Oakland Achieves- 2014 Progress Report

Report by Rebecca Brown, Joe Jackson, Sarah Marxer, Steve Spiker
August 2014

Urban Strategies Council   (Oakland)

In our second annual report on student progress in Oakland, we examine how well public education outcomes match the great potential of our children.

The report reviews a full range of data on Oakland student outcomes from cradle to career. Wherever possible, it includes data from district-operated schools and charter schools. We have added several new indicators since last year, including kindergarten readiness and Financial Aid Form completion.

Now educators, parents, and others can see at a glance how Oakland students and schools are doing. Our goal is that leaders and advocates will use this data to come together and focus energy and investments where they’re needed to make opportunity a reality for every public school student.

The data is sobering. At the report’s release event, Robert Wilkins, CEO of the YMCA of the East Bay and an Oakland Achieves Partner, closed with these inspiring words:

“The education system is a supporting wall of our civilization and it appears to be in rubble, but there are bright spots. If we work next to each other, the wall of education, the backbone of the future of our children, will be straightened up, and we can restore the dignity and delight that we all know and believe is Oakland. Let’s make the commitment that we are in this together and we will stick to it despite doubt and opposition. Shoulder to shoulder we can get this done.”