Why is GO involved in school board elections?

Great leaders are essential to expanding high quality public education and opportunities for Oakland students. GO endorsed school board candidates for the first time in the November 2012 elections. School board members have an extraordinary influence on the performance of our schools and the culture of our city. Our school board oversees the Superintendent, sets instructional and school management policies, votes on school closures, approves and denies charter public schools, and makes critical financial decisions about a more than $600 million annual budget (that's $2.4 billion of budget responsibility in a four-year term).