a place. And this is language taken from the Individuals with Disabilities and Education Act and is meant to protect students from segregation, not to be used as an excuse to rip them away from their current communities. And this is a practice that is not allowed for non-disabled students. If there's an underenrolled classroom of 20 non-disabled students and four other schools had classrooms with rooms, the district would not take five and put them here and five there and five there and five there. It's not allowed. But the district has and will do this again to disabled students if we don't stop it. And that is a the very basic definition of discrimination. We in the CAC have worked very hard over the last three years and especially the last three months trying to create a resolution that will protect disabled students from this abbleist practice. And I appreciate the staff who have helped us with this and also our board liaison Rachel Lada um who met with me and Cynthia on Saturday morning to craft a final version that incorporated the concerns of the CAC in time for posting on the agenda. But what was posted is not what we agreed on. The posted version still includes the words, "A special education program may not be relocated or closed in such a way that prevents students currently enrolled in the program from the choice of

continuing to attend that school for their entirety of its grades span prior to the process requirements in this resolution being fulfilled." prior to the process requirements. This resolution would actively give formal permission and a process to the school district to discriminate. This is the opposite of what we've been working towards. The district English language learner subcommittee did not submit a report for tonight. Thank you. Are there any board comments?

Director Barry, I just have a question to clarify what we just heard because I'm just talking to director lot here in the das. So, I'll just ask it. Are were are you s saying that the resolution that's on the agenda in the form that we downloaded to prepare for tonight's meeting is not the resolution that you all collaborated on.

It's a version um that we collaborated on, but it's not the final version that um would protect disabled students. I'm sorry. Um I I assume that we would I you know just for the record had assumed we might have this discussion when we got to the items. Um but I will just say that um there have been many attempts over the last couple of months and even over the last few days to try to find a way to achieve um to end the practice of removing students with very little notice um just because they're in self-contained programs without incurring a fiscal impact because the we I think we all agree that we um do don't want to enact something right now that would have a fiscal impact. And the issue that we had have continued to run up against is um finding a compromise amongst staff that is also acceptable to CAC.

And I'll just say it's never okay to discriminate even if it's going to save money. That's just what I'll say. Guess I have a question. Director Lada is what we're seeing tonight. Uh we'll discuss it later. Thanks. Um JD, uh any board comments on the PAC? Okay. All right. There are no public comments.

Hi. Uh do we have public comment on PC?

Uh yes, we have two. That's S Obala and Matt Glacer. Okay, if uh those two speakers would come to the dis. Thank you for taking uh taking the time here. So uh we heard about the multistakeholder engagement group MSEG uh during the PAC report. We've had a few meetings and uh I've just been reflecting especially after hearing that very inspirational those very inspirational comments by the student directors uh I've been reflecting on some of the feedback we've been getting uh at those meetings. They've been very constructive uh because we're hearing a lot of the same thing which is there's a ton of skepticism that anything is going to come out of it. There's a ton of that. Uh, I've had people tell me uh very respectfully that uh we're being pretty naive here and that this is something that has been tried many times uh here in OSD. And yet some of the people involved in this group have been in this district for decades and they see a real chance for the community to step up in a way that it needs to. The problems that we have here at OSD or in OSD have been experienced by other school districts right here in this state with many of the same demographics, many of the same issues, many of the same restrictions that we find ourselves uh dealing with today. And we've seen a few instances where they've made it right over the years. They made it better. It's nothing's perfect. It's public education. the one common thread is community engagement in those places. And so to the people who

think that this isn't going to work uh or that it isn't worth doing and we should tear everything down instead, I will say that that is absolutely true if nobody shows up. If you don't show up, you know what's going to happen? Absolutely nothing. And we're going to be right here every year doing the same thing. So, please join me. The URL got obfiscated. It was OSD-MSG.org. And I hope to see you at our next meeting. Thank you. Thank you, Mrs. S.

I respect that there are many issues in this district that get a lot of attention and they deserve the attention that they're getting. particularly related to our special education students and our foster students, but I'm here to advocate for African-American students. And uh I don't see outreach to deal with their needs. I know a large percentage of our special education students, the state has mandated that you look at the disproportionately high number of African-American boys who are in special education that are getting suspended. That issue has been here a long time. It is still unresolved. I also know that we have a high number of foster students who are African-Americans. High number of uh students who are homeless or African-Americans. I I have come to the conclusion that this district is not a safe space for African-American students and parents. I will continue to pursue the language that deals with that. But the actions to make change is not going to be happening. So I I I I know that you you understand this. I'm not giving you anything that you haven't heard before. Uh at another time I'm going to talk about McClimman's. That's I'm going to give that address. But I under I have know fully well and it's not just this district. It's all across this country. African-American children are not getting the same level of attention. And that's been a historical piece. But we we will we will rise to do what we have to do. We come from a long line of people. We are progressing. I have two sons that have master's degrees. And we have in our household a

dedication to education. And that's a lot of African-American people. The highest amount of degrees in this country come from black women. So you do what you do and we going to still be here. You're not going to get rid of us no matter we get the attention we need. Thank you. Are there any other public speakers? Um, I signed up to speak during the SULPA, but I'm speaking about SULPA report. May I

do that now instead? Thank you. So, I had the opportunity to attend the SUPA legislative day last week with Rain Johnson and Cynthia, and it was really extraordinary. We um I found the legislature shockingly receptive to discussing changes to how funding is done um for education as well as just general interest in special education. Um I'm following up with all of them and I just wanted to say if any of you are interested in participating in those meetings or hearing more specifics about the nuances of the questions that they asked which is particularly interesting as we need more money from the state. Um, talk to me. We're doing that. Um, also I feel like I must say, um, thank you for having my kids speak here tonight. Um, it's really odd. I guess outrageous would be the word that we're even discussing whether or not to ensure school stability for disabled students. Um, we are in a budget crisis. This is not the area to act out of fear of cost costs related to keeping our children safely in their cohorts, in their classrooms, and their schools with their siblings. Um, I think Kaia said you wouldn't walk into a gened classroom and take all the autistic kids out, say, "Sorry, you have to leave this school." So, why would you do that if they're in a special day class? It's the same thing. It's horrible. It's bizarre. It's traumatic. Um, and it's like an affront to our students, to us as parents, to their teachers, and to the advisory board who's been working so hard on this. So, this feels like a really easy one. Um, we've worked so closely with our director of special ed on this for so many years and theoretically in practice it's actually already been going for three years. So, it's very doable and it's incredibly bizarre and and is that a word we use in this world

right now? Um, not to I can't figure it out. Anyway, thank you for all you do. Thank you for hearing my kids. Thank you. And that concludes public comment. Uh all public speakers names for this item have been called.

Thank you. Uh next on the agenda are labor partners. I don't know if there are labor partners present. Looks like UAOS is coming up. Um you have five minutes. Thank you, board. Uh Carrie Kaufman, uh president of the United Administrators of Oakland Schools. I am coming to you just to uh talk about the March 15th and May 15th process. Um there's been a lot of concerns brought to us by our members. Um both who have been noticed and who are supporting the process of notifying members. There are concerns that um around possible OEA contract issues because the May 15th hasn't been updated in a timely manner. So some of the positions that need to be there, our administrators are having a hard time communicating with employees around that. We have also had around four or five of our members who were inappropriately noticed and did not follow the law. We have still not gotten a response on that and we are very concerned about that. Um, so those were the concerns that I did want to raise up. I'm I'm hoping to speak and work to resolve them soon. And I thank you for your time.

Thank you. Are there any labor partners online? Currently, I see no hands raised for collective bargaining units online.

Thank you. Uh, next on the agenda, we have the superintendence report. Good evening, President Bruhard, members of the board, staff, students, families, and members of our Oakland community. As we move toward the close of the 2025 2026 school year, I am pleased to share updates this evening in three important areas that reflect both the heart and the responsibility of our work in the Oakland Unified School District. First, um I'll have highlights from across our schools and community. And second, a preview of our end of the year report on suspensions, expulsions, and the systems of support we continue to strengthen for our students. Mr. Saba, um, and third, an update regarding the OSD's fiscal solveny and our accountability roadmap moving forward. Before turning to those reports, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the incredible spirit, partnership, and pride that continues to define Oakland Unified. Um, on April 29th, I had the privilege of attending the official ribbon cutting for the new um, FIFA um, soccer pitch at Montter Middle School. This beautiful new field represents what is possible when schools, community organizations, and partners come together on behalf of young people. The project was made possible through a partnership between

Monta Middle School, FIFA, US Soccer, Oakland United, and Oakland Genesis as part of the celebration leading up to the upcoming World Cup. I also had a chance to see one of my former students um from Mont Clair uh as a part of the team that afternoon. It was truly an honor to stand alongside principal Latoya Williams and Oland native Olympics civil medalist and Bay FC co-founder Danielle Sllayton to cut the ribbon. I also want to recognize Montara's threetime OAL champion girls soccer team whose presence and pride made the event even more special. Moments like these remind us that our schools are not only places of learning, but centers of opportunity, wellness, teamwork, and community connection. In addition, on April 23rd, thousands of students and families and educators and community members came together for our third annual litfest right here. Uh it was a powerful celebration of literacy and the joy of reading. We launched the event with a news conference alongside President Bruhard, Mir Lee, the Oakland Literacy Coalition, the EatL, Learn, Play Foundation, many educators, families, and students, all united around a shared commitment to literacy and academic achievement. The event culminated in our end of the year reading challenge encouraging students across Oakland to read at least 20 minutes each day through May 15th. That's this Friday as a part of our ongoing effort to reinforce the message

that Oakland is truly a reading town. I really want to sincerely thank our dedicated staff and partners for organizing such a well- attended and an inspiring event. From book giveaways to literacy activities, student exhibits, family engagement opportunities that day reflected the very best of Oakland Unified and our unwavering commitment to supporting every child as a reader, thinker, and learner. These celebrations are important because they reflect the broader story of who we are as a district. resilient and innovative, student centered and deeply connected to community. Tonight's reports will continue that story as we discuss both our progress and responsibility to ensure safe, supportive schools and a fiscally stable future for the students and families we proudly serve. I next want to highlight um Oakland Goes Outdoors is celebrating their 1,000th trip. This is a phenomenal program which takes students outdoors. Um most recently Frick United uh Academy of Language was the a thous had the thousandth student trip um that went outdoors which was this program was launched in 2018. The students went um to the Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park in the Oakland Hills. They hiked around um a natural space. Um they were ena able to experience um what it was like to um deal with the gear, hiking gear um and just um experience the beauty of the community at large. Many of our students have not been in our Oakland Hills to see some of our beautiful parks. Many of the students have never camped

overnight. Um, this is a phenomenal program. I um I had a chance to visit students um when UPO was out um on a a trip. So I am really excited to acknowledge that particular program. Then another highlight I want to u mention is that um we had a chance uh the senior leadership team to visit and this is a part of a program I have now. The whole team goes out to schools to um visit sites and we were able to visit our outstanding educators. Um one at Castlemont High School they were um who was receiving a teacher of the year acknowledgement. We were able to um visit her classroom and observe her work with newcomer students. We also visited another uh engineering teacher um where they were going over their capstones and explaining um it was incredible their knowledge, their vocabulary, the the understanding of many um many issues and challenges that we're facing in the city. And I can't wait to get our city administrator to come and see some of the ideas that our students have. So that those are some of the highlights and there are many many more that I'll be bringing to our next meeting. And now I'd like to move into the second area of my report which has to do with expulsions, suspensions, and our systems of support. And this is something that um I know Miss Assada has brought this up almost at every meeting and I want to make sure um everybody's real clear about the work that we do in this area. Um I'm going to ask Misha to join me and make this part of the presentation.

Good evening everyone. Oh yes, if I can control it. Good evening board directors, uh, Superintendent Sadler. My name is Misha Kadigasha and I'm the director of student support and safety. Uh, this presentation today will be specifically around the expulsion and suspended expulsions process and the data along with systems of support that we are implementing as well and for your preview on that slide. So the DHP process and how which is the disciplinary hearing panel which is the referral for expulsion process. First a site administrator uh determines if the incident meets expulsion criteria that's based on the OSD discipline and intervention matrix. If according to our board approved disciplinary intervention matrix that the incident or the situation or behavior meets the criteria for an expulsion referral, then the then the principal will notify our office and then also contact their network superintendent. No referral can be directly submitted to our office unless it is unless it is signed off by the network superintendent. So the network superintendent must also review it, agree that this is something that meets the criteria of our discipline and intervention matrix and if the network superintendent signs off on it or approves it, then it can go to the next step. There is one there's a couple protections that are also there particularly for students with IEPs. So, if a student is suspended and going to have a referral for expulsion, a manifestation determination must be held or 6010 for any student with an IEP or a 504. In that meeting, it is determined by the group of teams that includes staff, that includes parents. it is determined that the behavior is a result of the uh

students uh disability and or a failure by the district or site to implement the IEP then it is stopped at that moment and does not move forward. If all those things pass then it comes to an expulsion hearing. An expulsion hearing is held by an OSD facilitator, either myself or mostly Renee Garcia, who you all see a lot, and along with two other panel members. We have a group of about six or seven panel members that are retired OSD administrators who always sit on the panel as well. And after the hearing is presented, the three people, the two panel members and the facilitator will make a determination um as to whether or not um the student is reinstated back to the school because it didn't meet the requirements of an expulsion or whether or not we recommend to the board um for an expulsion or a suspended expulsion to the school board. And so that is the process of how that this situation plays out. This slide is the current data numbers that we have for this school year up until I think about what do I have till May 7th that there were initial of 76 referrals um that were communicated to us of possible expulsions that were going to be from the school site. 23 of those 76 were stopped at the manifestation determination meeting and or was withdrawn from the school site based on other reasons. Out of those uh the remaining ones, they were 18 uh of the uh of the cases of the hearings were found the student was not expelled or referred for expulsion, was either reinstated back to the school site or the parent chose to go to a different school. Five of those cases were uh uh were voted on to be a suspended expulsion,

which means the student is can is on basically a uh probation contract and is reinstated either back to their original school site or placed at a different school site. And 19 of the total 76 ended in an actual expulsion where the student was assigned to um Alama County Office Education's Quest program either in Oakland or in or in Hayward. This is the same data over the last five year or five years. Um again the total number of referrals on the left. The blues are ones that were dismissed or withdrawn due to either uh manifestation meeting and or withdrawn by the site. and then those that were resulted in a suspended expulsion and or expulsion along with readmissions and admissions. And so this data is over the last five years. This number is based on kids who are on suspended expulsion. Again, these are kids that are kind of put on a behavior contract. We are still allowing them to attend our OSD schools um either at their original school site or at another one. And this basically is to look at the repeat um looking at disciplinary actions. Are they showing an increase in disciplinary actions when we do these suspended expulsions? And for the most part, they are not. Um students are being either back to their school site or to another one. And very few are continuing to repeat behaviors um at their new sites. about a year or in the middle of last year, uh we did finally get a case manager that was specifically we could use for supporting students in this process, especially if transitioning from one school to another, whether they were expelled to the county school or they were being on a suspended expulsion in place at a different school. Um in the past, a lot of these students would just show up the next day at their placement place. They show up in the office, I'm here. The school's looking

at them like, I'm not ready for you. The parents are mad because there wasn't any what we like to believe in the best practice is re-entry uh welcome circles. And so our case manager has been heavily focused on this that any student through the disciplinary process if they are changing schools either to the county or from the county coming back to us or going to a different school. Um our case manager is facilitating and organizing a re-entry circle at the new place. And what this instills is that she is meeting and coordinating with the family first to see who do they need at the school site to be at this meeting. Is the kid interested in sports, music, uh therapist and making sure that who the family needs to be at this initial meeting. Then she organizes for the staff, an administrator, whoever the other folks that community school managers that might need to be there. And so it's a place if it's an organized welcome place where a plan can be put in place from day one. and it's not a kid just happened to I was struggling at this school and I'm showing up here and the new staff is like I'm not even sure what I need to have and information for that and so that has been in place over the last um school year which has been very helpful um and it also helps this process should actually be done for any new kid whether it's foster youth whether it's McKenna Vento any student moving from place to place and so our ideas to help grow this and I know uh the work that Hattie Tate does with JJC students as well is doing this But how do we incorporate these re-entry circles for all of our students who are really also struggling and moving from place to place? And then again students, these are kind of the supports that they receive through the re-entry circle and what things are determined the different types of tier one services, type tier 2 services or type three. Not every student needs all of these or at these levels, but at the re-entry circle when you have all the right people there, including the family, these things can be discussed and serviced and um assigned or supported for those

students. And that is it for me. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Misha. I really wanted to make sure the community and the board had the latest information. And I know that you normally have a final report at the end of the year culminating all the data for this the total school year, but I appreciate you bringing this um information to the community so we're aware of what happens when we take these actions, what actually happens and what's behind the work. Um, I believe Hattie Tate is in the audience and I want to acknowledge her service, continued service and uh, she is retiring this year, but she has been one of the people who has been in the forefront fighting to make sure that our students receive the appropriate supports when they return. Thank you very much.

Thank you all very much. Appreciate it. Can you leave it there? So, so now I'm going to ask uh Tara Guard to come forward to give an update um to the board and the community on our fiscal sovereignty accountability roadmap. Thank you, Sarah.

Yes, thank you. Good evening, superintendent board. Appreciate you and I am here tonight in Terra Guard. uh deputy superintendent business and operations and I am here with our chief financial officer and is he pulled up on the Ryan Nuen he's on the zoom and then also we have our support from HYA so Dr. for Ruben Frutos. Each of us will take a a minute or two to walk through where we are today. Uh I wanted to just start off with the context and um and just name that we have since December of 2025 um we've been talking and working through a structural deficit of over a hundred million. and we have done our best as a team. We have a a great team of people who are behind the scenes that are working to help us through the deficit that we were facing as a district. Um we focused on fiscal stabilization and long-term sustainability. That's been our focus. We've worked to improve our cash flow and we are going to talk about the implementation progress that we've made so far. Um and just to talk back again about December and you as we talk as a team where we saw um there was a choice that we had to make. We had two two roads we can go down. One was the first to take another loan and the other was to work towards a different plan because at the time our previous staff

had recommended that we certify negative. Had we certified negative I'm sorry I am presenting but I'm not sure. Director Hutcherson were Were Were were you talking to me? Okay. Well, you're talking so I wasn't quite sure. No, you were just you were interrupting my presentation. I'm sorry. I didn't know. Okay, I hear you. Thank you very much. Thank you. Nobody had chatted and I was just I'm sorry.

Okay. Um No, it's okay. It's okay. I asked a question because you seemed like you were had something to say to me and I I will hear it. Okay. Thank you. Thank you very much. So, we had two paths to go. one was a state loan or the other was to work through a plan. And um what the board enacted and approved was to move forward with a plan. And so that's what we've been doing. Talking about plans, there's been a lot of uh information going around about do we have a plan, do we not have a plan? Uh, one thing that I do I would hope that the community can hear, we're not the only district that is struggling. There are a lot of districts in California and surrounding us that are struggling with their budgets. If you go and you look at what are the things that they're trying to do to solve it, mostly it's all the things that we're talking about. Um, and it's it's actually been what's been in many of our plans in the last I would say eight years. We've had the blueprint plan. We've had the three Rs. We've had the fiscal sustainability plan. We've had the fiscal vitality plan. We've had attachment A. We've had attachment B. We've had attachment C. And I'm not saying that to minimize the need of a plan, but we've got to be real with ourselves that we keep coming forward with plans and we're still pretty much in the same place. So for our team, we talking about the plan that we're working through, but also the execution and then the followup and then continuing to bring things

forward to the board. That's what we're working towards. So progress to date uh since this time and you can see here we've reduced the structural deficit by more than 65 million. Um and we've implemented expenditure controls which have come to the board already and and you are aware about. We've worked through some workforce. So, you've already voted and approved reductions to our workforce, which is what has helped um with our progress for our budget. And we've also looked at how we're spending our restricted dollars. And we are doing that compliantly. We're working with our auditor. We're going through what can we and how can we use our restricted dollars so that we're not just going to general funds first because we have to really be careful with our general funds. And so here we are are talking about our qualified certification on our second interim and many people already know our uh we certified qualified one thing that I'm not sure if our community knows and I was looking back at the last 25 years and in our last 20 years our second interim we've certified qualified the last 20 years except for one year. I believe it was 2015 it was positive. So again, it's how are we going to bring ourselves out of the repeat and the repeat and the repeat. Um what does it mean to have a qualified budget? qualified means that we're we believe we're going to remain solvent, but there

is concern and um and so we're working through that and our county office has named it. We understand, we've heard it. Um but we're working through our budget every day and that's what it's going to take is the discipline to do that. And so now I am going to turn it over to Dr. Futos and then I'll be back.

Thank you, Tara. Uh good evening board directors. Um I'm very pleased to bring to you some uh new work that the district is doing. So, as we do budget development and and you know that we finished second interim, we're working on third interim, we're also working on the AB1200 for our OEA settlement. But budget development is very important because it's going to take us through the next three years. So, budget development will be focused on four major areas. Uh we want to ground ourselves in reality. I'm a little bit sad that we're presenting to you today because tomorrow is the May revision. So if we had this meeting tomorrow night, you would have different numbers, which is the premise of this presentation. We It's okay. It's okay. You're you're right. It would be it would be hopefully better. But one of the reasons why why it's good that we present today is that today you will see a new format for how we're doing budget development. So grounded in reality definitely multi-year focus uh because we want to make sure that the decisions have an impact uh that the board decides for multiple years cash flow driven you you'll hear us talk a lot about cash flows today and there's a reason we want to make sure that we can meet our obligations now and in the subsequent two years and that separation between restricted and unrestricted that we've been telling the board about since January where we noted is that the unrestricted side of our budget was depleted and the restricted side was not. So what does that mean? As we present this series of slides today's you will see us ask you what do you think about this concept and there are two concepts that we're bringing forward to you today. When our CFO presents you will see a chart that shows cash flows over time. Now, this is the beginning of what we hope to present to the board all

the time. Beginning ideas. This is where you can say that makes absolutely no sense. It looks erroneous. It's a beginning idea. What we notice is a sequence that at certain times of the year, almost every year, we are in a difficult situation. Cash flow. You need to see that because that will allow us to better manage our cash through the year. And whether it's a little bit more or a little bit less, it'll change as of tomorrow. You need to see that there are times of the year when we have a challenge. So it's it allows us to begin to think. There's another slide where you will see ranges. Some points when we were talking to you in the past, you said, well, sometimes you come at the very end with numbers and these numbers, we didn't know where they're coming from. Well, now you get to see where they're coming from. As we are doing budget development, you get to see a range and you get to say and criticize and shake your head that perhaps the number is is is wrong. It's an estimate, but you are seeing budget development weeks before we come to you with a report. And as we mentioned, that range will change even tomorrow. So this is something where you can begin to see what the district is thinking about for budget development and you get to see numbers that eventually will turn into the budget. Next slide please. So what is the criteria for budget development? Oh so I wanted to mention there is a slide there. One of the things that you notice is what are the major impacts in the budget and there are four categories that we will be focusing on as we do budget development and financial reporting for you on a regular basis. Staffing costs of course we're a staffing type of entity. Our contracts and I want to thank our labor partners when we have been working with them and I've had the pleasure of being at some

of the meetings when they're talking about the budget. Contracts is something that they have brought to our attention. uh attendance obviously we've discussed that the difference between attendance and enrollment and operational costs. So what is our strategy that we will be recommending to the board especially after tomorrow that if there is a settle delay that 5x 5.6 six billion that the governor might be delaying that we wait to see when they'll repay it. And you see that in our charts, you'll see that when we were doing a cash flow analysis presented to the county office before we had information, it was a very steady amount. When you see our line charts, you see that there's the potential if that money is held that at the beginning of the year will be depleted and second semester it'll come up. So we want you to see the thinking that we have as we do budget development. We want to treat discretionary grants as one-time money. One of the challenges is when a discretionary comes, it won't necessarily come in the future. Any u solveny plans uh require that we show you the information well in advance and no speculation. um for our budget solutions for next year. We believe that there's an upside to the budget depending on again what the news are tomorrow of around $30 million which is good news for us. One of the messages that is very important is although we think the budget as as presented tomorrow and as adopted at the state level will be good for us, it is not the complete solution for our structural deficits. We need to continue the rigorous plan that the board has had since December and I will echo what the deputy superintendent said. There is a plan and you've been directing us to do it and that it continues that we look at the cola as a benefit that we look at the grants as

benefits but that we continue looking at our budget on a regular basis to make sure that we are addressing all the concerns. And that stems from the fact again that the board has said we we don't want to see numbers just at the end. We want to see numbers as things are being developed. And that's what we're bringing to you for the for the first time today. Why is cash flow so important? Well, there's a little box on the right side. as we were looking at how our cash flow has been for many years in the past and how it is right now at times of the year even in between uh the time when we come to you let's say with an interim report and we come with an adoption there can be a fluctuation of millions of dollars why is that well I was talking to our fiscal team and we all agreed there's no way for any of you or any of us to predict exactly when the state is going to send us the money and you know that the property taxes come around December but notice we always say around. So for us if we have a circumstance where we are having a cash flow issue being precise is almost impossible because we are you know depending on on the revenue but we can manage when we pay how we do contracts how we manage our expenditures how we obligate ourselves that takes us to where we are today. One of the challenges that we have had and I know Dr. Sadler has been guiding us very well through this because she even told you at one meeting that she's been watching our expenditures and for a while it was being done on a daily basis is that we sometimes spend even near the end of the year which creates that potential situation of of our money. So you are hearing what we're thinking about that's something that we need to correct. we need to begin to pare down the expenditures a bit earlier in the year so that when year end comes we we are better prepared for budget development and for cash flow analysis. So again

giving you a preview of what will happen throughout the budget development in next year. And now I'm we're going to turn it over Cara to our CFO who will Hi there. I'm on Zoom. Okay.

Thank you. Uh good evening board directors and um uh superintendent. Uh I'll be speaking uh about the uh fiscal uh solveny of our district. Uh this question if it will be insolvent in 25 26 26 27 and 2728. Um as uh as uh Mr. Rubin has mentioned historically seasonality is clear. O USD experiences large negative cash movement early in the year, strong revenue receipts around December, January, and spring property tax periods, and heavy June dispersement and approval activities. The 2627 state budget assumptions improve the outlook, especially the uh 2.4% COLA and uh the proposed onetime discretionary block ramp, but these uh do not uh eliminate the structural deficit or the need for reductions. Uh the projection shows no uh total no uh total general uh fund cash insolveny under the uh known conditions but uh projected uh usable liquidity can become constrained if the ongoing fiscal stability plan does not continue to improve district solveny. Uh I've been managing cash flow for our district for the last uh I would say uh 10 15 years and so uh um we manage it on a on a monthly basis and we work closely with the uh the uh the uh the county as well. Um with that uh we'll go to the next slide. Can someone forward uh the next slide?

I'll turn it for you.

Thanks. Okay. budget cost criteria. Uh O USD OEA settlement cost analysis. Uh we completed this uh and we're finalizing or we're getting ready for uh to report to the uh county. With the settlement with OEA, the board accomplished the continuing ed of instructional programs by averting a strike and a two-year contract that will preserve academic stability until the end of uh 2627. Uh the costs while significant are part of the board directive plan for fiscal actions that seek to protect programs through budget reductions enabling def uh deficit containment. The current uh district fiscal projections allow for the payment of the uh settlement obligations assuming that the established fiscal solveny measure continue in the outgo outgoing years. Um so we have 2526 which is in the current year. Then we have 2627 next year. And then 20 uh uh 728 um 13 million uh that uh we're uh we're projected uh to be paid out this year uh or next year but definitely recorded uh to expenditure and then next year about 328 million and then in the final year about 62 million. With that uh I return uh back to Tara.

Thank you Ryan. Just need our slide back up. We just need the slide back up. Thank you. Um, wanted to just make note and reiterate that we're going to have to need an ongoing fiscal discipline. So we just we're in a place um that is difficult and no one has said anything other than that. We are on the edge and we've been working hard to make sure that this district remains solvent and so we have to prioritize some of the things that we're doing. We're looking at enrollment um enrollmentbased staffing alignment or central office overhead. So, we've already done central office uh reductions, but we'll continue to have to look at that going forward. There's a district-wide right size right sizing analysis. So, we know what that is and we've talked about it. We have to look also at our special education program and the um cost that has increased. And that's not to say that we shouldn't invest in in special education. It's being disciplined about looking at why the costs are increasing the way they are. um and also to our labor negotiations to just be really grounded in where we're at when we're at the table and to make um the right decisions and work with our

unions on that. So, we'll continue to prioritize the work that we're doing. And all we could do at this point is to show you, and what I mean by that is we're getting close to the third interim, getting close to um closing our our books. You'll see the AB1200 that will go to the county and you'll see where we're at. Um we again we qualified we certified qualified for first interim and second interim and that was accepted both times by the county but in that second interim there was not the OEA agreement and that was because of the dates of which you do the second interim. It wasn't because we were holding anything back. It's because those are the dates that you do it and it will be in the third. Um here is just very quickly um just what we wanted to say here is we're ahead of the May revise. So what we're trying to do is give ranges of where we're planning just like if you're planning your own budgets and you're trying to see what we think could have. So this is the numbers that we've had from projected for 2526 and the next two years. and we need to work on our path forward. So again, that structural alignment, cost containment, revenue, integrity, cash, and fiscal discipline. And I'll say it again, these items that I've talked about, if you go back and you look at other districts that are facing the same issues, you're going to see the same strategies. It's just a matter of doing it, being disciplined, being honest, working through it together

at and looking at every single dollar that we have and how we're using it. Um, and I wanted to end here where we are and I'm going to read these because for us as a team it's important and we've been um talking about it a lot and that this district is not ignoring its fiscal challenges. We are not ignoring our fiscal challenges. We're not trying to make anyone believe that we don't have a challenge. We've said it clearly that we do and we're working through them. We are actively addressing them. We're meeting its fin we as a district are meeting its financial obligations. We are protecting student programs and we were able to avert a strike and that does mean something and it is important for our students to avert strikes. We'll continue our plan of implementation. We as a district will maintain its fiscal solveny efforts and we are on a path towards long-term solveny because that's where we have to be. There's no other option for us because the other options would mean that we're not making our own decisions. And everything that as long as I've been working in Oakland and everything that we are about should be that we're working together. board, community, students, employees, all of us working together, even if we disagree, talking about it. And one other thing that I want to name that uh we as a team in our budget and and operations team, we're talking about is that we have to improve our communication. Um there's been a lot of communication that goes out about our budget and we're

working really hard to get in the numbers to get things closed out to to do the work and we have not been well and good at communicating ourselves so that people really understand where we see ourselves at. So you will see some improvements. We're going to hold ourselves accountable to putting our budget reports up on our website to providing more uh financial information and we'll do that as soon as we have the May revise which hopefully tomorrow and we can be able to come back here to the board and give you an update of where we are once we have those new May revised members. So I thank you for your time and this was our calendar.

Um just lastly the calendar just kind of just walk through what's

sure you want me to walk through? Yes. This is the calendar coming forward again. May revise is we're hoping we should hear it tomorrow. Um in May that will help us to finish out our multi-year budgeting planning. Um we will be doing providing the AB1200 and the third interim to the county coming up here in May. In June, we will have the board approved third interim um which is due. We'll reconcile our cash flow and we will adopt our budget June by June 30th. Um you'll also be looking at the LCAP which actually will be in our next board meeting coming up in May. We'll close out the books July and August. We're going to be doing the unodudit actuals. Um we'll be monitoring our payroll cost and we'll be back at it again in September. And when we come back in September, we're going to be hitting our budgets hard um and working with our sites and principles on um information that they should get earlier in the year so that they can do their planning as well. You're welcome. you want. Let's see. This work will require continued discipline. I want to underscore that partnership, transparency, and we will continue to si uh seek support and work with ACE. We have been all along. We will provide regular updates regarding

fiscal efforts and results and make the decisions necessary to ensure long-term stability. I want to thank um our staff for their um ongoing work and dedication in this area and for other partners around their oversight and collaboration. And I want to thank the board for your leadership in this area. We're not finished, but we're making real measurable pro progress and we are moving in the right direction and it's going to take everybody focused in order to accomplish that goal. Thank you very much.

Thank you. We'll take board comments first and then public comments after that. Director Lada.

Director Hutchinson.

Yes. Thank you. So, I'm actually surprised that there's any mention of the finances and budget on the agenda tonight because this is the first time that it's happened since March. And it's really disappointing that instead of the board president agendaizing a business item so we could have a full discussion that this was buried in the superintendence report. Now, I have a real problem seeing the community get lied to. So the description of this December meeting that I read in here is not accurate at all. When the first interim came forward with a recommendation of a negative certification, that recommendation came from from the superintendent whose staff helped develop it. So to say that other staff recommended it is just not true. Also in December, we were not presented with a choice of take out a loan and go into receiverhip or do something else. That wasn't what the presentation was. And lastly, when scenario 3 was adopted by the board, Superintendent Sadler said more than once, "A scenario is not a plan. This is not a plan." Now all of a sudden, they want to call it a plan. Unfortunately though, that's not the worst part here. Also, I hope people were listening as we hear language about we're still working on costing out the OEA tenative agreement and we are still planning on sending it to the county means that in 2 and 1/2 months that work hasn't been done, two and a half months. But more than anything else, the issue I have and what I want clarification on are these numbers in here about our cash flow and the projected budget are different than the numbers that were just submitted to the county on April

30th in response to our notice of going concern. On that document that was submitted to the county on the 30th, it said our ending cash fund balance in June of 27 would be $16 million. That's what the document shows. I have the photo of it right here in my phone. On this document, it says the ending cash balance is a range of 150 to 180 million. Where did that number come from? because it's not the same that was just submitted to the county. And I sent this question out to everyone and got no answer. Then the other thing is what was submitted to the county on that same cash flow analysis projected expenditures for next year at a billion dollar on here. It says a range of 900 to 940 million. How did these numbers change? Why is there a discrepancy between numbers that are only weeks apart? Why did you submit realer numbers to the county than you're presenting here to the community? Now, I think we should really have another round because this is the most important thing that we need to talk about, but the numbers don't add up to the numbers that were just submitted by Miss Guard to the county on April 30th. So, what changed these numbers? What are the real numbers? And if our cash flow balance is really going to end next year at 16 million, that shows we will not be able to make it through the next school year. Lastly, when we are operating the right way as a district, in May, we get a draft budget for the following year. That's the timeline that we used to always work on. Now, we hear people talking about they're still working on developing it. This is scandalous. And I want an explanation about how the numbers changed because I can show you the numbers that were submitted to the

county and they're not the same as these numbers. So what happened and what happened to the non-compensation items that we agreed to in OEA's tenative agreement that are not accounted for here at all. What is going on? Because this isn't a small difference. We're talking about a difference of tens of millions of dollars. And in the ending cash balance, we're talking about a difference of almost $150 million. This is not small. And so I want an explanation from somebody because as a board we're supposed to be in charge of the finances. We're supposed to vote to direct these things. So what's happening? Or is this this a result of forcing out our CBO, hiring outside consultants instead instead of taking free help from the county and rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic by appointing somebody else in charge of the financial department internally? So what are the real numbers and who can certify those for me? Please, Miss Guard, do you want to answer that m or Dr. Ftos? Thank you, board president. I'm I'm happy to answer it. You know, it is it is um I think it is useful to us for uh board directors to challenge what we are presenting to you. And one of the reasons is that a range is something very clear that everyone can understand. This is our thinking. We believe our balance will start at 250 to 270 million. I couldn't find a May uh budget development document from last year. So, I will look for it because that will be something that I'm sure you're used to. And uh and and what we were trying to do is actually give you something similar to say this is where we are today prior to May revision. This is what we're thinking. The numbers have to be

different. We presented numbers in January and now we're presenting numbers from April. Excuse me. Point of clarification, I'm speaking specifically about the numbers that were submitted to the county on April 30th on a document by Miss Guard. So, I don't know why you're presenting and talking about January. That wasn't my question. And I don't want to go back and forth like the last time that he tried to do. So, I would like an answer from Miss Guard who's supposed to be in charge and who signed her name to the other numbers and now made the presentation on these numbers. Why are they different?

So, I think I'm answering that. Director Hutchinson. uh we had a series of numbers that we presented in January as of January without some of the settlements. Then in April we presented numbers that were current then we are bringing now numbers that are going to be current as of AB123rd interim.

So why did the cash flow uh amount ending balance go up by $150 million in two weeks? And it's not true. So, if you added in contracts, that doesn't make the cash flow and the ending uh balance go up. That would make it decrease. And again, I don't want a consultant who has an awful reputation answering these questions when we have district staff here, Superintendent Sadler, and I would like the staff whose name was on the documents I'm referring to, to answer the question because what he just said is just not true at all. That's just not accurate. I'm I'm going to remind us I think it's one thing to ask critical questions. I think it's one thing to ask them, you know, in a heated way. I think it is not okay to insult people.

Well, I would like an answer to the question. We have responsibility over a billion dollars a year. So, if I can't get an answer to a question to be able to uh solidly fulfill my fidiciary responsibility, that's a real problem. And what I was asking is not crazy. I sent it to Miss Gar ahead of time. People were aware that I was going to be asking this. I've been asking it. So, I want an explanation of the difference between those numbers. Why did the cash flow balance go from 16 million on what was submitted on the 30th to now this range of 150 to 180 million? That's not a small change.

Can you can you let the two representatives answer the question, please? So as I said the cash flow that we are presenting is the latest information we have from the financial system. Now before we get into an argument board members we are getting close to having unodudited actuals. That will be the number that's audited. So there will be no back and forth or challenges. Unodited actuals don't come out until the fall. And that's not the question that I'm asking. No, I I've asked a real specific question. And so the fact that people are avoiding it is really really a problem

cuz the cash flow balance the cash fund is the combination between our restricted and unrestricted dollars. There is nothing that's happened in the district. Nothing explained here to say why it's gone up now in a positive of 150 million in two weeks. Okay, Director Hutchinson, I'm going to let him answer the question so that others can also excuse me, let others ask their questions as well, but let Dr. Futtos finish his answer, please.

So, the cash flow report that we will continue to provide and there will be an update is based on the latest information we have from the financial system. Period. Uh, Director Williams, I'm sorry, Director Thompson. Um,

thank you very much. I want to go back to the beginning of your report because it really meant a lot to me. You can stay there, sir. Um um but um you talked about the litfest and what means a lot to me is excuse me the reading of children and research has proven that if children read for 20 minutes a day only and if they do that for the entire year they're exposed to 1 mill800,000 words and so I want to appreciate you for actually helping to promote the idea that children are supposed to read and you uh you specifically identified 20 minutes a day. So I really really appreciate that. Thank you very kindly. But I I wanted to ask a question now going to the budget side. Okay. I want to ask a question but I think um Director Hutchinson was alluding to what I was going to ask and then I think you responded. So I'm going to just say it anyway. You don't have to respond to it. I'm really wondering about the specific items that we're going to actually include in our AB uh 1200 because I know that's something that I'm sure most of us if not all of us are really concerned about when we're looking at this looming deficit that we have and then we have this um possible TA that that's supposed to take place but we want to make sure that we have adequate funds and so but I totally understand the idea of if your bank, you know, your bank book is not balancing, you have to figure out things so that next month you can meet the obligations. I'm speaking of our personal accounts now, but I know we're looking at a big account here because we're looking at almost a billion dollars. And so we want to make certain that we are actually

um we're able to pay for the things that we're um we've sort of signed on the contract to do. So I'm not sure if you want to deal with that now. You don't have to if you don't want to because I think that's going to that like I said it has come up tangentially in what director Hudson presented and I'm kind of concerned about it and I'm sure others are concerned about it also. You know, director Thompson, the the questions that director Hutchinson asked are very similar. So, let me answer it in the way we have been uh working in our process. Um, a few weeks ago as we were looking at the contract, there were some particulars that were difficult to calculate. Uh, the contract includes some elements that were approved where certain positions, if they have specializations, for example, will get an additional compensation. The challenge is to look at every individual and see if they qualify or not. So what we did and I want to thank Janine and Tara and everyone that part we went line by line through the contract to see what impact does it have, who does it impact and try to figure out will this person qualify. It it was it was a task but I I can tell you that allowed the team to feel comfortable with the amount that they presented today. it was a little more uh more work that when you say when you have a percentage increase for a particular number of people let's say so what you will see in the AB1200 is the actual number that adds every component that was approved in the TA with OEA and they're aware that that was done that it was it was to that level now just a word of caution as we go into next year if we hire individuals that fit into that criteria that have those specializations and come onto the district, those numbers will continue to fluctuate because every individual that comes in or that goes and gets that

certification and gets hired into a position that qualifies will have an increased cost. So, as we all look at things, one of the things to remember is that we have a live document that will continue to evolve. But what is real right now is that we believe we have a costing item that allows us to pay it this year and keep moving forward with the increases for the subsequent years. Does does that answer it? Okay,

yeah, I mean I um so I I appreciate this presentation. Um and I think for me the thing that um I would also like to appreciate is that I have often um you know I you know I do think that there is concern in the community because people you know there was talk of taking a loan in the fall and whether we would be insolvent and whether we would run out of money. And so I just want to appreciate um uh Ryan Wyn for putting up that cash flow graph but then also being transparent about the times of the year. We know that this is a, you know, something that has come up for years and years that I think even even I don't even know how recently we would take like a bridge loan from the county when we would have these cash flow crunches. And so I appreciate that there is transparency around when times are lean and what are the proactive things that we're doing to address that because I do think that um ao the dedication that I have seen to maintaining local control even when it has meant that we've made some pretty difficult decisions. I think I just want to commend the people up here who have made some of those very hard votes and the things that I I think a lot of people have sacrificed. Um and I do want to kind of ask though we you mentioned executing on things that we have agreed to because um we have seen many concepts come up over and over and over again in our district. Can you explain what are the can you give an example of some of the practices that you're putting in place now and this probably you to you um Miss Guard to ensure that we are implementing these um components with fidelity and that we're not backsliding um or you know letting things you know kind of the I always use the copier contract it's like been on the thing for

a million years and we never do it. So, um that I think that would be helpful.

Sure. Along the lines of contracts, um we do have the outsourcing committee. I did meet with them and heard um their recommendations and there are there's work in the procurement office that they've been doing. We've been looking at we have so many contracts, but we're looking at aligning those um reducing down the number of contracts that companies may have with different schools, different departments. Maybe they have 20 different contracts you'll find where we need a master contract. So, we're trying to address that. Um, we're looking at um we're looking at our position control again. We did when uh our former CBO was here, she did great work, she and I did together on systems for the position control. But what's happened after we've gotten our position control together, meaning everybody who is an employee has a number, their position is following them. But after we do budget development, what we see is sites and departments changing positions quickly right after we do our budget development process. And it does cause um some fluctuations that we weren't expecting some um some changes to the budget that we're having to work through. It shouldn't be that way. we when we're we've gone through our budget process, it shouldn't be then a month later or less, you're having to change many different roles. So, and that um actually wasn't coming to board as much as it it really should have. So, we're going to be bringing that to the board

so that you're more made aware and or ratifying or approving um some of those changes that it hadn't been coming in the past. So, right now what I'm saying might seem like what but it is something that we need to address. So, those are some things I can keep talking about them but Yeah. No, I think I think that's helpful those examples. Thank you, Dr.

Williams. Uh just want to thank you for um coming up and being transparent about the budget. I think that uh it's easy to uh you know always move this this fear, uncertainty, doubt, this level of of dread or financial collapse. But what actually you've done is, you know, had a straightforward conversation. You talked about financial controls in place. Uh those controls weren't in place previously or we wouldn't be in this position there. If they were actually in place previously, we wouldn't even be talking about this. We actually this board actually came in and inherited a bad budget previously. So, I think we kind of it's easy to deflect. Let me deflect what has happened in the past and talk about today and then say how y'all are not doing a job. But if the job was done properly before, we would not actually be in this position right now. Thank you. Also, I want to appreciate you for implementing structural uh corrective actions. It shows that we are taking this serious. We've made it very clear that things need to change. A culture of accountability needs to be implemented and we're doing that and moving it forward. Want to thank you again for being in full compliance with the state. Thank you very much. We hit our deadlines and we don't know we more conversation will happen tomorrow after the revised budget. But also what we know that in OSD every single year

our unodudited actuals are way higher than the projections. Uh let's be really clear. We're talking about projections. We're projecting we're not is not the actual actuals. The actuals come this summer and the actuals actually in will show where the revenue is. So folks are arguing back and forth over projections and those projections have ranges and they're up and down. We don't get them right every single time, but they're projections. And now as we're moving towards the end, if you if you happen to look at our budget, every single year we've had an actual revenue uh revenue that comes in at higher than projections. So let's let's work through this process. We're open to work through with the community. And I just appreciate that um you know you are making and and I see that your con your projections are conservative as well. So I really want to thank you for bringing that experience in and having a conversation with us. Thank you

Director Barry. So, first, uh, I do want to appreciate that I did ask for budget to be on the agenda, and it is on the agenda. I didn't expect it to be folded into the superintendent's report, which is not a problem inherently. Uh, I think it's relevant for you to put it on the agenda from your perch, but I do think it's hard for community to detect that it's on the agenda when it's in a deck uh, labeled superintendent report. I think that's the only thing. So when we talk about this next week, it would be nice if it was its own I don't think it would be nice. I'm asking for it to be a separate agenda item because I think it'll allow community to prepare more fully. Um I do want to go back to the cash flow question because I had it as well. Um and the question is really about what's because I hear you things change and that's a message you you've been communicating constantly. So my question is what did change? If if the situation upon which the numbers are based today is different, what is the situation? Describe that and then I do have more but you can take that.

So let me give you an example of something that just happened this morning um that really describes what changes in our in our in our financial system. This morning we were trying to capture everything that we could in anticipation of the May revision. And as I communicated with Terara after meeting with the financial team, we had looked at a couple of accounts that we thought we were going to be very helpful for our end balance. And the team took them back and they revised them and they noticed that the way they had been posted months ago didn't allow us to save as much as we we thought and it was a few million dollars. I got very frustrated and I said, "H how can that be?" But once I looked at the documentation, we began to think that in the future we are going to be a little bit a little bit less data driven and a little bit more fiscal driven. A lot of our information comes from a lot of our different programs and it's spreadsheets and that's fine, but we need to make sure that we are looking at accounting information that is real like our our actuals. I I really appreciate what you said because it's the reality. You have a budget and then what gets audited is the actual number. We need to get closer to reviewing actuals on a more regular basis director and that change today happens regularly. The second piece is even more important in in my my recommendation to the team is that a little bit earlier in the year we sunset most of the procurement so that the balances that we bring to you are more realistic. We bring you a balance in March or April and then there's a slew of expenditures and the number is depleted and you say how how come these changed? Well, because a lot went through. So, we did we do need to change our practices and that is part of how the fiscal team as NGAR was was mentioning we we need to improve some of our practice but that is something that

we we just need to work on for next year. for this year. Our hope is to finish as quickly as possible, make sure that these are numbers that we can come and defend to you. That's why we presented to you ideas as to how we're looking at ranges and to bring you an update after May revision. And so, just to make sure I heard you correctly, it sounds like it's one thing that has changed. This is probably a longer list than two things. It's accounting and then also sunsetting procurement. Those are two of the important ones.

And then next question. So to director Lada's question about you're implementing what we agree to. Is that what we should interpret to be the plan? So like the set of strategies that was voted on in December that you've been implementing, is that the plan? And does that, for example, um, is that what you're referring to when you say the fiscal solveny measures on slide 28 when you're talking about we have what we need in resources to finance the OEATA, assuming that fiscal solveny measures are continued to be implemented. Is that the plan?

Well, I I'll start and I'll turn it over. But I I I came to you in January. That was my first session where I came to you and said we think we can do some some work and and these are some of our ideas. Uh at the time nobody gave me a label. What I was told is that the board had identified a deficiency of up to $104 million and that you had all agreed that this was a problem and it needed to be addressed. I don't mean to be offensive, but I didn't have a label for it, a strategy, a plan, an idea. All I knew is that the board had identified a number and there was an interest from the board to take action. That stops being a plan starts becoming action. What do you do? If you remember the first thing that we brought to your attention is that we saw a discrepancy between unrestricted and restricted. That was the first notion that has become the cornerstone of almost every solution because that discrepancy as we're finding has multiple legs. One of them is the use of the unrestricted fund to make expenditures that should have been done through other funds and we're talking to the auditor about that right now. So in a way there's been not only a plan but there's been one big solution that has morphed into us trying to bring you a positive budget. one of you I I I think I think it was you director said if you had done this before you wouldn't be in this situation today in a way is is a little bit bigger than that but I think ultimately as we go into next year and you have a budget that's a little more stable it will be that simple had we looked at the budget differently and it's not the blame of the board or the administration it's it's a holistic approach where we were trying to protect all these many budgets throughout the district and therefore the programs they represent. But I think we forgot that the general fund

unrestricted if it's depleted, we lose control. So now the question is how much do we take from all these many budgets to make sure that the unrestricted side of the budget remains solvent. We cannot take it all because you want to protect programs, you want to avert strikes, you want to continue providing wonderful services. But the fact of the matter is that that that one budget if it goes under then all these other controls also go away. So in a way my job has been fairly simplistic because we go back to the original thing that we identified. The challenge has been implementation because I told you one of the recommendations that I wouldn't bring to you is to do a wholesale cut. That would have been very easy. Let's just cut 11% from every budget. We're done. Thank you very much. And and goodbye. Instead, we've looked at a lot of budgets. The board gave us also this notion of averting a strike. Well, that was costly. And we told you it was. We we we presented plans that were less costly, but but the board So now it it bifurcated our interest into stabilization and deficit reduction and the payable of the obligation that was created. It has been an evolving plan. Back in January and February, we had one goal, stabilize the budget, do deficit reduction. Now we have two goals. Stabilize the budget, deficit reduction, and make sure that we pay the obligation that we have by June 30 with a stable budget. So, I'm sorry if we sound simplistic. Sometimes the detail is less simple simple but the idea has been there since the board directed us to look for a way to get us out of that large deficit that we were on and we haven't finished because by creating the obligation as we mentioned to you we stopped for a little while focusing exclusively on the deficit which we need to continue in the budget year and the subsequent year but I think for this year what we are looking at right now is being able to finish the year, pay the

obligation, continue with a budget that's stable, and continue working in future years to make sure that we have a a solvent plan. Whatever label you put on it, it is a plan, and it's being implemented through a lot of actions behind the scenes while trying to protect all our programs fully knowing that, you know, that some programs are heavily impacting the budget. We need to we don't even need to mention them. You already know, we've talked about it. So I I hope that answers

kind of I have three things. So I'm just and I feel like if you timed my questions I'm still not at two minutes but I'm allowing the questions to be individually on the plan. I I'm not trying to play I'm not trying to be nitpicky or to play a game of semantics. It is if we are measuring and tracking a plan and that is part of our accountability system and part of our way of ensuring transparency and communication. I just think that the plan whatever it is should be clear even if it is evolving. So if it changes then those updates are presented and we have an opportunity to discuss it. So I just want to make sure that when we you say plan and there is a plan that we're talking about the same thing.

Yes. So excuse me. Yes. And um are you asking would it be supportive of us to bring back the what we're working from?

Yeah. Is that what's needed? you there's a slide I don't know who created it but there's a slide in this presentation that says a plan has at least four components and I think the three main ones is that it measures uh gaps in expend you know the gap right and then it has a plan of action right the different tactics and then who's responsible for what like even that if we just use the model you presented I think would be helpful uh for the board and for community

we could bring that forward um director Dr. Lada, she's not on here. Uh she had asked if we could also look back at the multitudes of plans that we've said we're doing over these course of the year so that we can see where they line up to what we're doing now and are we missing anything. So working on that as well so we could bring that all forward.

Thank you. And then these should be quicker. Um but on in it's a structural deficit vision and then next steps those are the the areas. So on the structural piece it's unclear to me what we're doing what among what we're what we're implementing today is helping us address the structural deficit. Um and it would be helpful to see that clearly because there is the way that I read um what's in the presentation is that there's language that suggests that the a lot of the structural work particularly around redesign won't is being pushed to 26 27

and that concerns me for a few reasons but just on process I do believe that there are things that we could be doing and should be doing at this moment community engagement and other things that could plant the seeds and prepare us for the deeper structural work that needs to happen. But I don't we shouldn't be waiting to do that. And I think it's disruptive to the system at every level programmatically staffing if we're not considering which of these practices are practices we we intend to maintain like this shift to pushing things into supplemental and concentration and which are things we're just implementing because we need to balance today's budget. Does that make sense? It does make sense. Thank you. Yes.

And related there are uh like I'm looking at slide 29 these priority actions and the structural reform. One big question I have is aligned to what vision are we implementing it? Because again if it's just about the budget I feel like the afterthought is teaching and learning and what we're what we're trying to do um for students. And I think that should actually be in the driver's seat of some of these decisions as opposed to an afterthought. And I don't want to make an assumption that it is, but it's not clear here how um the visioning part is being is playing into this.

I mean, thank you for that because that that also goes along with uh our LCAP, right? And so we're working on and I don't the immediate what I consider immediate crisis, right? What are we doing right now to stay solvent this year? And then how are we what are we going to be doing to plan around what is working for our students? What isn't working? What are those measurable goals and outcomes that we need to know because we cannot continue to do everything and we just cannot continue to do everything. But what is working that we are going to have to do together and some of that I believe is coming through the teaching and learning committee from what I understand. Um and I could be corrected but and looking for as far as the academics believe you're looking at what's working. Um that's also looking at the measures in the LCAP and it all ties back together to what we're um prioritizing in our budgets.

And this is the last thing I promise. This is it. Uh what you just said also speaks to the other things that I think should be part of the plan, which is like how these budget decisions trickle down to the programmatic changes, the experience that educators may have in their classroom, the the the culture of the organization as a system. And so it would be good to hear how you all are tackling some of those, you know, inevitable challenges that you're experiencing today and anticipate later on. Um so that even the board can be helpful in managing some of the change that we're experiencing today.

Thank you. Thank you. Uh Director, Vice President Bachel,

thank you and thank you all for your presentation. Um, I'm proud of my board colleagues who have voted to shift our budget to support fully funded schools and stabilize our district to support our comm to ensure that our communities have education hubs that they can rely on. As a school board candidate and then as a school board director, um, I heard time and time again from families how instability in our budget and school closures harmed our students and families. So, I'm glad that as a board leader, I've helped us move towards investing in fully funded schools and a histo through a historic investment in our staff with the latest contracts with SEIU and OEA. And I'm excited to move forward in this commitment to support our students. Last week, I was proud to stand alongside our labor partners from across OSD, Superintendent Sadler, Board President Brohard, and our colleagues in Los Angeles to advocate in Sacramento for fully funding Proposition um 98 and protecting the promise of stable, reliable funding for public education. As vice president, um I also spoke about the investment that we can make when we stabilize our schools instead of destabilizing them. I spoke of the groundbreaking program that we have at Oakland International where students from around the world are supported, welcomed, and prepared to thrive. Um, I spoke about the urgency that we need to that we have around paying educators um and school staff a dignified wage so that we can recruit and retain incredible people to support our students. I also shared how OSD has increased enrollment for the first time in years and proof that a district um that when a district stops closing schools and starts investing in communities, families respond. Um this week I was reminded once again why this fight matters and why this is so important. It's really about our brilliant scholars. I had the honor of

attending multiple honor roles celebrations as well as the Oakland leaders graduation where I saw firsthand the brilliance, leadership, and resilience of our young people. With stable, fully funded schools, we can create more opportunities for our students to be successful, to lead, and feel connected to our school communities. Our students are worth the investment. Our staff are worth the investment. Oakland is worth the investment. I am confident in the direction of our district is headed and of the leadership of the superintendent, our deputy superintendent, our CFO, and our HYA team. I look forward to seeing the governor's revise tomorrow and we'll keep on fighting if needed to make sure that we get every cent we are owed from Prop 98 funds. Thank you. I do want to thank our staff, board colleagues, our labor partners, our families, students, and our community for engaging with us through a very difficult process and for the opportunity to continue the fiscal work together. I appreciate the presentations. I appreciate the um nuances of the budget that have been explained to us. Um I appreciate the work that's been done. I had a whole lot of other stuff I was going to say, but I think really what strikes me the most about our budget is that most importantly, every single number that we discuss ultimately comes back to the 34,000 OSD students who deserve a stable and well-governed school district. That fiscal stability, sustainability is not the goal itself, but it is what allows us to provide students with the quality they deserve. in that line. I am extremely proud of the fact that we have um maintained local control that we did not go down that path. I know that's been a lot of talk in the community about it, but I really want to respect our

superintendent, uh our deputy superintendent, uh Ryan Wyn, our CFO, for honoring the direction of the board. I think that we made that very clear that we did not want to go down the road of of of local of losing local control. I think like our director said next minute ago that you know there's been a lot of of stability and progress in our district. Our enrollment has increased for the first time in eight years and it is huge that we successfully reached labor agreements with OEA and SEIU without a strike. It's also just as huge that we worked with our unions to negotiate fair contracts that result again in a stable workforce and is essential to student success. And I think all of these things go back to what our 34,000 OSD students deserve. They deserve a teacher in every classroom. That teacher deserves to be fairly compensated. They deserve a library tech in every school library. that library tech deserves to be fairly compensated. They deserve food services, the nutrition services workers who who serve them every day. These are the people our kids know and they deserve to be fairly compensated. So, I feel that in looking at changing the direction of our budget, while it feels a little nuanced, I'll say right now, I feel that we are moving in the right direction to compensate the people who directly serve our students every single day so that our 34,000 students can be successful. I think like you talked about, Miss Guard, we are looking at teaching and learning at every single program we have. We know that there are many programs in our district. We know that many of them are not used. We know that there are lots of discussions heard a lot about I Ready. There's been a lot that teachers are raising and again as a district

leadership we need to look at these programs. Do they serve our 34,000 students and are they fiscally sustainable? But I just want to go back to every single number in our budget is what allows us to provide our students with the quality education they deserve. Uh, are there any public comments on this issue? Uh, excuse me. Uh, yes, Madam President. There are a total of 18 speakers with one student speaker. If we could have the student speaker first. Um, uh, still two minutes.

Uh, yeah. Yes, that student speaker is Rosa Fernandez Parker. That's me.

Hello, my name is Rosa Fernandez Parker and I'm a 10th grade student at Skyland High School. Both my parents are public school teachers and my dad's side of my family is Jewish. As an Oakland student, I have been taught to recognize apartheid and genocide. And what Israel is doing is both. The the false conflation of Judaism with Israel is a dangerous inaccuracy that pushes students to rec that recognize Israel's disgusting genocide to misdirect their blame. When OD interrogates its teachers on false and bad faith claims of anti-semitism, all it all it accomplishes is intimidating teachers that have proven their determination in educating and defending their students and showing students what the censorship that we see in our books looks like in real time. With the internet and social media, students are more and more exposed to global conflict. However, this also means dangerous levels of misinformation. Leaving students out of these conversations is no longer an option. But educating them is sorry, but educating them on these topics. But banning these topics in schools leads does not protect students from these conversations and instead leads to uneducated discussion and heightens the risk of actual anti-semitism. stop attacking our teachers and stop undereducating our students.

Thank you. Next speaker, please. Yes. Uh first five speakers are Gabriel Khan, Jonathan Mates Mutin, Mutin, Sheila Haynes, Musa TK, and Susan Shaw. If you heard your name called, could you please come to the das? Most people have left. Just so you know, we had a very big group here and most people have left. Yeah.

Maybe you could wait till we're done and you could be at the very end. That would be fine. His name was called. Yeah, that'd be a good idea.

Can you turn the camera? Okay. Um, Mr. Munchin, can you go ahead? I don't want to be on jury camera. Yeah, you need to turn off his camera. You can't you can't video him. I mean, this is like ridiculous. Every meeting.

Continue, please. First of all, my name is JT Mates Mushin. I don't appreciate that all these people are standing here talking on an item for the superintendent's report that I would like to speak about the superintendent's report about what she talked about about the budget about what Dr. Fructose talked about and Terra Guard and this is not um an item for that topic. Um, that's number one. And then if you could ask these people to sit down, otherwise I'll just end my comment right there. Thank you.

I should uh next speaker, please.

I think that you should not interact with the person in the the audience. I think you should ask these people to sit down. They're not standing in line.

Thank you for letting me speak. Um, I appreciate your statements, Dr. Sadler. Um, but I think it's clear from what other people have said that I I just don't have a lot of faith that where this budget is going is like student centered and that we're doing what's best for our kids. Um, I have talked I read the slides. I've um looked at the the information and um you know, you've said many times that um there's a plan, but I really don't see the plan. I don't get the plan. And I think that um the students would be better served by um really looking into what a smaller district would look like. And I know we've talked about it before that, you know, maybe my school that I love and my kids went to might be the one that's the appropriate one day closed. And I and I know that if we do the appropriate um uh process that that will happen, but we're not even doing the process. And I don't understand. We've been like I've been coming to these meetings for I think about two years now and there was a process and then the process was gone and now we've been talking about a process and it's not coming and just when is it going to come because we need to figure out it it's structural like the I'm not believing data when it goes from uh you know that you know we have money in the at the we don't have money at the beginning year we have money at the end of the year. It feels more like a a Ponzi scheme. I don't mean any offense by saying that, but like I get it. Sometimes we have money, sometimes we don't. But seeing it go throughout the year, ultimately we need to have money at the beginning of the year and we need to have money at the end of the year. And that's not what we're seeing right now.

Thank you. Next speaker, please. Can you call the names again? I'm sorry, Mr. Hall. Uh, yes. I'll call the next five speakers. Uh Judy Greenspan, Assado Olbala, Julia Fernandez, Cynthia Kaufman, and first name M, last name Shane.

Ahead, please.

Okay. Hi, my name is Judy Greenspan. and I use they them pronouns and I'm speaking today as a proud Jewish educator retired from Od and now a substitute teacher. I chair the OEA substitute caucus and I am on the OEA executive board. I and many other Jews do not accept the criticism of USIsraeli genocide as being anti-semitic. We do not accept the phony conflation of anti-Zionism with anti-semitism. As a Jew, I will not be quiet about the Holocaust suffered by the Palestinian people. I was surprised by Dr. Denise Sadler's announcement uh on Parent Square claiming that anti-semitism is one of the biggest problems in OD. And that's why we're presenting this now in the in the uh superintendent report. As an OD Jewish teacher who has fought injustice my entire life in all forms, what I see on the rise is Islamophobia and attacks on our Muslim and Arab-American students, an increase of antilack racism against both African-American students and teachers, the growing fear of our immigrant families faced with ICE raids and possible deportation, and the continued gentrification of our city leading to the homelessness of our OSD families. OD is now being sued by the Brandeise Center, a Zionist institution, and the California Department of Education. But we don't think you need to react the way you are reacting. I challenge the board and the district to stand up for what is right. I and other teachers are currently under investigation for anti-semitism based on teaching and speaking out against the USbacked Israeli war against Palestine. As a Jew, I am both angered and offended by all of

these investigations, and I demand that you drop them now. It is time for OD to embrace its historical mission of fighting for justice and disrupting inequities for all. Thank you. Next speaker, please.

Hello, I'm Julia Fernandez. I'm a parent in Skyline. Um, so I want to start by thanking educators who teach about what's happening in Palestine. To me, they are the conscious voice of OSD and they are the ones carrying the legacy of people like Martin Luther King. The genocide that is being carried out by the Israeli government is being financed by the US government. This means that all of us who pay taxes are paying for this genocide. This is soul crushing. This means that people that live in this country have more of a responsibility to oppose this genocide. So I don't want the schools to pretend the genocide is not happening. Teachers have a huge responsibility to give formation to the new generations. Um how can they be intimidated to stay quiet about this atrocity? Also, these same teachers that are being pre uh persecuted are the same who bring Black Lives Matter to the into their classrooms and who are now actively resisting ICE rates. And I'm sure that if somehow they were transported through time to World War II, they would also be denouncing and fighting the Holocaust. Thank you teachers for making your classrooms a place where fascism does not go unchallenged. Okay,

next speaker, please. Hi, my name is Cynthia Kaufman and I am an active member of Jewish Voice for Peace, retired community college faculty and a a Oakland community member. I want to just thank you all for the work that you do for our students. And I know that it it may seem, you know, you're all up where you are because you care about the children of Oakland and you're dedicating your time. and I really appreciate the work that you do. Um, and unfortunately you're also in the crosshairs of history. You know that right now we are in a really difficult situation in this country where uh the country is supporting a massacre in a genocide in Gaza. And there's a a tremendous amount of political pressure being given to to silence people who are opposed to that genocide. And I think it's I'm so sorry that you're being sued by the Brandeise um institution and by the Department of Education. I think that's horrific that they're doing that to you. And then the question is, what are you going to do about that situation? Are you going to stand up for the teachers or are you going to bow to that pressure? One of my favorite books right now is by Timothy Snyder who's a um a scholar of the Holocaust. He has a great book called on tyr tyranny 20 lessons from uh the 20th century. And the first thing he says the first lesson he has from the the horrific things that happened in the 20th century is that we need to not obey in advance. In other words, we see it all over this country that people are institutions are either buckling to the pressure or they're standing up to the pressure. And I just want to encourage each of you to take your historic responsibility at this moment to stand strongly, to stand firmly on the side of

justice and what's right and not to give into the pressure. Thank you, Madam President. Uh if I may, Sheila Haynes is online to speak. Okay. Hey, do you want to go ahead with Sheila hands up this? Okay.

Hi. Can you hear me? Okay. Yes, we can hear you.

Okay. Thank you. Uh thank you, Superintendent uh Salor, for the report and just for your ongoing commitment to trying to piece everything together. I know it's a a huge task that you're dealing with and with the uncertainty of the finances is concerning of course, but I I have hoped that despite the issues that you will continue to prioritize student safety. Um although I had hoped that there would be more movement towards music. Part of my resolution also is around mandating love and respect. And so I'm hoping that the district is moving closer to a culture of um practice districtwide. We need that daily reinforcement that you know our students have to be in the loving space. And I hope that um the district will continue to expand violence prevention in ways that will um truly change the culture of our youth to be in the most loving space. um these violent attacks and fatalities are being triggered by verbal altercations. So, I I just hope that we can continue on with um finding a way to help with violence prevention. And I'm not really sure about the city's funding. I heard that there was some violence prevention money, but it had ran out. So, I just hope that you can find a way to move forward with everything and not cause more harm with these cuts that are going to happen, but to keep our students in a respectable place. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Assada.

I want to thank you for the opportunity to address something that's very important to me with the expulsions. I ju I just asked on page 12 if you could break down the race demographics of the numbers that are there on that page. Uh I am trying to pursue if what I don't really know about the uh impact of expulsions on our African-American community. I am very pleased to have the honor of being in the room with Miss Hattit Tate. Somebody, I don't know where it came from, sent me a description of her work in the district and uh I'm I'm sorry she's retiring, but I hope she will be replaced with someone who can continue her work. As you were as you were talking on the budget, I'm taking notes because you helping me to understand the budget. Unfortunately, what I I I just took notes from Hutchinson and Miss Barry because uh I'll be at the meeting tomorrow to try to understand the budget from your perspective because you're the going to be making those decisions. Okay. And lastly, I have the honor of being able to observe other people's struggles. As an African-American, sometimes I become so consumed what's happening with me and my people and I don't take the time to realize that other people are dealing with things similar to what I'm dealing with. And I want to be respectful of not taking a position because that's not my place to do it. But it is good that we as a a a whole people realize that it's not always about you. And so that's what I'm observing tonight and trying to be respectful and to all sides because it's not my place to to judge what's going on.

But to respect it is something I need to do because I be everything is black black and that's not the real world. You have to learn how to understand other people's struggles and what they are going through as well. at if you don't become involved, at least understand it. And that's what I'm doing. I'm listening and trying to understand what's going on with this situation. Thank you, Mrs. Uh, next five speakers.

Uh, yes, Madam President. Next five speakers are Sarah Cotch, Allison Grill, Mark Dudley, Nate Landry, and Paulina. Paulina, last name starts with a S. Thank you, teacher Shane.

Uh, Michael Shane. I'm a district parent as well as a social studies and ethnic studies teacher. Uh I think you know like as kind of seeing you know everything that's happened with this district and this board since October the 7th, 2023. Uh it was very disappointing to come to the meeting that was shut down by Director Hutchinson um because of some disruptions. I was here it did not seem like there were many disruptions. In fact, Director Herson, you used to shut disrupt these meetings by yourself sometimes much more than the Arab Muslim community did. They came here to uh address the heinous attacks against Arab Palestinians and we're looking for you all to make a motion that suggests you are supportive of your Arab Muslim community of which at my site we have you know it may even be a plurality of Arab families. So, it was again and then obviously I heard Sam Davis prevented a motion that was to be brought. Uh, but obviously the that motion has not been brought back since as far as I understand it. Uh, but it's not too late. Obviously, you can still pass a motion in support of people whose lives are being torn apart with the help of our tax dollars. cuz that's my thing is like where do we go to prevent our tax dollars if you know your your school board doesn't do it? And the last thing I'll say is now we have teachers being investigated by Zionist attorneys. So is there ever going to be a time when you support us as teachers to teach about you know these important topics to our students? Because you know just to kind of comment on Miss Olbala, we this

year uh recently we did a lesson about solidarity between black people and Palestinians. And then we looked at parallels between Zionist apartheid and Jim Crow apartheid. And many of the students appreciated those lessons and it'd be a real shame not to continue teaching those lessons in the future because again you also didn't take a stand against AB715 and now the you know designers are you know like being allowed to investigate our teachers? What's next? You gonna allow MAGA attorneys in here to prevent us from teaching about Jim Crow and all the heinous atrocities committed against black people in this country and the heinous atrocities being committed right now in the Caribbean is just wanting murder. So this is the thing and the last thing I'll say, sorry to take up too much time, but I recently read a book called Someday Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar Akad. And I really hope that you guys aren't part of those someone someday. Everyone, thank you for your time.

Thank you. Next speaker, please.

Um, hello. I'm Sarah Ko. I'm a teacher at Bridges. Um, I teach resource um to our wonderful students. And I'm actually going to read a comment on behalf of a parent who wasn't able to be here tonight. Um, and I'm also Jewish. Um, as is this parent. My name is Sarah Noore. I'm the mom of Rowan, a third grader at Manzanita Seed. Our family is Jewish, and every year since Rowan was in kindergarten, I've shared Hanukkah or Passover with her classes. I make the kids special foods, teach them songs, read stories, and light candles. There are very few Jewish families at our school, but we've always been warmly received. Kids come up to me on the playground and ask when I'm making them lockas. Again, I want all children to feel as welcomed as we have. I want Palestinian and Middle Eastern kids to see their cultures celebrated and their histories and perspectives taught. I don't want teachers punished for sharing Palestinian voices. Teaching about Palestine is not a threat to me or my child. it is a way to build a more inclusive community that benefits us all. Um, so that was Sarah Norris's comment and now I want to speak a little bit to um the impact of seeing the way that anti-semitism has been defined in our district on many Jewish faculty um has been it's been really frustrating. It's been um to to hear that there are trainings being um done with our school leaders, with our secondary teachers that are really confusing anti-semitism and criticism is is real and our students do not need

that and nor do our teachers. I think it's a lack of respect of our students ability to discern and learn about the true history and the true current events to oversimplify in a really um hateful way. So, um thanks for the all you do and the opportunity to speak. are there. Okay, sorry.

Hello. Hey, I'll be quick. Uh, hello Oakland Oakland School Board District. My name is Mark Dudley. I'm here as a tech worker and as a member of Bay Area Labor for Palestine. I'm here to speak out against the targeting of OSD teachers with lawsuits that wrongfully complate anti-Zionism with anti-semitism. Not only is calling the teachers in question anti-semitic absurd, but I'm worried about the knock-on effects of teaching such lazy conflation. Do we really want our students to think in terms of such broad generalization? By conflating anti-ionism with anti-semitism, you are necessarily shrinking the rich fabric of all Jews into the smaller box that is Zionism. Not to mention the message that this sends to your Muslim students. Is this the kind of thinking that we should be encouraging in our students? I should hope not and call upon the board to resist the framing presented by the Brandeise Center and stand with your teachers instead. Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh hi everybody. Nate Landry, middle school parent here in Od. Um, continuing on this theme, I've been thinking about the things ever since this uh lawsuit investigations were announced. Um, what what they're asking us to do? I know what they're asking OD to do, but what are they asking those of us uh who are here speaking now to do and are those things should those things be possible for us to do? Uh it ought to be impossible for us to ignore the tens of thousands of dead in Palestine, in Lebanon, and in Iran as a result of USbacked Israeli attacks. But this is what the California Department of Education Brandise Center recent communication from Superintendent Sadler and school site leadership are demanding that we do. It ought to be impossible for us to ignore the insistence of our Jewish friends, family, and neighbors that anti-ionism is not anti-semitism and that the two must not be conflated in order to stifle criticism of a nation state engaged in genocide. But this is what is demanded of us. It ought to be impossible for us to ignore the McCarthyist attacks on educators for their teaching and their consciences. It ought to be impossible to ignore how this serves a de facto censorship regime when it comes to discussions of Israel and American society. ought to be impossible to ignore how OD is undermining academic freedom freedom enthral to political actors making excuses for genocide. But this is what is being demanded of us. We reject statements and press releases from district leadership that elaborately avoid engagement with reality in favor of propaganda. We reject again the conflation of anti-ionism with anti-semitism. And we reject the district's complicity in all but criminalizing the teaching of Palestine at the behests of Israel's apologists. And we invite the leadership of this district to correct course and as has been said to

it need it need not be this way and we would ask you to strongly consider the type of district we will have at the end of this process if it continues the way that it has. Thank you. Um we are going to end public comment on this issue. Uh, we do have to we I'm sorry. One more person. All right. One more. Well, I mean, we we have a number of things we have to address tonight. So, one one minute.

Yes. Thank you. Appreciate that. My name is Craig Gordon. I've been a um substitute teacher in this district uh for some years, but I was a retired uh secondary uh high school middle school teacher um social studies for for many years since for been in the district for 35 years and and I you know as we're listening to the budget discussion it does I do wonder and if I had a question it would be how much are we spending how much is the district spending on investigating educators uh for you know teaching about Palestine, teaching honestly and critically about Palestine. Um before I was a Jewish teacher, um I was a Jewish student in the 1950s and mostly 60s. Um and there are very few Jews in my community. Lots of um anti-semitism in the community. I was called a dirty Jew. I killed Jesus. Uh but my public, you know, at my public elementary school and and junior high, um any mention of Israel was all positive. Um, it was a mighty little nation standing up for Jewish people and everywhere and fighting for democracy just as the US was fighting for democracy in Vietnam and Southeast Asia as we were slaughtering, you know, two million human beings there. Um, that we were the benevolent policemen of the world. Um, in my Saturday school in my reformed synagogue, we learned the racist myth that its settlers had made the desert bloom. I had no clue because I was never told about the Nagba, violent expulsion of 700,000 Palestinians from their land, homes, and communities. And now we're witnessing an ongoing genocide, uh, a new ethnic cleansing of Palestine by the United States and Israel. And I cannot believe that a school district in Oakland with its proud radical tradition of fighting for social justice and against oppression and racism is going to knuckle under to pressure from

Zionists, Republicans and Democrats and dem who demand that we educators uh remain silent and keep our students ignorant as we were in my school decades ago. So, I'm calling on OD leaders to find the courage to stand up with the support of so many people in our community, including the many Jewish educators and students and family members who've signed a letter that you've received now a few weeks ago, asking you to meet with us, and we still would like to meet with you. We're calling on you to um we believe the teaching about Palestine and opposing genocide is not anti-semitism, and we all know this. So, we're just calling on you to stand up for that truth and for our students right to critical honest education that they need and deserve. Thank you.

Thank you. Next on the agenda is item S1, which is the um stabil stability and belonging for uh disabled students resolution. I'm not sure how I think. A motion to approve it. Which item are you moving to? We are on item A S1. Oh, okay. I'll second. A public comment on this.

I Can I can I make a um a request? Um can we take public speakers for S1 and S2? And maybe we need to make a motion to consider them together, but they're related and um I I guess I this is where I do want some clarity on this. Director Lada is I is there a new resolution coming forward? Are are there amendments to No. So S1 is standing.

What I well I mean what I would say is that people have would like to I assume speak on both S1 and S2 because it's related. I I also understand from my communications with members of the CAC right before this meeting started that they're not in support of S2 and but I think because they are the same topic that if we take them up together so that people can comment on both madam president if there is a second to the the motion that's been made that's S2 it's rel and and director lot is contending that there's a a related subject matter. People can when they speak on the item that's before the board, they can express their opinion one way or the other either in favor of the other item or not in favor of the item. And uh you don't have to do two or three rounds of uh comments here.

So we can do them together. So So at this we're not taking them you're not taking them together. The only item that's on the floor is the motion that's moved. People may say what they please about the item. I think Director Lada may be amending that motion. Yeah, I'd like to make but there's no amendment on the floor at the moment. Well, no, I I would like to change the motion if it's friendly to consider items S1 and S2 together.

That does not work. Okay. Well, I suppose we can just stick with S1 and and then if you are going if you are going to do S1 and you want to amend S1, you put S1 on the floor and then somebody makes a motion to amend S1. I'm not making just for for point of clarification um Mr. Rickshaw, I am not planning to make amendments to either S1 or S2. I simply would like to allow the people who have signed up for S1 and S2 to speak on um the school stability resolution. People are free to speak, Madam President, on the item that's on the floor.

I I have a procedural question. I'm not sure, General Counsel, if this is you as well. Um, if we vote on S1 and we approve S1 and then we vote on S2, you could nullify. They conflict each other. Is that what you're getting at? Yes. Yeah. Cuz I think the intent of having them both on the agenda was that one would be a substitute for the other. um S2, namely being a substitute for S1 was the intent.

So if we're looking at S2, which is not really written as a resol in a resolution format, it's it's a list of things. It's got a but if you make a motion on S2 that is only that is the only item that's on the floor for you to consider at that particular point if it gets amended in some manner. It might alter the original uh uh

okay so so um director lada what was the intent? Was it S1 you were moving? I'm I my main intent was that people have signed up for S1 and S2 and I would like to make sure that everyone who signed up for S1 and S2 can speak and I in one go. Okay. Thank you. President Brohart, you can um move forward with S1 and take speakers.

Okay. I'll move forward with S1. If people are speaking to FA to S1 in support of it, you could include your position to S2. I don't know. Uh do we have public comment on this issue on this item?

Okay. Um so public comment on S1 that's uh one is Carol Delton, Jonathan Mates Muten, Alan Purcell, JD Wosian, Matt Glacer, and Assada Olalo. Can we take the online speakers first? I believe that's um Alan Purcell, Carol Delton. Currently with their hands raised, I see Carol Delton. I will allow them to speak

and all these speakers signed up online, right? Um hello. Uh, I do not see a clock. If you're hearing me, how long do I have? Hello. You have two minutes.

Thank you. Um, I am very concerned because I actually wanted to address the fiscal items in the superintendent's report and I was not called on although I had my hand up. Um, so I will stick to the agenda item now and I hope that I'll have additional time at non-aggenda speaking to address my concerns um, regarding this particular um, agenda item. I I am utterly confused because um the list of various fiscal impacts seems to conflate a number of things that were never called for by the original stability and belonging resolution and say that those were fiscal impacts. And those include things like maintaining empty classrooms um like uh reducing number of classrooms when there are students for one classroom and the idea was not stability of program but stability of students. I don't know why after two years of being told this would not have a fiscal impact because essentially it codifies what is current district practice. These concerns were brought up. But I'm hoping that the superintendent can look at the actual intent of the resolution and find that it can be implemented and students can stay at their sites. They can no longer be moved wholesale as was

done several years ago with minimal or no fiscal impact. Thank you. Thank you. If your name was called, if you can come up and speak on this item. There's no more. There's just one. So, if your name was called, we can call those names again so that folks can hear them again. And we're speaking on S1, which is the item on the floor. Vice President, you can share any opinion you have. Um, when you're in public comment, give me one second. Can you just say those names again, Cy?

Right. That's Jonathan Mates M. Jonathan Mates Mutin, Alan Pcel, JD Wosian, Matt Glazer, and Lada Olala. Carol Delton just spoke. Okay. Thank you. Go ahead.

All right. So, I'm JD Washian. And um so, okay. A little bit about the history of these newer resolutions. So the the S1 was the one that came up that we really didn't like and the S2 is the one that we were working on and we came up early Saturday morning with uh one that we liked. Um but that one wasn't the one the final that was like the draft version that got posted for tonight. The final version is not is not up. So that's the one that needs to come at some time with the appropriate amendments. But look, okay. So, the reasons though that um the resolution had to be rewritten um Carol Don Delton spoke to it um is because there was a fiscal impact statement that was made based on a misinterpretation of the original. We're trying to get rid of the misinterpretations. And I mean, personally, I don't care how much fiscal impact it takes to not discriminate against students. You shouldn't discriminate against students, even if it saves you money. Um, but here's a fiscal impact statement of my own. $85,000 a year, not accounting for annual raises, add in full medical benefits for my family, um, for me and my family and contributions to my pension plan. And that is the fiscal impact on my family when I had to retire from my UPS driver 13 years before I had planned in order to become a full-time caregiver to my disabled child. And after being asked to move schools a second time by third grade, he was so traumatized by all the changes, instability, and lack of relational safety that he no longer sees school as a safe place to be. He's in seventh grade now and still struggles to attend. And we're just one of the many families that this happens to. And I consider myself lucky because I have a wife that

can still work, but there are single parents out here full-time caregiving, educating their kids while piecing together an income to support their family. And so the school district may be able to save some money by moving these classrooms, but the families you discriminate against have to pick up the bill. And so we're never going to get to every student thrives if we can't even come to an agreement that we're not going to actively traumatize our students. Thank you. Next speaker.

Hi JT's motion. I am in support of JD over there. Um, and I just want to say that when I go to Skyland High School and I see um the programs for children's with special needs, I am I um go to track meets and the kids are um running with the kid the other kids and if that um just disappears like you know sometimes other programs they just disappear I I can't imagine what impact that would have on kids. So, let's try to get this right. And I appreciate um the all the work that people have been doing um for children that that deserve it. Thank you.

Next speaker.

I think I stopped teaching 25 years ago. And the reason why I stopped because I had a lot of more energy to keep teaching, but special education students weren't getting what they needed. And I worked with the severe profound children. And people were coming in and saying the same thing, parents advocating. And here it is almost 25 years later and we still don't have special education students getting what they need in terms of resources and anything else. But I couldn't stand it. I couldn't I I did not like that this population was being ignored and not getting what they really needed and deserved and being respected. It just it almost felt like they had to have them in the school district, but there wasn't any passion for them being there and appreciation for them being there. So, it would be nice before I take my final risk if I can see something happening for this group of individuals. Um, and I love the way these parents and these advocates stay on board with this issue. And I think based on what they're trying to do right now, they're saying that this is not the way they wanted it. They're saying they they want more or it wasn't done the way. And I think somebody needs to speak up and say, "Look, we need to readress this so it's done right according to what the parents and the advocates have identified."

Thank you. Our last speaker.

Hi everybody. I uh had the good fortune of being present for uh some of the really constructive dialogue that happened around this resolution. Uh and at that time I learned that it had been uh tabled for several year well I guess three years two or three years and just hasn't been agendaized until recently. And I took a step back and thought how indicative it is of all the problems that we face that we are having this much trouble putting together a simple effort to stabilize the experience of our most vulnerable students. And that said, it was great to see the conversations happen. Uh I'm not sure what is uh up for a vote right now, but what I looked at originally actually was responsible in that it didn't forbid forbid ever saving money by making changes to these things. What it did was require planning in advance in a way that didn't disrupt the lives of these kids, which is what would be happening. And so I think uh it's well past time to get this done. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Uh board colleagues, Director Thompson, Director Lada. Um, so I'm uh I I what I would say is that I think that um having been a part of um trying to support bringing this, you know, resolution forward with ultimately the goal of treating students in self-contained programs and students with IEPs the same way we would treat general education students. that we would never move students because their classroom was not full and scatter them to various schools if they were in second grade or third grade. We know I think many of us parents have experienced combo classes and um we've also experienced classes where maybe the fifth grade has 33 students and the fourth grade has 22. and we don't ever um close those programs with basically no notice because I think the thing that it's we of course students moving every year is horribly traumatic. You would never want that for your own child. You would never pick it. But we as a district made decisions for students that it was more convenient for us to move them around like chess pieces. And that is should never be okay. And the thing that I find really disappointing in all of this is that this isn't something that was just thrown together one night and like pllopped on the agenda. This is years worth of work. And I think the thing that I'm struggling with um is that I don't understand why we don't and this is this is bigger than this resolution, but we don't have a culture of yes in this district, right? We have a culture of not my problem. Actually talk to somebody else. This is too complicated

and here's why it's going to cost money. And that should never be acceptable. Because what happens is that this resolution, which shouldn't be necessary because we should absolutely not be moving students around, particularly every year, particularly our most vulnerable students. But what we definitely shouldn't do is blame it on, oh, I can't figure out how to make it free or we thought it was what we were doing, but we're actually, you know, I just I think what I have experienced and I think the people in CAC and the parents of disabled students I would think have a similar experience, which is that there is not a culture of doing what's right for students and figuring out how to make it work. It's a culture of like we make students and families fit into our system and if you don't fit then too bad. And so what I would just hope from um whether it's the leadership of the district, the leadership in special education that um I don't think we should pass either of these resolutions tonight. I think we need to go back to the drawing board and figure out how to turn this resolution into a reality and we should do it very quickly. Thank you. Director Brohart. Um, I I agree. I mean, I think this, you know, Director Bachelor and I started this resolution when we first joined the board and um I've always been not confused, but really angry at why why this resolution has taken so much finetuning. I mean again like people have said over and over again we don't do this to students who are not disabled. You know we consolidate a classroom but the

students stay at the same school. Um, we don't, you know, again, I'm a former special education teacher and I know there were years when I would have more students in my class and there were years when I had less students in my class. And we these the our students are not our disabled students are not numbers that we move around from classroom to classroom or we move from program to you know again it takes it is a lot for our disabled students become part of the school community. It is a lot for their parents to become part of the school community and every student deserves to be part of the school community. Every parent deserves to be able to go to school events and know the parents that are there. These this is when we talk about school community, it it is the belonging of our students and our our our parents. Every teacher deserves our our our special education teachers are moved around. I was moved around one year the last three weeks of school. I was moved from one school to another. I thought it was my assignment for the next year. I moved that Monday to a different school. And again, part a big part of school is belonging. And for all of the fiscal problems that have been brought up, they're they're resolvable. And they're not resolvable on the backs of students. they're resolvable at the site. Um, and it it is a a a culture of saying, "Yeah, we can do that." You know, it might take a little bit of thinking to do it, but we can do that because we do that for students who are not in special education. We do combination classes. We do all kinds of things to keep students at their school site with their friends as much as possible. even when you've, you know, consolidated

a class. You think about the kids that are going to the two new classes. Um, I I'm really frustrated at how many obstacles have been thrown up in this resolution. Again, it's been four years. You know, I I I can't think of any other resolution that's taken four years to pass. And I feel like we're on the cusp of it. And now there are and and it's important to have these these issues resolved. I mean, parents have fought to to write this. CAC has been, you know, the backbone of writing this. And I think, you know, I I would agree with Director Lada that we need to look at the the third version and really work through that now and get it post get it to our staff immediately, not not not just before the next meeting. But I think again we owe this to our students, our families, and to our educators who work with disabled students. I'd like to call a question on this item

except I have my opportunity to make a comment. You were not here earlier. So, Director Hudson,

I'm sitting here right now. Thank you very much. So, you know, a lot of the things going on in this district really fall under kind of the same umbrellas and um it's really indicative of the major problems that we have. Um this is really the wrong approach to making policy in my opinion and it's why we've had uh so many problems. Uh this is one of the issues like many other issues that was supposed to be addressed under the three Rs when we were supposed to look at restructuring, redesigning our schools and reinvisioning our footprint. And of course within that we would have been discussing our special education programs along with other programs. But this board has dismissed that. Now things have gotten much more difficult because now we're in financial crisis. So now everything that comes forward with a cost, it has a lot more impact and people need to think about it a lot more. But again, it's indicative of the dysfunction going on with this board. And so we have to remember this is the same board that last year ignored the advice of general counsel on a number of issues on a number of items including their uh alternative budget solutions which general counsel advised against the CBO advised against and they voted for it anyway. And so it's really interesting how at certain points they claim oh we're being told we can't do this when that hasn't stopped them before. And again, as a unified school district, until we are to the point where as a community, we are sitting down and having a unified discussion that encompasses everything and move away from these random one-off ad hoc decisions, we're not going to get where we need to go because this

resolution has implications in a lot of other areas. And so we have to be able to address this all together. This should have been addressed if this is what the president wanted. This should have been on the docket at the start of the school year. Then it could have been done in time before the options process before there was any discussion for what changes might be happening next year. But to throw this in now in May and now it was just brought forward at the last board meeting. They had to pull it back because there wasn't a fiscal impact analysis. Now it's being brought forward again and it's still not together and it's really frustrating. It creates this hope in the community that then goes unfulfilled. And again, as a unified school district, we have to make unified decisions. We have to have unified policies. We have to address the financial crisis in order to be able to fund whatever we want to do. and we have to have real leadership in place with the superintendent and under the superintendent otherwise nothing will be able to move be moved forward. I'm really disturbed with what I've seen tonight already and I think this just falls into that pattern. It's really frustrating because again, we can't even discuss the issue that I know the community has been bringing forward over and over and I hope people will start to realize some of the directors who have promised you these things obviously haven't been able to deliver

with that comment. Um, let's go ahead and take a roll call on this item.

Okay. On the motion on the on the motion pending before the board which is S-1 the student directors are absent. Director Lada. No. Director Williams.

Director Williams. Director Hutchinson abstain. All right. Director Williams.

Director Thompson. Abstain. Director Barry. No. Director Williams. No. Vice President Bachelor. No. President Bhard. No. Motion's not agreed to.

Uh, next on the agenda is S2. Is there a motion to approve? Sorry, pushed the wrong button. Seeing no motion, we will move on. Um, right now I'm going to recess this meeting. We have an open the public hearing for the SULPA plan. No recess.

Open. Okay. I'm sorry. Uh, no recess. Don't turn off the um I'm going to open the public hearing for the self-up plan. I believe Jen Blake Rain Wilson has a saying that just a point of clarification before this starts. So, when are we going to go back to O or or not O? Uh, public comment on non-aggenda items and the items that were skipped over. Yes.

So, are we going back to those after S or cuz I thought you said we were just doing S1 and then going back to the order. And there was no second on S2, so there was not it was not dealt with. Oh, we are going to uh the public hearing right now and then we'll go into OQT and finishing up the agenda. That was that was not the adjustment that you read out at the start of the meeting. It was S and then O R. Yes, it was.

You have already opened the public hearing. We need to proceed with the public hearing and then you can address any future issue after this. All right. Good evening uh to our superintendent, board, community. Thank you for having us tonight. Um it is the season for us to bring the special education local plan area annual service and budget plan before you for approval. Uh we also will share some updates about the district's special education program, some areas of growth, some areas for continued focus and improvement in the coming years. I'm Jen Blake. I am the self uh executive director for special education and health services.

And I'm Rain Johnson. I'm the sula director in the special education department. It's actually this was on me. Yep. I thought it was down here. Apologies for that. There we go. Okay. Uh so our ask of the board um is that you please approve um our 2627 uh annual service and budget plan so we can move it to county approval and eventually state approval. All right, I will try and make this quick because I think most of you know this. What is a Sela? A Selpa is an administrative unit set up by the state of California to help distribute um special education funds and programming throughout the state of California. Oakland is large enough to be its own SULPA. So, there's only the dis uh the only district in the SULPA is Oakland Unified. And what that means is that our school board, you guys are also our SULPA board leaders. We are here to talk about our local plan. Um we go through a three-year cycle for this plan. Uh the first year is a bigger application and the following two years are just kind of reertifications. All we do during those last two years is submit our annual budget plan and our annual service plan. So that is what we're doing this year. Next year we will submit the full plan. Oh. Uh so our timeline is usually we bring this to you in April. This year we're here in May. usually in May. Then we do have to turn it into the county office of education for approval and

then we submit it to the state of California. It must be in there before the end of June for their approval as well. And starting with the annual budget plan, this plan outlines a few different things. It identifies our special education resources. It also delineates how we're going to be spending those resources across the year. It explains the process for allocating our funds across LEAs. In our situation, it is just to Oakland Unified and it also sets forth the cost of our special education program. This is a quick overview of our resources. So, we have approximately $48 million coming in. Um, the largest bulk of our funding comes in through our 602 grant, which is about $28 million. We are hoping for a slight increase in that funding for next year, but this year it is about um $28 million. Our other revenue is several smaller grants that are usually very program specific. For example, um an early childhood training program that is a very small grant and other funding from grants. This is our expenses for this year. So, um about 56% of our expenses are for our salaries and our benefits for our staff. Our 5000s cover a lot of our other expenses which includes our contracted staff as well as all of our professional services and work such as the system we use to hold our IPS and other other department necessities. Um our staff this year has um our staff for next year is going to remain fairly stable. There's only a few additions um one teacher as well as a few different um related service providers and a small handful nine paraprofessionals. And then just looking at this slide, it delineates where our money is coming from. So we have a small percent only about 4% of our funding comes from federal funding. This is very similar to what we see in our neighboring SLPAS.

They're at around 5% as well. And then we have state revenue of about 20% of our budget and our local contribution uh accounts for about 75% of that funding. We have a couple quick highlights. We have low incidence funding. We serve students who are blind, visually impaired, or who have orthopedic impairment impairments. And so we have a little under a million dollars to uh provide specialized services for those students. We also are always very proud of our transition program. We have a grant that's about $360,000 um dollars and we have increased the number of students we were able to serve with this grant this year to include um a lot of middle school students and additional high school students. Um our disability access funds are sunsetting this year with the um end of the board resolution 202159. Um this program previously supported a lot of programs for our students with disabilities such as um expanding learning Saturday inclusive play activities, our yes sports program, um some fun lunch programs. Um we will be uh continuing on with our staff who have been working on this program through our expanded learning program. So they will still be around helping out doing some of this work. Our annual service plan, um our annual service plan, we are required to fill it out. It basically just lists all the services that we provide in Oakland Unified. It identifies which schools they're available at and then provides the state uh state applied definition for those services. Um this is a very tiny print of what it looks like when we submit it to the state. At least each lists each campus on um in our district and says for example is there an early childhood program in that school and are those services are available. So we have services um our 200s are early childhood, our 300s are our academic programs and our four through 600s are our other related services. All right. Um and so I'll be sharing a

little bit of data about our enrollment and some of our areas of focus and initiatives as a department. Um the first thing that is important um for us to touch on is our overall enrollment of students who receive special education services pursuant to an individualized education program or IEP. That number is continuing to climb. Um the numbers that we have um submitted here um for the board presentation are a few weeks old given the um deadlines to submit. We have continued to increase our number of eligible students as we approach the end of the school year and are now just under 7,700 eligible students. That is 20% of the OSD population. Um our uh enrollment trends are listed on this slide as well. Um the areas that we are monitoring in terms of particular eligibility areas are autism which continues to climb. it is our highest incidence disability across the district and OI which is largely but not exclusively uh due to ADHD. Um and that is another area where we are in disproportionality and are uh monitoring closely the annual increase in that particular eligibility area. In terms of services by incidence rate, one of the things that is um something that's important for us to understand as a district is that as the population of our students changes, the services we offer and the incidence rate for those services are also changing. Students with autism spectrum disorders and other types of communication uh related disorders also need additional related services in order to complete their educational program. We're not able to just provide specialized academic instruction. we have to provide speech and language services, occupational therapy, behavioral support services. And so the numbers of students receiving each of those services is included on this slide. Speech and language being our uh fastest growing related service. Um, in terms of looking at some areas where we have student level impact, um, we wanted to particularly highlight

behavioral supports, which is an area where we've had increased investment over the last two years. And we have some good, um, data in terms of impact showing that once a BCBA or a board certified behavior analyst is supporting a student that is at high risk for suspension and who has an IEP, in the 90 days after they become involved in the case, we see a significant decrease in their risk of future suspension. We also have a number of professional learning investments. We are particularly happy that we have continued our second year this year of um being able to focus on uh hiring are training our newly hired support staff. We've received very positive responses from those folks. We trained 105 support staff this year um through a series of eight different monthly week-long sessions. Our new teachers are also reporting high satisfaction. Um and uh the new teacher support and development survey um showed that the vast majority of teachers who are new in special ed, all but two had indicated their intent to return to OSD. These are some other areas where we have shown some growth. More students participating in summer internships, more young adults receiving paid employment through our PIP with the regional center. um and uh more students that are participating in work-based learning activities embedded in their high schools as well as an increase in A to G graduation rates. Uh our IUP quality investments um we'll just touch on briefly given that we know we're short on time. Um but we have seen an increase in teacher use of the training and support that we are providing. 40% more folks came to our dropin hours this week or this year. And our team has also audited every single IEP or every single teacher's um IEPs at least once this year. Um we will skip over those and kind of move into um some focal areas where we need to continue to improve as we wrap up the presentation. We are seeing increases in the number of past IEPs and need to continue to focus on that. That is an Oakland specific challenge. Our neighbors are not experiencing the same challenges. Um we will continue to provide updates to the

board about our comprehensive coordinated early intervening services as necessary um because we are continuing to be in significant d disproportionality um particularly due to discipline. And so um in conclusion um our ask of the board is that you please approve our annual budget and service plan so we can submit it for county and state review and we'd be happy to take any questions or comment. Thank you. Are there any public comments on this issue? Uh, yes, Madam President. We have two, Carol Delton and Anna Rani. Um, I do see Carol Delton online. Um, we're going to give one minute each. We are pretty tight on time right now. So, one minute.

We'll allow Carol Delton to speak.

Um, thank you so much. I wanted to just quickly uh lift up some pieces of information that are perhaps implied but not explicit in this plan that I think the board in its role as a self board needs to recognize. So first of all, if special students with IEPs are 20% of the students in OSD, they also generate 20% of the ADA and many of them also generate supplemental and concentration funding. Um and while uh we often lift up the contribution that is required for the extensive programming, we don't often lift up the contribution that these students make to the general fund. Um second, I wanted to lift up the very broad and extensive list of services that the self plan uh reviews. I would like to note that none of the charter schools in our area provide this kind of differentiated support and these kinds of varied services. It's one of the reasons that OSD has such a large population of students with IEPs and especially uh of students with more extensive needs. Thank you.

Thank you. There another speaker.

Um, all public speakers have been called. Are there any board comments? Uh, Director Hutchinson.

Yes. Thank you. Um, thank you for the presentation. Um, it would be helpful for for me at least to have a a document someplace that has more of the year-to-year changes and maybe even going back a couple of years. So, it's just easier to identify trends and kind of which direction things might be moving. And I would also uh request that there there could even be a narrative included in that um to help explain the reasons why some of those changes are happening um instead of just a one-off. It's just really hard to tell sometimes in isolation. Um the the other question I had is on here it says uh almost $150 million for a local contribution. Could you explain more what what actually is the local contribution? Uh the the state and the federal I think is really clear, but uh is that a a separate fund? Is that coming from the general fund? What kind of makes up or or where where do we find the local contribution?

Sure. Yeah, thank you for those um questions and comments. we do have more of a longitudinal look at um both the cost piece and um FTE or full-time equivalents um that go into the program that we can share. Um and in the uh 2 by two deck, we also had a little bit of that uh historical information. Um in terms of the question about the local contribution, some uh local municipalities have special education specific taxes or bond measures that go into local revenue. In our district um in our area, we do not. And so, um, when we're talking about a local contribution, we're talking about the contribution from the district's general fund.

Great. And thank you and thank you for declaring that also publicly. And and this also just ties into some of my concerns about the the budget at large. And so, um, I'm not going to ask you the question directly. I just want to kind of put it out there. This is another one of the areas that I'm really concerned about as we have a projected budget deficit for next year. And for these programs in particular, we we have to provide these services. We are mandated by law. And how is this interplay going to happen if there still needs to be um reductions in spending? And does that mean uh are we not going to be able to touch this pot at all? Does that mean there's going to be a proportional thrown in someplace? And again, I'm not asking you direct, but I I want to put this out because this is to me one of the through lines for tonight as we're in real financial trouble and we know we have this uh $150 million contribution that we need to make for special education. How does that interplay work when we um according to the numbers I've seen, we're looking at a $50 million deficit for next year, which could grow to a hundred million if the OEA contract is ratified. So, uh, like I've been telling everyone, please, uh, please be prepared and organized. And I'm going to be I'm really curious. Curious isn't the right word. It's late. But I I want to know how these can can interplay with each other. And is this really a a lock box that we need to know as a district that we can't touch going forward because these are mandated services. Thank you.

Thank you. Uh, Mr. Rickstro, do you have a question?

Yeah. Um, the only question I have is a Okay. Uh, I'll ask it. You don't have to answer it. The question I have is around and I'm just thinking about the policy advoc advocacy implications because uh I'm wondering given the selfpa advocacy that we heard about earlier today what the pattern or trend is across the state and how Oakland is comparing to that and one question in particular I'm curious about is whether the proportion of the local contribution the state contribution is changing over time like has that the has the state contribution shrink in proportion um in particular? Is that

Yeah. Um it's actually really timely that you asked that question, Director Barry, because we just got some good information from the Coalition for Adequate Funding for Special Education, CAFSY. Um and they're one of the sources that provides us with good fiscal information about what's happening across the region and the state. Over the last 10 years, districts have had an over 10% increase on average in the local contribution to special education. During that time, the federal contribution has shrunk from about 11% of the overall state budgets to 6.6% of the overall state budgets. And so, even in lower cost of living areas or areas that are considered small and sparse where there are fewer students with disabilities, we are still very closely aligned with the statewide averages in terms of the way our funding breaks down. Similarly, CFCs looked at um from 2004 to the present, so about a 20-year um period of time, um how are trends in the overall breakdown of funding um and uh what's the rate of change year-over-year? And we're seeing that while the per pupil spending across the board in California for all students is increasing and part of that was by design with the local control funding formula and after co 19 those one-time investments special education's graph is increasing at a faster rate and so is now showing a gap between the rate of increase of the general population and the rate of increase of students with IEPs.

Thank you. I'm going to close the public hearing. And is there a motion to adopt the SULPA plan? So moved. I'll second it. Mr. Rickstar, can we have a a roll call on the vote, please? On the motion to adopt the set for uh plans, service, and uh budget for next school year. Uh the student directors are absent. Director Lauder, yes. Director Williams. Yes, sir. Director Hutchinson, yes. Director Perry, yes. Director Thompson, yes. Vice President Bachelor

Stain. Uh, President Brohart, yes. Motion's adopted. Thank you, Andy. With that, we're going to move on to No, ma'am. We have We need a motion to extend. Oh, yes. We have a motion to extend the motion to extend the meeting to 11:45. Second. And can we have a roll call on the vote, please? On the motion to extend the meeting to 11:45, uh, student directors are absent. Uh, director uh Barry, yes. Director uh Thompson, yes. Director Hutchinson, no. Director Williams, yes, sir. Director Lau, yes.

Uh, Vice President Bachelor, yes. President Bhard. Yes. Meetings extended to 11:45. Okay. Next, we're going to take items uh agenda items O and P together and wrote it out separately with the exception of uh items 0 121, 122, and 123. Is there a motion to adopt? So moved. Second. Uh do we have public comment on this either of these items? Who seconded it?

Uh, yes. For O we have Carol Delton Boyin Portia I'm sorry Portia Boyin Daniel Alvarado Sada Olala and for P we have Assad Ola. We'll give each speaker one minute and uh Mrs. Assada, you can take two minutes, one on O and one on P. Go ahead, please.

Hello, I'm Daniel Alvarado. Good evening. Uh, president and members of the board. Uh, again, my name is Daniel Alvarado and I serve as a student assignment counselor at the student assignment center under Killian BAC. I am also a proud OSD alum alumni a and uh and a graduate of Cassamont High School. I'm here to speak on a position to board agenda item 26-1148 governing board adoption uh administrative law judge proposed decision classified layoff. I'm asking you tonight to reject the proposed decision of the office of administrative hearings and vote no in my individual layoff. Uh for the first time in eight years, OU enrollment has increased. This growth is the direct result of the work I do in the student assignment center. Uh we are revenue generators for the district. Uh every family we successfully enroll represents the vital ADA funding our schools depend on. We aren't just administrative costs. I am on the I am one of the frontline employees of the district's financial recovery. Um okay u just one thing um I'm asking you tonight to reject the proposed decision of the office administrative hearings and vote no on this layoff uh and I urge you to reverse this decision and maintain the uh my role uh which is really vital for uh revenue generating. Thank you.

Thank you. Next speaker, just a point of clarifi clarification. Uh the speaker was speaking on item 0121, which is one of the items that I pulled from the consent report. So it'll be voted on separately after this. Okay. Thank you.

Okay, I'm going to try to do this in one minute. 141 items. So I tried to prioritize the ones that I wish more detailed discussion would be held on them. Uh there are three items that deal with the disposal of asvesters in different schools. Uh you have an item that is in that has to deal with improving the air quality at the central kitchen. You do have summer academic and enrichment services at 15 schools. Uh I I don't know if this is adequate enough because that summer enrichment is very important. You do have a important item on human trafficking prevention. You have an item that calls for the FBI background check for volunteers at schools. And I continue to remind you your volunteer uh background check is not sufficient. You have an item that principal a principal will be able to identify and interrupt racism. That's important. You have uh suspension and expulsion training. very appreciative that you're doing that. That's important. Uh layoffs due to uh work uh lack of funds. Is that 121? I'm going to hold up on that one. I'd like to come back and address it. Uh district protective appeal to the state. Is that your other item? I'm going to hold up on that one. And then lastly, uh district uh salary schedule tenative agreement. I wish I could have better understanding of that one. Okay, going to um items on P uh P2 door entry system. That's very important that we have that kind of security. And for the entire year at Mccclimman's, we had no entry system because you moved the children to the other side of this uh school where that

system was not available. Uh item P3, Turf at Caesar Chavez. uh you need additional geotechnical uh consulting services to deal with unforeseen site conditions and that's appropriate. You need to do the same thing at Mccclimman's. And lastly, Oakland High turf field replacement project. You're coming back to the and that's good. Do whatever you have to do related to turf fields, but when are you going to do Mccclimman's field? Did I I I overspent my three my two minutes. Sorry about that. No, no, you're fine. You're fine. Thank you.

Um Madame President, Carol Delton's online. I'll to speak. Uh one minute. Um I will uh wait until item 0122.

Thank you. Um um are there any board comments? Director Hutchinson.

Yes. Thank you. Um I I could never have imagined when I stopped voting for consent reports in April of 25 that over a year later um I'd still have the same concerns. And so, as we've seen tonight, I don't think that most of the items on the consent report have been thoroughly vetted um or have a thorough fiscal impact analysis. Um I don't think there's really policies in place anymore guiding most of these decisions. And when I've tried to ask questions of the superintendent and senior staff, I've received no answers. And so for example, my list of 17 questions that I asked six weeks ago over which was about some of the decisions going on, I've still received no response. And so um again, I'll be abstaining from these and until I can feel secure that both the superintendent and the board president are asking are acting in a way where they're showing sound fiscal management and governance. I can't trust what's being put on the consent reports. Thank you. Thank you. Uh, Mr. Rickstro, can we go ahead?

Um, one, I should have asked this in advance, so I apologize for not including this in my questions, but I'm just curious if we've encumbered expenses, why we have uh why we have a gen consent report of 100 plus items related to spending. We have to approve or ratify the contracts and these are all the end of the year. This is what we're talking about. Yeah. Um Mr. Rickstar, can we have a roll call on the vote, please?

Yes. On the motion to adopt uh items under O and items under P which are the general consent report minus the items that were pulled off and P which is the general obligation facilities bonds measures. Student directors are absent. Director Williams. Yes. Okay. Director uh Thompson. Yes. Director Hutchinson. Abstain. Uh Director Lada. Yes. Um Director uh Thompson.

Yeah. You said yes. Okay. Uh let's see. One, two, three. Hard to say. Director Williams, did you vote? Okay. And director of Vice President Bachelor. Yes. And President Brohart. Yes. Okay. Did I get everybody? Yes. Okay. All right. It's Barry. Oh, yes. What? I'm sorry. What' you say? Yes. Okay. All right. The lowest yes I've heard yet. Okay. The motion's adopted.

Right. The next item on the agenda that we will take up is item uh uh o 121 which is the governing board adoption administrative law judge proposed decision classified layoffs 2026 27. Is there a motion to approve? So moved. I'll second it. And do we have public comment on this item? Who moved it? Who second it? Hard to hear back here. Okay. There's no public comment is open to the public. Open to public members to speak. Can I can I give my board comment first since I was the one who pulled it?

Uh, sure. Why not?

Thank you. So, I pulled this item um which we saw Mr. Alvarado speak on before. Um, I pulled this item so I could vote no and I agree with much of Mr. Alvarado's comments that he made here tonight. Uh this goes back to the layoff lists, the reduction in force list that this board voted on on February 22nd. At that vote, I voted against those layoffs because they weren't costed out. We've had no description of what savings they would achieve or from what funds. There was no policy backing it. And I even went so far as to introduce a resolution to try to bring some clarity. And so many of the jobs that we um voted on for that reduction in force are key jobs, at least they used to be. Uh attendance specialists, literacy coaches, teachers on special assignment providing key roles, a number of jobs, and all of those jobs that weren't central jobs. I only saw that layoff list 72 hours before the vote. So there was no board discussion. We didn't weigh in at all. And I really wish more people would have taken the opportunity that Mr. Alvarado did and would have really pressed the cases more because it might be true that we need to make reductions in our staffing and we couldn't afford all the positions, but it's never acceptable to just do it in a random ad hoc way without discussion and without a policy backing it. And so I will be voting no on this just like I voted no on February 22nd on the original reduction in force. Thank you. Thank you. Are there any public comments on this item?

Public comment is open to the public. Since this was known as a a a a pre preool, it's uh it's it's open.

I'm going to be very brief. I think layoffs uh is a very heavy topic in terms of these are people's jobs. Uh this is going to have a impact on their livelihoods to be able to take care of themselves and their families. And when you look at it from the perspective that the item is put in is item 121 of 141 items with no discussion. We just laying off due to a lack of work or lack of funds. And maybe it might have been a little bit more appropriate to say this item needs to be explained in detail so we can respect people understanding why we have to be in this arena doing this. And and it it just doesn't seem the right way to do it. And I I hope that at some point, whatever you do, when you're talking about your employees, the people who serve our children, we can do it in a better way than this way. Thank you.

Are there any more speakers on this? Uh Mr. Rickstar, can we have a roll call on the vote, please? Yes. On the motion to adopt Ot-121, uh, student directors are absent. Director Lada, yes. Director Williams, yes, sir. Director Hutchinson, no. Director Barry, yes. Sorry. Den, yes. Okay. Director Thompson. Yes. Director Vice Bachelor. Yes. And President Brohart. Yes. Motion is adopted.

Okay. The next item on the agenda is item 01 122 which is the district appeal California superintendent of public construction acco's April 16th, 2026 designation of district as going concern. Director Hutchinson, would you like to speak to this? Motion. Oh, I have to motion. Sorry.

So moved. Second. Director Hutchinson. I actually pulled this item. Yeah. And I pulled it because I think we should discuss it and uh I think I I would have appreciated and I think this is my first concern that it would have been on the agenda anyway. And even the conversation we were just having around the layoffs is like one of the reasons like we laid off hundreds of people and so every decision related to our fiscal stabilization. I think we need to honor all the lives affected, the seriousness of the issue by seriously engaging with every decision. Um, and this being one of them. So my own opinion about the appeal is I don't share sort of the um the notion that acco uh interpretation of our status is undue alarm. Um I think and we've heard it several times you you know have mentioned it uh our own staff that there is a cause for concern. Um, and two things can be true. Calls for concern and we feel confident about what's happening. But I think when we're given an opportunity to level up by taking even more precaution, especially because of all the lives that have already been impacted that we should take advantage of those. So that's one of the reasons why I wanted to discuss it. I'm not necessarily saying I'm committed to opposing, but I do not understand um the rationale um uh right now. And then the one question that I have related to this is what we hope to accomplish uh in our relationship with ACOE

um by this appeal. Like what is the outcome? Is it just not having this documented or is there what am I missing? Director Barry, I'm going to ask um our chief counsel um Janine Lindsay to respond to the question and give you more detail.

Thank you, Superintendent. Um so I think your questions uh are important and you are trying to understand what um is the rationale. First, I just want to share that we have, as was um explained earlier today, we have had a qualified status in previous interim reports and we have had a lack of going concern in 2017. Um and I think that was may have been right before we ended up doing midyear reductions. Um, we have had a qualified budget and we did at the request of the county provide our deputy superintendent at the request of the county provided additional information by April 30th and um that additional information we believe materially alters and should be reviewed before issuing a loan ago going concern. So that's the reason why the appeal is u agendaized here for your ratification. One thing that I want to flag is like inconsistency because I remember when second interim was submitted the OEA TA had already been we we explored that and already had made a decision regarding that but it wasn't um that those actions took place after the second interim deadline. So similarly, there's a point in time here being applied, but we're not we're not applying that same approach in this instance. Well, it was at the request of the county. So what was it? What what's the the county requested additional information by April 30th and that was provided by April 30th?

I think one other question that um director Barry may be asking is was there a specific timeline in which we needed to respond to either to the entity around it and is that potentially why it was sent before? Are we going under board comment now? Cuz that wasn't her question. She's right. If I could just finish speaking. Well, but you were speaking out of order. There was a a timeline. You you can shrug me off all you want. It was out of order. So, are we going to board comment now? She is asking a clarifying question. So, I'm going to That's not what she said. She said she was asking I'm not wasting director. I'm not wasting time either. Continue your question. Um, so I believe um there was a potentially a timeline

for when we needed to respond with such a letter. Yes, the law says five days. Believe she's asking the general counsel. We can move along and just ask the question. Yes, I do believe you were asking me. So the deadline that the county provided was April 30th to supplement the the um second interv. There was also a deadline I believe for a response around the growing concern that needed a response before this board meeting. So that's why it's on the board agenda for us to adopt it. It's on the board's agenda for you to ratify because we did already submit it to the state.

Is there a public comment on this? Uh, excuse me. I'd like my turn to speak then, too, since we moved on to board comments. I just want to make sure you know people in the audience if people would like I would like the opportunity to speak before that and if Vice President Bachelor is allowed to speak then we're into board comment and we all have So, you're going to continue until you speak. So, I am now going to let you speak. You have now used the bully pulpit to get this done.

Thank you. So, we have a lot of problems here. And um just very quickly, I want to bring everyone back to the last time we got a notice of going concern, which was late in 2021. And what we did as a board, actually Shantaa Gonzalez was board president at that time, we had an emergency special meeting so the board could gather and the board voted to file an appeal. Then at the next board meeting, we all as a board discussed why we were file filing that appeal. So I don't know why this wasn't on the board agenda at the last meeting. This is the first public acknowledgement that we even received a notice of going concern. And I don't know how anyone uh superintendent general counsel could file an appeal on May 4th when the board didn't authorize it in the first place. You're not allowed to file an appeal unless the board votes for it. And the idea that this was to meet some deadline, no. We received a notice of going concern from the county on April 16th. So, we were already past the deadline anyway. So, why was an appeal filed without first having a board vote? Then, if you actually read the appeal to me, it read kind of whiny. Oh, we couldn't do our required work for the county and submit it by the 30th and do an appeal at the same time. So now we're doing an appeal. That's just not how it works. There's a statutory deadline in the ED code of five days that you have to file an appeal. The board president could have scheduled a special meeting and met that 5-day requirement, then authorized

general counsel to file an appeal. But the superintendent and the general counsel do not have the authority to file an appeal without there first being a school board vote. And I find it really interesting when I hear Superintendent Sadler talk about how she's working closely with the county. This sure doesn't look like it, especially if you look at the tone of this. So, I really want to know under what authority was an appeal filed without the board first voting. I want to know why we didn't uh file then that appeal within the 5-day statutory requirement and why we're doing it now. And lastly, what I really want to know is why is this buried in the consent report? All of those are very important things. If we don't follow the law, if we don't follow our own board bylaws, which require school board votes, then I don't know what we're doing. So again, how was this filed without a board vote? Why did we wait until after the five-day deadline? and what is actually even happening now. So, I would really like uh General Counsel Lindsay, like I informed you, I would like a legal opinion on why you felt it was appropriate to file an appeal without a board vote and also ignore the 5 days statutory requirement. So, I would like an answer and a ruling on that.

Yes, I got it. I got it. Thank you for breaking that down um and repeating your your questions. So, um, just so that we're clear, the applicable ed code does not explicitly require a presubmission vote and that is 42127.9. And generally and generally in California, a ratification of action taken on behalf of a board is is valid. So, um, but our board bylaws require a board vote. I'm not talking about ED code. Ed code doesn't address where the vote comes from. Finish the answer. No. Excuse me. You've asked a question.

Excuse me. So, I'm asking a clarifying question on the response that I'm receiving. Let her finish.

So, so the appeal is here before the board as a ratification. And if the board opts to not move forward with the ratification, the appeal can be withdrawn or in fact it does not even need to be withdrawn. It's void because you have acted today through this ratification. But it was submitted May. It was submitted. That is right. So it's already been submitted. Correct. Without a board vote. Correct. Okay. Correct. And it's here before you for ratification. Is there any public comment? No. Then we have to have public comment. Is there any public?

Sorry, just on process because I was able to explain why I put it uh I pulled it and uh general counsel did respond to that, but I had a question that I do think is important because we're about to take a vote, which is like I'm trying to understand what we're hoping to accomplish here. I I think I explained it earlier. I'll just repeat it one more time. I do believe that there was a request from the county uh for a submission which our deputy superintendent did provide by April 30th. We believe that that materially changes and should be reviewed as a part of this discussion. And so our appeal is either for the superintendent of public instruction to reverse the going concern or to remand back to the county to ask for reconsideration. considering the material information that was provided.

And that's important because the interpretation of the going concern means what to us. Um I'm I'm not going into that piece on the dis because that would lead into some legal advice that should be um attorney client privilege. U Mr. Rickstro, can we have a roll call on the vote, please? Is there public comment? Um, yes, Madam President. There is a Carol Delton has her hand raised for public comment. One minute.

Lost Carol Del. Is she there? No. Carol Delilton, are you there?

Thank you. Yes, I am here. Um, I understand the procedural concerns and I also very much appreciate overall the superintendent's responses to the county uh and uh to the narrative that the county um has been promulgating and uh another narrative that takes into account uh ongoing changes and work on the OSD budget. it. I think everyone knows that there are statutory deadlines that do not favor uh clear progress in the district budget and changing those would be hugely helpful, but it is important that that uh the county acknowledge what the district is doing. On the other hand, I would like to see much more explicit explanation to the community with more explicit numbers with variance reports between numerical reporting and with a tracker for each budget item. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. S. Uh, Miss Barry, I want to thank you for pulling this item because when I read it, I did not understand what it was intended and even what it meant. And having said that, at some point, the structure of how you consider contracts or vote on items cannot continue to be the way it is now. The city of Oakland has two ways to deal with items, consent and non-consent. Items that are considered of concern or controversy go on non-consent. To have everything, no matter what it is, all voted on all at once. And at least what they do is the clerk reads the item. This process is not what I call the I'm going to be fair the best way to do it. And I appreciate that. I'm going to say this again. When some of you take the time to pull the item to expl not for yourself, for us, a part of your responsibility is that the community has to understand what is going on. It's not that you just take a vote. We have to be able to understand that you are doing the job in the best interest of children and the staff that you also support.

Thank you, Mr. Rickstar. Can we have a roll call on the vote, please? Yes. On the motion to ratify the appeal filed by staff with the uh California SPI uh on the matter discussed uh director student directors are absent. Director Lada, yes. Director Williams, yes, sir. Director Hutchinson, no. Director Barry, no. Director Thompson, yes. Vice President Bachelor, yes. President Bhard, yes. Motion's adopted.

Thank you. Uh, next item is item 123, which I believe M. Director Hutchinson was one that you pulled. District salary schedules move to adopt O-123 second.

Thank you. Um I pulled this because I have just again questions about the numbers that are listed in this document. So we received a set of numbers through the AB uh uh 1,200 process uh that costed out the SEIU contract. And now there's different numbers in this document. So my question is are these numbers in addition to what we thought the costs of the contract were? Are these separate? How do these numbers that um if I remember off the top of my head were a little bit more than a million dollars each year, how does that relate to what was already uh approved in the SEIU contract? So, are these additional dollars that we didn't cost out the right way or where are these numbers coming from?

Without um having the two sets of numbers that you're you're referencing, it's going to be difficult to answer that question. So, I mean, I can read off one set and the other sets the other sets on there, but you have been nonresponsive to me. And so, I can read off to what the old set of numbers were and you can look in this, you can look in this item 0123 and see what numbers are there. So, the the idea of you don't know because you don't have the numbers, that's not good enough now. So, or let everyone just go ahead and vote on it and they don't know what these numbers even are and it's just more millions out the door. Is there public comment on this item?

Uh, I do see Carol Delton with her hand raised to go first.

Okay. So I I did write down the numbers and the total cost for uh prior to the proposed uh argu uh agreement you had a number then for 2526 the new number 6.3 million for 2627 4.3 million and for 2728 1.1 million and the only question I have is what's the source of funding? And if that I didn't know anything about that they were different numbers but those are the numbers and my question is are these the correct numbers that's in the agenda tonight or were the other numbers and we're seeing different numbers according to what he's saying Mr. Hutchinson is saying. So where is this money source of funding coming from is is what I would be concerned about. And general counsel Lindsay, I just sent you a text with the numbers that came from the county which showed year 1 was 9,917,000, year 23,651,000 and year 35,343,000. So that was the costing out of the contract like Miss Alabala just read off. These are very different numbers. So, are these numbers in addition to what costed out in the AB1200 or what are these numbers representing?

I'm not sure um what you're referencing, but if you send that over to us, I just texted it to you. And I'm referencing the Alamita County Office of Education spreadsheet on the AB1200 for the recently ratified SEIU contract because I keep screenshots in my phone just for these moment. So, just so we're clear, I don't check my phone on the DIS. Um, so, but if you send those things over,

I just read out I just read out the numbers. So, how about this? Can somebody explain what numbers these are then in 0123? What do these numbers represent? That's a simple question. Or if there's not an answer, that also proves my point. We'll send those to you. Um, are there any other public comments? Uh, Carol Delton, I believe, is online, right? I'll allow them to speak. Uh, one minute. Um, I'm I'm fine. I put my hand down. Thanks.

Thanks. Uh, Mr. Rar, can we have a roll call on the vote, please? Yes. On the motion to adopt uh O-123, uh, Director Lada. Yes. Student board members are absent. Uh, Director Williams, yes, sir. Director Hutchinson, no. Director Barry, yes. Director Thompson, abstain. Okay. Director, Vice President Bachelor, yes. And President Brohart, yes. I miss anybody?

No. Okay. All right. Uh, it motions adopted. Okay. I'm going to move item T1, the superintendent contract next, and then we'll follow that with public comment. Is there a motion to adopt the superintendent's contract? So moved.

Second. Is there public comment? One moment. Okay, we have for T1, Carol Delton, Jonathan Mace Mutton, Avi Ringer, and Matt Glacer. the uh people who are in person first and then we'll take Carol.

If your name was called, please come on up. One minute. We have a timeline that we have to end it by 11:45. One minute. One minute. You're using your time right now. Use your one minute. Actually, I'm requesting extension of time. I'm not going to extend that time. One minute. And the reason we have a statutory time that we must end by 11:45. One minute. Thank you. Can you start the clock for one minute? That's correct. Thank you.

I would urge you to vote no on this contract extension. It saddens me to say so, but Dr. Sadler is too compromised to stay in this job, frankly, for even one day longer. Unless I'm misrepresenting something. Please let me know if I am. I'm going to skip ahead here. Um, through the fall, we held out hope that she was straight shooter. We know she was working diligently with her senior staff to develop a plan for budget deficit reduction. But then the day came when she was to submit to the board the fruits of this effort on the night of December 7th, the plan that became scenario three. And she'd worked with her most senior staff, her chief business officer, chief academic officer, chief of staff, pulling 12-hour days all weekend to finalize this. But once it was submitted on Sunday in the dark of night, she switched it with another memo developed with a whole different group. Okay? And when the senior staff came to her and asked her about this, she said no one inside the district had helped her. Well, that lie came out a couple days later when those inside the district acknowledged their involvement. Then the public caught wind of all this when two senior staff quit and we began asking questions. On two occasions, I asked who had helped her prepare this report. Why had she gone against the recommendations of her most senior staff? Dr. Sadler sat up there on this dice stonefaced, answering nothing. Then came the second lie. This one in full view of the public.

Thank you. Your time is up. Well, actually earlier uh a speaker spoke for 40 seconds uh without you stopping them. So I would hope that I would have at least that amount of time. Maybe 40 seconds. Okay. So the second lie came in her April 28th letter to the county superintendent when she wrote in bold font, "The district has operated with full transparency before its community and this board after she had refused to acknowledge anything about that meeting." So that was a second lie. So if she'll lie to her senior staff and she'll lie to the county superintendent, would she lie to principals? Would she lie to teachers, parents, students? We have to believe she would. You see, you see unt how untenable this is. You can't have someone who's lying as a superintendent. Thank you. That's

particularly where you have Dr. Aguilera perfectly capable serve as super. This is I mean come on. You're going to speak for one minute. Next pleer, please. Who is the next speaker?

I just want to tell a very short story that uh just happened tonight. Um there's a lot of people uh that want to demonize uh folks who have spent their entire lives in and careers in public service. I've had the opportunity of working with Dr. Sadler directly. And while there's plenty of room for critique on anybody who is doing a very very difficult job under a difficult time, what I saw tonight was one of the members of the community shivering because these fans were on. And the only person that noticed on the day the dis was Superintendent Sadler and she asked somebody to go offer her a blanket. This is the person you're demonizing. She's kind. She's a kind person and kindness is what we need more than anything. So, thank you. I support you.

Thank you. Next speaker, please.

David is going to speak on my behalf. Jonathan May's motion. Is that okay?

No, we don't do that. So, but you can submit. Good evening. Uh, I'm speaking on behalf of Dr. Da Moore. I'm speaking on behalf of the NAACP Oakland branch education committee. I want to address item T1 concerning the board's decision to end the search uh for a permanent superintendent and potentially extend Dr. Sadler's contract through 27. This is not personal towards Dr. Sadler. Uh this is about governance, transparency, accountability, and rebuilding public trust in Oakland Unified. The community was originally promised an inclusive superintendent search process involving parents, educators, students, administrators, stakeholders. Instead, the public is now witnessing decisions that seem rushed, lack community engagement, and are inconsistent with the board's commitment previously made to this board. Additionally, changing from interim to superintendent while extending the contract through June 27 is misleading to the public. One-year extension does not significantly uh signify permanent leadership stability. There's more that we'll um submit in writing. That's the NAACP Oakland branch talking. So, thank you.

Are there any other public speakers? I see Carol Delton's hand raised. One minute. to speak.

Um, hello. I was at several meetings back in December and I watched uh senior staff, the previous um chief business officer come to meetings without submitting plans. I watched the superintendent of academics come to meetings without submitting plans. I'm grateful that Dr. Sadler sought to put a plan together and work toward bringing the district into fiscal stability. That said, I hope the district will have a robust search next year, starting with community input for a long-term superintendent after the end of 2027. Thank you.

Thank you. Are there board comments on this? Director Hutchinson.

Yes, thank you. Um, like I let everyone know at the last board meeting, uh, at the last board meeting, the board voted to suspend or pause the superintendent search and extend Denise Sadler's contract for one more year. Now, that vote happened the day after the superintendent, using her district email, had sent out an advocacy plan to all the board directors, a clear violation of the Brown Act. And then a few days after that, after I notified general counsel Lindsay of that email, the email has disappeared from my list of received emails. But thankfully, I learned a long time ago to always take screenshots and always save files. Now, you can't really pause a superintendent search that you never really engaged in. And again, I went back and looked at the original contract with the search firm that said they were owed a $50,000 payment upon approval of that contract. And then somebody had to tell them afterwards to stop doing the search. And we still don't know who that was. Now, there's been no board discussion over what the terms of the contract should be. So, I don't know how we wound up with these terms, including a $10,000 raise. because there was no board discussion nor board vote. Superintendent Sadler never had a work plan this year and failed to deliver a fiscal solveny plan by February 22nd like she publicly promised. But I have another real concern as well. I want to know who negotiated this contract with Superintendent Sadler because it would be illegal for General Counsel Lindsay to engage in those negotiations since she reports directly to Superintendent Sadler. And as far as I know, there hasn't been an outside

firm hired to engage in those negotiations over the last three weeks. So, how did we get this here? What happened to the email that I was sent? because I have the screenshots to prove it. Who negotiated this contract? Who decided a $10,000 raise? And what's really going on here? Especially since the search firm that we hired now is the same firm that we're using to provide financial advice through Mr. Frutos, who we saw here today. It sure doesn't pass the smell test, but I want to know and I'd like an opinion on who engaged in negotiations for this contract on behalf of the school board and where is the school board authorization for the terms that were going to be included.

I want to address something here and I think there's a lot of innuendos. I I kind of wanted I wanted excuse me Lindsay to provide a ruling on it because I want to know who negotiated this. So I'm asking a direct question of general counsel. You can try to talk over me all you want and go to the next thing. But when we have potentially illegal activity and collusion among the senior staff and the board in order to extend a contract that's valued just in compensation at $367,000, I think I have a right to have my questions answered.

I'm going to go elementary teacher on here. One mic, one voice, and I'm going to call on on general counsel Lindsay right now. Thank you, President Brohart. Um, so I just want in terms of answering the question as to who negotiated a contract with the superintendent, the board did. And the board discussed this matter via government code 54957 in close session at which time the board discussed and decided upon terms which the superintendent has accepted. And now is the time when the board will vote on that in up open session so that it's a final agreement. I hope there's a record of it.

There is. There is. You were there. You were there. I I was there. That's why I know terms were not discussed. It was just a vote to extend it one year. So I was shocked to see that there was a $10,000 raise. And we won't violate the Brown Act any further. I believe you'd like to hear from uh Director Barry.

Yes. Uh, and I hate that I have to say say explain my vote, but I think the energy in the room is just a little whack for lack of a better word. And I think we all need to do better cuz I don't I don't even like the way I was treated tonight on the dis. Um, Dr. Dr. Sler, I've told you this directly and I talk about this publicly and privately that I like what you contribute and I like what you're bringing to the table. um this contract, my issue with it is that is the shift from intram superintendent to superintendent, which I do think is something we have to take seriously because of what it communicates to the public and how I do think it undermines the commitment that we made this time last year about process. And so yes to contract extension and I would like us to consider bringing this contract back so that at the very least we're not trying to engage community at 11:45 p.m. around something that is it's not just a contract extension if we're changing the title. Um not in what it means and not you know uh in what it signals. And so I think to honor the process and our own commitment due diligence is to reconsider that particular aspect of the contract

question. Mr. Rickstar, can we have a roll call on the vote, please?

Not yet. Madam President, can you note for the record as required by the statute the French benefit note that's under the item to be verbally read into the record before a vote is taken? Uh, can I do it on your behalf? Can you delegate it to me? I'll read it. It's to be noted $13,800 in additional the superintendent will receive if the contract is approved $13,800 in additional pay. These are eligible stipens and $88,655.32 in projected district paid benefits including health, vision and uh dental insurance, long-term disability insurance, life insurance, membership and professional associations, STS's stir state teachers retirement uh system insurance life insurance membership and professional association. I I I read that I'm sorry repeating uh and uh workers compensation and Medicare the foregoing disclosures made pursuant to government code section 54953 uh subsection D 3 capital A. Thank you.

Uh can we have a roll call on the vote please? Yes. On the roll call. Student directors are absent. Uh, Director Lauder, yes. Director Williams, yes, sir. Director Hutchinson, no. Director Barry, no. Uh, Director Thompson, yes. Vice President Bachelor, yes. And President Brohart, yes. Motion's adopted. Thank you. Uh we now have uh public comment. We have three minutes for public comment. Non-aggenda items. On non-aggenda items,

comment. Public comment. Um we have uh I believe it's 18 speakers. Do you want me to read off the names? Call three.

Uh call the first three. Okay. Uh Cynthia Kaufman, uh M. Shane, and Michael Dwatcher. Was that Craig Gordon, Jack Nelson, Anna Relini, David Bloom, Paulina's uh last name starts with an S, Musa Tik, Judy Greenspan, Ezra Barney, Assada, Olala.

Go ahead, please. Well, change in plan. That's all I need. Change in plans. Uh uh nothing but good news. I went to tech on the 30th to Radium Girls, the true story of women that died of uh radioact. And I will tell you the two main actors, Sasha and Griffin, uh they're better than Tom Hanks right now. They're that good. I mean, you should be proud of it. Uh looking moving ahead to today, I ran at Skyline and they had the special ed basketball game was going to occur and some special ed kids are on the track team doing real well and I ran around and they ran by me of course because I'm a thousand years old but you know that's the way it goes. Uh, next, um, I spoke to Valerie in the hallway and tomorrow and Friday are the, um, is the, uh, dance recital and Miss James last concerts. Miss J, oh boy, give me 10 more seconds. Miss James is a outstanding educator and of course she's your teacher of the year. Uh,

okay. I'm sorry. We need to adjourn and feel free to email us. I do respond. Um, I'm really sorry. We got a packed agenda tonight. Okay. Thank you so much. I appreciate it.