Oakland Unified sustained its full-service community schools initiative through leadership turnover and lean funding by engaging stakeholders, braiding funding sources, and enacting formal policy commitments¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · qualitative r? · q2
Currency · newest study 2023 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? A district sustained a community schools initiative across five superintendents in its first decade and financial challenges by engaging a wide range of stakeholders, blending and braiding multiple funding sources, accumulating policy documentation, and a master agreement with the county. → Klevan 2023

Evidence¶

Klevan 2023¶

Klevan, S., Daniel, J., Fehrer, K., & Maier, A. (2023). Creating the conditions for children to learn: Oakland's districtwide community schools initiative. Learning Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.54300/784.361

q2 · i? · qualitative · r?

Case study of Oakland Unified drawing on interviews, surveys, administrative data, observations, and an 8-year longitudinal study; the report states the district sustained the initiative "through leadership turnover and periods of lean funding" via stakeholder engagement, braided funding, and formal policy commitments.

"Oakland Unified has sustained its FSCS initiative through leadership turnover and periods of lean funding by engaging a wide range of stakeholders, braiding varied funding sources, and enacting formal policy commitments that make community schools a stable part of the district infrastructure."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Centralized district management of partnerships enabled community schools to deliver programs and services without the burden of managing partnerships — related
• States draw on federal, state, and local funding sources to develop and sustain statewide leadership initiatives — related
• Interviewees identified leadership prioritization, staff buy-in, and investments in staffing, training, partnerships, and funding as facilitators of trauma-engaged implementation — related
• Core Teams identified communication challenges, school and district leadership turnover, and teacher burnout as barriers that influenced solution success — related
• Coordination of Services Teams (COSTs) are used universally in Oakland Unified schools to connect students and families with academic, mental, behavioral, and physical health supports — related
• State investments in community schools range from $3.4 million to $4.1 billion, mostly occurring within the past 3 years, drawing on state funds, federal ESSER funds, or both. — related
• Ohio shows no evidence of stakeholder engagement, cultural competence training for hiring managers, or district-preparation partnerships for diverse hiring — related
• State investments in coordinators, professional development, and technical assistance were key to achieving community schools outcomes — related
• The article argues the durability of the WSS co-design approach depends on institutionalizing authentic engagement as core practice, not a one-time initiative — related
• Cost analyses find community schools return $3 to $15 for every dollar spent — related
• States investing in community schools typically prioritize funding for the highest-need schools and districts, with high-need thresholds ranging from 40% to 80% or more of the student population. — related