by superintendent Tony Smith to address findings in the recently released Urban Strategies Report “A Deeper Look at African American Males in OUSD” and discuss measures to improve outcomes for black students
What: Press Conference on Disproportionate Outcomes for Black Males in the Oakland Unified School District
When: 12:00 pm, Tuesday, May 29
Where: Board Room of The Paul Robeson Administration Building, 1025 Second Avenue, Oakland, CA 94606
Oakland – May 24, 2012 – On Tuesday, May 22, the Urban Strategies Council released an important study titled “A Deeper Look at African American Males in OUSD.” http://www.urbanstrategies.org/aamai/
The report found that young black males languish behind their contemporaries of other genders and ethnicities in key areas such as academic achievement, graduation rates, literacy and attendance while outpacing them in suspensions and juvenile detention rates.
The report was unprecedented in terms of depth and detail, but its conclusions were depressingly familiar. The data underscored an ugly reality, namely that the prevailing conditions for black youth in Oakland are abhorrent, inequitable and entirely unacceptable.
As the primary institution with responsibility for Oakland’s children, The Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) must drive the change needed to upset the status quo and ensure that all students receive a quality education that allows for high levels of learning, social growth and college and career opportunities.
Since 2010, OUSD has made explicit and systematic attempts to improve the fortunes of black males, highlighted by the creation of the Office of African-American Male Achievement (AAMA), a department devoted to fostering practices that accelerate the development of African-American boys.
Many of its initiatives are designed to impact the issue which received the most scrutiny in the Urban Strategies report—disproportionate suspension rates for black males. A tremendous amount of work remains in this area, but OUSD has implemented a series of measures to help reverse a trend that limits the potential of not only black youth but also the Oakland community as a whole. Initiatives include:
Structural
Developed Full-Service Community Schools that, in addition to high-quality academics, provide wrap-around services and attention to students’ social and emotional needs
Created the Office of African-American Male Achievement (AAMA) to eliminate the academic and social inequities facing black males in Oakland
Adopted a tripartite approach to disproportionality, emphasizing prevention, intervention and restorative practices
Research and Assessment
Reviewed and promoted national best practices for reducing racially disproportionate suspensions
Disaggregated student data by ethnicity and gender to allow for better analysis of factors impacting disproportionate outcomes for black males in suspensions and attendance. Provided data year-round for early intervention
Focus on reducing suspensions for “defiance,” a non-violent category that does not warrant removing a student from school
Created early warning/early intervention reports based on academic, attendance, and out-of-school suspension indicators
Social, Emotional and Behavioral
Rejected zero-tolerance strategies as counter-productive
Adopted Restorative Justice principles that change the approach from punitive discipline to restorative practices, emphasizing the harm caused and supporting the offender in providing reparations to the victim
Introduced Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support Strategies (PBIS) to teach and reinforce positive school-wide behavioral expectations that are fair and equally applied to all students in all contexts
Cultural
Piloted Manhood Development classes to help black males better manage peer and adult relationships, producing a positive impact in attendance rates, discipline and GPA among program participants
Hosted African-American Family Summit to form a community consensus on the design of an extraordinary school that serves black students well
Literacy
Instituted universal screening for reading comprehension in grades 2-12
Identified secondary sites with a strong correlation between low literacy rates and low attendance rates, as well as between low literacy rates and high rates of suspension and referrals to special education programs
Implemented additional literacy supports to assist with students reading below grade level at 14 secondary sites
Redirected intervention resources to where they’re most needed (schools with the highest percentages of struggling students)
These initiatives are just the start of a comprehensive effort to eliminate inequitable treatment and wildly disparate outcomes for black males as compared to other student populations in the Oakland Unified School District.
What: Press Conference on Disproportionate Outcomes for Black Males in OUSD
When: 12:00 pm, Tuesday, May 29
Where: The Paul Robeson Administration Building, 1025 Second Avenue, Oakland, CA 94606
For more information, please contact Troy Flint, OUSD Spokesperson, at (510) 473-5832 or troy.flint@ousd.k12.ca.us.