Record

By Jumoke Hinton Hodge

There is still so much work to do, but Oakland is making progress. Alongside parents, educators, administrators, and the community + Jumoke wants to continue to be a part of the solution for our youth and for Oakland's future.

Here is just a sample of some of the things Jumoke has done to improve public schools for District 3 students and families during her first term in office:

Established A Strategic Plan For The District. Jumoke has helped to develop and guide an ambitious Strategic Plan for the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD), the first of its kind for the District. She is most proud of the inclusion of the African American Male Achievement Initiative whose mission is to end the epidemic failure of black young men in Oakland schools.

Transitioned from State Receivership. As a School Board representative for the past four years, Jumoke has helped transition the Oakland Unified School District out of state control and into California's most-improved urban school district. Director Hinton Hodge coordinated OUSD staff, student and community engagement in the hiring process of OUSD Superintendent Tony Smith.

Ensured That Every Student Received College Prep Classwork. Director Hinton Hodge sponsored the legislation adopting the University of California and California State University "A-G" course sequence as a graduation requirement for every Oakland high school student and dedicate resources to ensure that students are prepared for that coursework.

Created the West Oakland Education Brain Trust. Director Hinton Hodge established a formal partnership between school district employees, faith based entities, community based organizations and small businesses that has assessed and addressed issues in West Oakland's public schools. The Brain Trust, in partnership with Prescott Joseph Center, coordinated a community assessment of over 300 West Oaklanders on education, and assembled the application for the Promise Neighborhood Federal grant on behalf of the District.

Improved School Safety and Discplinary Procedures. As a member of the OUSD Safety Committee and the Ad Hoc Committee on Police Services, Director Hinton Hodge has made improving school safety and disciplinary policies a priority during her term in office. To address the disparities related to African American and Latino males being overly suspended and pushed out of OUSD, Director Hinton Hodge has successfully sponsored legislation to bring restorative justice principles into the district's disciplinary policies. She has personally met with approximately 150 families of OUSD students being expelled and suspended, and applied restorative justice principles to a majority of those cases. Jumoke has also led efforts to engage the West Oakland community in the hiring of a new School District police chief, and is developing oversight protocol for OUSD Police Services.