The School Board is meeting tonight to discuss OUSD’s budget deficit and vote on a proposed plan.
If you have thoughts or concerns about how these decisions may impact our children and our schools, this is an important meeting to attend.
Join the meeting virtually here or attend in person at
Committee Room, KDOL TV Studio, B-237,
Met West High School Entrance,
314 East 10th Street, Oakland,
CA 94606-2291
FAQ on attending School board meetings
Our director, Mike Hutchinson, has put forward a proposal.
Here’s a short summary:
The Alameda County Superintendent conditionally approved OUSD’s 2025-26 budget. That means the District must fix specific budget problems or the County may take control of OUSD’s finances again by November 8, 2025.
OUSD is currently spending about $4 million more each month than it receives. If nothing changes, the District will run out of money before the end of the 2025-26 school year and could require a state loan, which would remove local control for years.
The Board’s existing resolution needs amendments to focus first on resolving the immediate 2025-26 budget issues raised by the County’s September 12 letter.
Key facts:
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OUSD must keep a 2% reserve but is rapidly burning through it.
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Reserves were about $19.3M in August, but spending is outpacing revenue.
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Projected deficits are growing: $94–97M in 2026-27 and over $150M in 2027-28.
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The County requires OUSD to submit a plan and timeline for balancing the 2025-26 and 2026-27 budgets.
What the amended resolution directs:
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By November 8, 2025:
The Superintendent must propose cuts of at least $15M this year (2025-26), using tools such as:-
Hiring freezes
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Freezing new contracts
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Reducing staff (TSAs, STIP subs, assistant principals, co-principals)
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Furlough days for central office staff
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Reducing extra supports for small schools, ELL, newcomers, literacy, and special education
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Rescinding previously reversed budget adjustments
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Any other strategies the Superintendent proposes
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By December 10, 2025:
The Superintendent must propose a plan to close the $100M deficit projected for 2026-27, including:-
Further cuts based on the strategies above
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Reducing spending to statutory and contractual minimums
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Implementing approved budget solutions
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Using any remaining options evaluated last year
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Voting on items required under the Fiscal Sustainability Plan and “3 R’s”
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Before giving any new funding in labor negotiations, the Board must first approve the necessary spending cuts.