Sometimes, rumors and speculation are right on. This morning, state superintendent Jack O’Connell did, in fact, promise to return control over facilities and personnel management to the Oakland school board.

O’Connell also said the board could begin recruiting and hiring a superintendent as soon as the agreement is signed — most likely in January or early February. That might be the biggest news of all.

The upshot: In a month or so, the school board will oversee the district’s community relations, its buildings and grounds and its staffing, but not its finances or policies around student achievement.

I can only imagine the power struggles that are likely to unfold in the meantime.

Here is the release from OUSD: Read the rest of this entry »