Candidate for
School Director; Oakland Unified School District; Trustee Area 3

It's time for real talk: about the problems Oakland schools face, and about the difficult decisions that have to be made to solve them. As a member of the Oakland School Board, Jumoke Hinton Hodge has done just that.

Jumoke was integral in the development of the Oakland Unified School District's first ever Strategic Plan - which lays out a vision for a thriving schools and students, and a pathway to get there.

Director Hinton Hodge is running for re-election to build a School District that:

Embraces A Full Service Community School Model

Jumoke recognizes that in order for schools to thrive, we must address the needs of the whole child. Safety, health, rest and nutrition are basic needs that must be met to enable effective student learning - and schools must partner with the community to secure those resources and conditions. While classroom learning must remain at the core, schools must become community centers that focus on youth development, parent engagement and support, and providing health and social services.

Offers a 21st Century Curriculum

Oakland must graduate its students to be equipped for success in today's increasingly advanced economy. That means every student must graduate with the skills to be college and career ready. Jumoke believes that the long term economic stability of this city and this community will depend on the investments that we make in our children today and the extent to which we are able to create relevant curriculum for a 21st century economy. That's why, in her first term in office, she successfully pushed to ensure that Oakland's schools provided fundamental, college ready academics to every student so that they have the option to attend college or join the workforce, as they choose.

Provides Quality, Effective Instruction to Our Students

The most important determinant of student success is quality teaching. Oakland must recruit, retain, and reward the best teachers and administrators, and provide training, support, and professional development to those who need or want it. And the School District must acknowledge that different schools have different missions and different instructional needs, and listen to teachers as we develop the policies that effect in-class learning and school administration.

Targets Resources To Those Who Need It Most

At this time in history, many would say that education is the civil rights issue of our time. The issues of equity and equal access as relevant today as during the time of Brown vs. Board of Education. To be successful as a school district, we cannot rest until we eliminate achievement gap and opportunity gap, and reduce the dropout and truancy rates that stand in the way of success for many of our students. That means sending additional resources to equip our educators to meet the needs of students with disabilities, English language learners, students living with crime and violence, and students whose basic needs are not being met at home.

Embraces Restorative Justice

Too many students - particularly our young African American and Latino males - are being suspended and pushed out of District schools. Our schools should be a place that embrace restorative justice, holding our students accountable for the actions but remembering that they are kids who need both discipline and support.