Oakland

Opinion: The State Is Responsible for Oakland’s Budget Crisis

Published

9 years ago

June 1, 2017

The fight for decent education in Oakland for all the students, not just those who are from privileged backgrounds, stretches back for decades.

We need to look at a little history in order to put the current Oakland schools budget crisis in perspective, see who really bears the blame for this predicament and pose solutions that will not make public education worse.

First of all, there were no good old days when the schools worked for everybody.

The old boy network ran Oakland’s segregated, tracked, over-tested schools through the early 1970s.

As the Black community became larger and more organized, African-American leaders were elected to the school board and they began changing some of these policies.

They hired more Black and Latino teachers; organized parents; demanded less racist curriculum; and ended the most explicit tracking. Yet change was slow and incomplete, partly because the worst policies were generalized throughout the state and defended by state institutions.

Soon after Oakland elected a majority non-white Board of Education in the mid-1980s, various state and local politicians started trying to get the district taken over by the state.

They had many motivations; a major one was the desire to control Oakland’s multi-million dollar budget. They used racism to paint Oakland’s people and leaders as ignorant and corrupt, harking back to the stereotypes used in the South to undermine Reconstruction leaders.

Unlike any other district in the country, Oakland was able to fight off state control for 15 years. This is one of the least known but most significant victories for Oakland’s oppositional political culture.

The most important reason for this success was the leadership of then school board president Sylvester Hodges who insisted that the district maintain a well-balanced budget.

Kitty Kelly Epstein

He believed that take-over by the state would be the worst thing that could happen to Oakland, a position which was born out by later events in Compton, Camden, Chicago, and a dozen other mostly-“minority” school districts that were taken.

The take-over of school districts is essentially a form of racial voter suppression.

Hodges retired from the school board, and the relentless pressure for take-over continued with State Senator Don Perata and former Mayor Jerry Brown playing a major role.

They pushed out the budget-conscious Superintendent Carole Quan and brought in Dennis Chaconas Though a good educator in some ways, he did not keep the budget balanced, giving Perata and Brown he excuse they needed for state take-over.

I attended the Sacramento hearings and watched Democratic legislators dismiss the pleas of Oakland’s diverse residents with absolute disdain.

Perata’s resolution, passed by the State Legislature, forced the district to take a $100 million dollar loan, more than double the district’s actual debt.

The only stated reason for the take-over was financial crisis, which meant that the State Administrator’s main job was to reduce the deficit. In fact, the State Administration did massive district reorganization, abolished the power of the elected school board, began opening charter schools, fired experienced local minority administrators, closed schools and ran up an even larger debt than the original deficit.

In 2006, newly elected Mayor Ron Dellums went to Sacramento and told the state school superintendent that Oakland wanted its schools back. Assemblyman Sandre Swanson introduced a bill to return local control.

These actions combined with the many protests by residents and board members against State Supt. O’Connell led to his announcement that local control would be returned.

But local control was returned with a number of stipulations:

Oakland had to pay off the inflated loan with interest
A state “trustee” was appointed with the power to veto any aspect of the superintendent’s budget that was deemed to be overspending. The district was required to pay for the trustee, but the state hired the person. The only job of this this official, who currently earns $117,600 a year, is to make certain that Oakland’s budget stayed balanced
The school board was forced to undergo training about its duties, which should not, according to the training, involve asking questions or disagreeing with the Superintendent in public. Board decisions on all major questions were supposed to be unanimous.

Given these constraints, major responsibility lies with the State of California, which forced the original loan, only returned limited control; and forced Oakland to pay for a trustee appointed by the state who did not do the budget-watching job for which she was being paid.

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Activism

Big God Ministry Gives Away Toys in Marin City

Pastor Hall also gave a message of encouragement to the crowd, thanking Jesus for the “best year of their lives.” He asked each of the children what they wanted to be when they grow up.

Published

3 days ago

December 29, 2025

Oakland Post

From top left: Pastor David Hall asking the children what they want to be when they grow up. Worship team Jake Monaghan, Ruby Friedman, and Keri Carpenter. Children lining up to receive their presents. Photos by Godfrey Lee.

By Godfrey Lee

Big God Ministries, pastored by David Hall, gave toys to the children in Marin City on Monday, Dec. 15, on the lawn near the corner of Drake Avenue and Donahue Street.

Pastor Hall also gave a message of encouragement to the crowd, thanking Jesus for the “best year of their lives.” He asked each of the children what they wanted to be when they grew up.

Around 75 parents and children were there to receive the presents, which consisted mainly of Gideon Bibles, Cat in the Hat pillows, Barbie dolls, Tonka trucks, and Lego building sets.

A half dozen volunteers from the Big God Ministry, including Donnie Roary, helped to set up the tables for the toy giveaway. The worship music was sung by Ruby Friedman, Keri Carpenter, and Jake Monaghan, who also played the accordion.

Big God Ministries meets on Sundays at 10 a.m. at the Mill Valley Community Center, 180 Camino Alto, Mill Valley, CA Their phone number is (415) 797-2567.

Oakland Post

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Activism

First 5 Alameda County Distributes Over $8 Million in First Wave of Critical Relief Funds for Historically Underpaid Caregivers

“Family, Friend, and Neighbor caregivers are lifelines for so many children and families in Alameda County,” said Kristin Spanos, CEO, First 5 Alameda County. “Yet, they often go unrecognized and undercompensated for their labor and ability to give individualized, culturally connected care. At First 5, we support the conditions that allow families to thrive, and getting this money into the hands of these caregivers and families at a time of heightened financial stress for parents is part of that commitment.”

Published

3 days ago

December 29, 2025

Oakland Post

Costco. Courtesy image.

Family, Friend, and Neighbor Caregivers Can Now Opt Into $4,000 Grants to Help Bolster Economic Stability and Strengthen Early Learning Experiences

By Post Staff

Today, First 5 Alameda County announced the distribution of $4,000 relief grants to more than 2,000 Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) caregivers, totaling over $8 million in the first round of funding. Over the full course of the funding initiative, First 5 Alameda County anticipates supporting over 3,000 FFN caregivers, who collectively care for an estimated 5,200 children across Alameda County. These grants are only a portion of the estimated $190 million being invested into expanding our early childcare system through direct caregiver relief to upcoming facilities, shelter, and long-term sustainability investments for providers fromMeasure C in its first year. This investment builds on the early rollout of Measure C and reflects a comprehensive, system-wide strategy to strengthen Alameda County’s early childhood ecosystem so families can rely on sustainable, accessible care,

These important caregivers provide child care in Alameda County to their relatives, friends, and neighbors. While public benefits continue to decrease for families, and inflation and the cost of living continue to rise, these grants provide direct economic support for FFN caregivers, whose wages have historically been very low or nonexistent, and very few of whom receive benefits. As families continue to face growing financial pressures, especially during the winter and holiday season, these grants will help these caregivers with living expenses such as rent, utilities, supplies, and food.

The funding for these relief grants comes from Measure C, a local voter-approved sales tax in Alameda County that invests in young children, their families, communities, providers, and caregivers. Within the first year of First 5’s 5-Year Plan for Measure C, in addition to the relief grants to informal FFN caregivers, other significant investments will benefit licensed child care providers. These investments include over $40 million in Early Care and Education (ECE) Emergency Grants, which have already flowed to nearly 800 center-based and family child care providers. As part of First 5’s 5-Year Plan, preparations are also underway to distribute facilities grants early next year for child care providers who need to make urgent repairs or improvements, and to launch the Emergency Revolving Fund in Spring 2026 to support licensed child care providers in Alameda County who are at risk of closure.

The FFN Relief Grants recognize and support the essential work that an estimated 3,000 FFN caregivers provide to 5,200 children in Alameda County. There is still an opportunity to receive funds for FFN caregivers who have not yet received them.

In partnership with First 5 Alameda County, Child Care Payment Agencies play a critical role in identifying eligible caregivers and leading coordinated outreach efforts to ensure FFN caregivers are informed of and able to access these relief funds.FFN caregivers are eligible for the grant if they receive a child care payment from an Alameda County Child Care Payment Agency, 4Cs of Alameda County, BANANAS, Hively, and Davis Street, and are currently caring for a child 12 years old or younger in Alameda County. Additionally, FFN caregivers who provided care for a child 12 years or younger at any time since April 1, 2025, but are no longer doing so, are also eligible for the funds. Eligible caregivers are being contacted by their Child Care Payment Agency on a rolling basis, beginning with those who provided care between April and July 2025.

“This money is coming to me at a critical time of heightened economic strain,” said Jill Morton, a caregiver in Oakland, California. “Since I am a non-licensed childcare provider, I didn’t think I was eligible for this financial support. I was relieved that this money can help pay my rent, purchase learning materials for the children as well as enhance childcare, buy groceries and take care of grandchildren.”

Eligible FFN caregivers who provided care at any time between April 1, 2025 and July 31, 2025, who haven’t yet opted into the process, are encouraged to check their mail and email for an eligibility letter. Those who have cared for a child after this period should expect to receive communications from their child care payment agency in the coming months. FFN caregivers with questions may also contact the agency they work with to receive child care payments, or the First 5 Alameda help desk, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PST, at 510-227-6964. The help desk will be closed 12/25/25 – 1/1/26. Additional grant payments will be made on a rolling basis as opt-ins are received by the four child care payment agencies in Alameda County.

Beginning in the second year of Measure C implementation, FFN caregivers who care for a child from birth to age five and receive an Alameda County subsidized voucher will get an additional $500 per month. This amounts to an annual increase of about $6,000 per child receiving a subsidy. Together with more Measure C funding expected to flow back into the community as part of First 5’s 5-Year Plan, investments will continue to become available in the coming year for addressing the needs of childcare providers in Alameda County.

About First 5 Alameda County

First 5 Alameda County builds the local childhood systems and supports needed to ensure our county’s youngest children are safe, healthy, and ready to succeed in school and life.

Our Mission

In partnership with the community, we support a county-wide continuous prevention and early intervention system that promotes optimal health and development, narrows disparities, and improves the lives of children from birth to age five and their families.

Our Vision

Every child in Alameda County will have optimal health, development, and well-being to reach their greatest potential.

Learn more at www.first5alameda.org.