Hey happy Friday, !

I feel like I just sent an update (because I did, sorry) and hate to feel like I'm bugging folks but this really couldn't wait. 

For many months now, I've been patiently waiting for the narrative around the current board and district to shift. I've written a number of times about it, and hoped that any independent-minded folks might look beyond politics to see the actual progress that is being made, despite what many loud detractors (and political organizations) are telling our community.

Among the least likely -- yet also among the most important -- people that I thought would notice this progress was Alameda County Superintendent of Schools Alysse Castro. I have spoken personally with Superintendent Castro and can tell you that she is both brilliant and perennially skeptical of what OUSD is doing about it's finances. And yet...

Alameda County Says OUSD's Progress Is Real

Read all about it: On Tuesday Superintendent Castro, who has publicly excoriated our district and its budgetary practices for years, sent a letter conditionally approving the budget OUSD submitted and affirming that the district's approach to budgeting over the last 9 months is a real, meaningful and positive shift. The tone of the letter was downright complimentary. I'm not kidding!

This is after a review of all the numbers available to-date, by herself and her staff. No fraud, no missing money to speak of. If you've been reading my stuff for awhile you know I'm not surprised by this conclusion, but I'm very surprised (and grateful, and relieved) at this dramatic turn by Castro.

Can We Start the Real Work Now?

I know how silly this is going to sound, but bear with me: Can we all just agree on the size of the problem now, and work on fixing it? It's an election year, which everyone in this country knows is a bad time for the truth. All the same, I think there's plenty for people to have a difference in opinion about without fabricating stuff about fraudulence and malfeasance. I'll be the first to tell you that I have no idea how to fix what's wrong at OUSD, and the first to listen to anyone's ideas, but only if we can team up around solutions and not tear each other down. 

So please share this email or the blog post on social media, especially with the haters, and let folks know that MSEG is already trying to do this work. September 30th is our Fall Summit, and I truly hope we have a large turnout. Register soon, and I thank you as always for your kind attention!  -MG

"There are three essential parts to addressing a structural deficit: staff must identify and bring forward hard choices; the governing board must make those choices; and staff must follow through and implement them. All three appear to be happening in OUSD, and that represents meaningful progress."

- ACOE Superintendent Alysse Castro

Hello , I need a brief word:

From my perspective, there seems to be a general drowsiness, born out of apathy or just emotional exhaustion, within the OUSD community on so many levels. Take me at my word when I say: I totally get it. 

But wait a second... I actually felt energized and even hopeful this week after a community meeting, because I know something that maybe you aren't aware of: There are dozens of people volunteering their time tirelessly to the cause of helping the district (and the school board) figure out how to fix this thing in a real way. I get to work with them regularly, and they are truly my favorite people in the world, even though we often disagree on things.

So I'm asking you to read, and definitely share out to every single person that might be activated right now, a special call to action that is relevant this very week:

Fix OUSD from the Inside

If we had actual cards, I'd be a card-carrying member of my school's School Site Council (SSC) and of the district-wide Parent and Student Advisory Committee (PSAC). Maybe we should get cards. Contrary to the narrative that there aren't enough opportunities to engage with OUSD leadership in a meaningful way, it turns out they actually need us to do it, and there are fourteen(!) vacancies on the PSAC this year, two in almost every district and four in D6. The orientation for PSAC is this Wednesday.

I am not overstating this, friends: 2026-27 is the most important year ever for us to fill all vacancies with open-minded, dedicated, engaged parents. We need to find them, and we need to do it now:

• The planets are aligned in a way we've probably never seen in terms of our potential to meaningfully change our district in a sustainable way.
• We have an incredible core of volunteers doing everything they can to realize that potential.
• PSAC works directly with (and has the ear of) district leadership and multiple board members; they are loudly asking for our help and partnership, all the time.
• There are not enough of us doing this work, so if you or someone you know has been trying to figure out the best time to get involved, that time is most certainly now.

Please read and help me get the word out. Every vacancy on PSAC this year will be a missed opportunity to add perspective and strong voices as OUSD tries to find solutions to 30+ years worth of challenges. 

Other Stuff

Our community engagement efforts with MSEG have entered a new phase for the fall. We held the first community engagement this past Thursday with a small crowd at West Oakland Middle School, focusing on what "basic staffing" means at OUSD schools right now. We presented a tool that MSEG created to help parse how the district's staffing formulas currently translate to what every school looks like in 2026-27 and in past years. It was a lot of work in tandem with district staff, and I hope you get a chance to use it and share it. 

We are planning more for September, including a (save the date) in-person event on September 30th that will be perhaps the most important session we've held thus far. Try and rope it off for us, more details coming soon.

I truly hope this email finds you well, and that you'll continue to engage in whatever positive change we can effect, despite the exhaustion. Thank you!  -MG