And good luck with that.

It’s my belief that OUSD is doing more harm to the larger number of average and left of the Bell Curve students while only having nominal success adding value to the right side of the Bell Curve.

Families perceive this and are directing their kids to specific OUSD schools that they believe are an exception to OUSD’s norm or are exploring the Charters to direct their kid to a specific program there. Over time OUSD will lose enough kids to jump the shark completely – just like LA Unified. And no amount of “come on in, the water’s fine” will get decent people back.

The video is an attempt to reach out to more of these families/students. And I believe, in this economy, more families will choose the OUSD. And that commitment will make the district stronger (increase test scores).

Are our teachers teaching all the grade level standards in elementary school, no.
Are our students prepared to take Algebra in middle school, no.
Are our students achieving at high levels on the fourth grade writing test or the fifth grade science test, not unless parents have supplemented outside our school.
Teachers refuse to teach to the standards saying it’s not possible in elementary school.

Take a look at some really great schools doing really great things -

Redwood Heights and their pull-out music program in which students at all academic levels perform in school and in music – oh, diversity yes, achievement gap – almost none.

Fruitvale Elementary School – 5th graders study and perform Shakespearian plays.

Lincoln Elementary School huge numbers of students qualifying for free and reduced lunch, yet VERY high performance.

The three schools above should have been prominently featured in the video having kids learning at high levels, not just a snippet of an algebra problem – Perhaps the district should allow each school to produce a video of their best classroom in the process of teaching and learning and then letting the citizens of Oakland view those videos before entering into the options process.

Any other videos saying “Come on in, the water’s fine” won’t go far.

People are worried about their children being homeless and unemployed 2, 5 or 10 years after age 18 – or worse, living in their childhood bedrooms unemployed/pregnant or addicted. They want a secondary school system they are confident will educate & discipline the kid and place the kid on the ladder of self sufficiency. The families of these kids don’t want to have to worry so much about the survival & future of the kids.

That’s why they are NOT going to enroll them in OUSD.

For instance, read http://www.schoolsmatter.info/2009/11/gates-ponying-up-nearly-1-million-for.html

Obama’s Arne Duncan has now inserted the henchmen of billionaires Eli Broad and Bill Gates into the highest levels at the Department of Education. A very narrow, business-oriented ideology is now determining the course of US public education. Educators have been shut out.

Is this really okay with everyone? Where’s the national conversation?

Oh right, I remember. Most people are unable to participate in that conversation because they simply are uninformed.

This is big stuff, folks, but the mainstream media won’t cover it. To acquaint yourself, may I suggest you read Jim Horn’s “Schools Matter.”