League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Alameda County, CA June 3, 2008 Election
	Jumoke Hinton Hodge Answers Questions Candidate for School Director; Oakland Unified School District; District 3

The questions were prepared by the the League of Women Voters of Oakland and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. How do you assess truancy in the School District; what changes would you advocate?

Truancy in Oakland Unified School District hurts our school district monetarily. Truancy in Oakland Unified School District hurts our most precious resource in Oakland, our youth and families. Truancy is a symptom of many social issues we have in communities: destabilized families with high employment,poverty, parental incarceration,inadequate childcare,and environmental and health issues to name a few. Truancy is also a product of an ineffective school system: Lack of rigor academically, relevance of subject matter and relationships with teachers and school staff.

Greater partnerships with community based and/or city departments that provide health care, employment,support services must be in tune District 3 families needs. Are health care providers even aware of a students missing several days out of school due to health problems? How are families and schools communicating about why truancy is occurring with the student? There first needs to be a shift in attitude and culture about delivering services - understanding the whole child. Chronic health care problems impact student attendance. Because of that I support school based health clinics that can be instrumental in helping young people be healthy, stay in school and perform at a high standard.

Academic rigor and relevance is critical to ensure students participate. Students at an early age must be oriented towards a college going culture. In middle school they must be introduced to and engaged in a curriculum that will prepare them for a career or going to college. Schools that have incorporated real world experiences into the curriculum have seen student attendance increase. Schools that have set a high standard and expectation for learning have excellent attendance. We know why young people don't attend school. We know why some parents and adults aren't engaged.Because we know the answers and we have asked the question for years.I would propose that we DO something, we each take responsibility for impacting this change. It will require systems talking,educators raising the standard- every child can learn, it will require outreach to families, and it will even require listening to young people.

I would also advocate that each citizen of Oakland talk with a student who is at risk of dropping out and being chronically truant.Caring Adults in young people's lives makes a tremendous difference.

Prevent Truancy - Care for a Student!

2. What is your opinion of the District's School Success program?

OUSD "Expect Success" Initiative is an appropriate strategy to align the mission of our schools to place students first and at the center of reform in Oakland.

Every Student.Every Classroom. Every Day.

This slogan suggest the rigor and attention that must be provided for All students. Expect Success is a strategy to address the administration and management of the District. Because of this strategy systems now exist that will address Community Accountability, Academic Instruction and Business/Customer Services within OUSD. The strategy is meant to create great efficiency and accountability internal to the district.

As a parent organizer I have supported the development of the Office of Community Accountability and its efforts to create a viable infrastructure to engage parents, provide efficient services, and address student achievement. This office in particular must develop a sound communication and engagement strategy. They have positively developed a model that sees itself housed beyond central office. This office has a presence on school sites and it currently investing in parent leaders and advocates in some of the most distressed schools within our district. Over all my opinion is that this new structure must now be evaluated after three years of development and implementation.In general there still seems to be a lack of understanding about this initiative and the direct impact it has on students, families and school sites.Greater board leadership and support is needed for Expect Success.

I believe the investment by the private sector in this Initiative was valuable and now I expect the our public sectors, city, county and state would leverage this investment and invest in a healthy efficient academically and fiscally sound school system. This is especially critical as we move towards local governance - how will we govern is an important question.

No, to State Budget Cuts in Education!!!!

I believe "Expect Success" speaks directly to the spirit in which we must operate our school district on behalf of students and families.

3. How might the School District work more effectively with the City?

Communication. I believe there must be serious leaders on the School Board and City Council that will commit themselves to meeting regularly and establishing priorities that will reflect a shared mission and vision for Oakland students and citizens. OUSD must be able to articulate the pathway they are providing for OUSD students to become productive citizens and graduates of OUSD. Oakland as a city must be clear on opportunities, services and conditions that exist in every community to ensure young people will have safe passage in their k-12 academic career.

I would establish specific reporting to exist cross sectors for example: City department of Community Block Grant funding directed towards blighted communities, Office of Community and Economic Development, Planning and Development as well as Office of Children Youth and Families. The Oakland Police Department and OUSD share officers it is critical to identify a shared vision and collective strategy to support student achievement.

Currently the Youth Commission and the OUSD All City Council do not convene, I believe efforts to bring together these student leaders that represent the schools and public life in Oakland would be a tremendous step to empower youth voices. As a City and School District we should collectively raise young people up as our greatest asset within Oakland. Resources, wisdom, political and social will must be harnessed to ensure students are achieving and this city reflects healthy prosperous citizenship.

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' answers are presented as submitted.

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: June 1, 2008 10:02
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