School Board Watch 411
Lowering barriers, increasing access so families participate in Oakland's education decision-making process
Since 2009, School Board Watch has lowered barriers to participation and strengthened understanding of our local education policy and decision-making process by summarizing and sharing school board meeting agendas and content.
Why does the school board matter?
Oakland’s school board matters because the seven elected board members are responsible for managing a $634 million budget, making decisions about our students’ learning city-wide, and hiring a superintendent.
Who are our current board members?
James Harris
james.harris@ousd.org | (510)-879-8199
Nina Senn
nina.senn@ousd.org | (510)-879-8199
Aimee Eng
aimee.eng@ousd.org | (510)-879-8199
Shanthi Gonzales
shanthi.gonzales@ousd.org | (510)-879-8199
Jumoke Hinton-Hodge
jumoke.hinton@ousd.org | (510)-879-8199
Jody London
jody.london@ousd.org | (510)-879-8199
Rosie Torres
rosie.torres@ousd.org | (510)-879-8199
When and where does our school board meet?
OUSD’s board meets the second and fourth Wednesday of each month, unless otherwise noted. The board meets at La Escuelita Elementary School, 1050 2nd Ave. Oakland, CA 94606.
How do I speak at my board meeting?
You can speak at meetings during the public comment section (not on the agenda) by either filling out a speaker card at the meeting and giving it to the board clerk or you can visit OUSD’s website and sign up there. For agenda items, you can speak following board discussion and by either filling out a speaker card at the meeting or signing up online.
Here are some tips for speaking at board meetings:
- You have a limited amount of time, usually 2 minutes, so be concise
- Share your stance on the issue with clear supporting reasons
- Recommend a solution
- Practice your speech beforehand, but don’t worry about memorizing it
- Print your speech in a large font for easy reading
- Deliver your speech in a strong and respectful voice