Kids First! group says it has signatures needed for November ballot measure

Kelly Rayburn
Oakland Tribune STAFF WRITER

Article Created: 06/09/2008 03:58:12 PM PDT

By Kelly Rayburn

OAKLAND — A group called the Oakland Kids First! Coalition turned in nearly 45,000 signatures to the city clerk’s office Monday, aiming to place a ballot measure before voters in November to dramatically increase youth services.

Measure proponents say it would “protect and expand” the services initially provided under Measure K, approved in 1996. But the proposed 2008 measure, known as Kids First! Two, has drawn opposition from Mayor Ron Dellums and some members of the City Council.

The coalition needs about 18,900 valid signatures to force a ballot question. And while they could face a tough fight come November, about 75 teenagers and youth program leaders celebrated what they’d already accomplished.

Kim Miyoshi, executive director of Oakland Kids First, just one of the nonprofit organizations that falls under the umbrella of the Oakland Kids First! Coalition, said the campaign was “like the little engine that could.”

“All the challenges seemed somewhat insurmountable,” she said. “It seemed like the City Council wasn’t for it, … and yet every time we hit a roadblock almost a miracle would happen and more people would get on board.”

Measure K mandates that 2.5 percent of the city’s unrestricted general fund revenue be set aside in the Oakland Children’s Fund for youth programs. The new initiative would nearly double funding for the Children’s Fund starting in 2011 by mandating that 2.5 percent of all city revenue go toward the fund. The city’s yearly general fund is about $475 million while its total revenue is close to $1 billion.Groups that receive funding include Oakland Kids First, the East Bay Asian Youth Center, Girls Inc. of Alameda County, Youth ALIVE! and Youth UpRising.

Mayor Ron Dellums said in a statement the “proposal pursues a laudable objective that I support.” But he continued that, “by increasing expenditures and not increasing revenues, this measure would reduce budgets for other crucial city services including many services that support Oakland kids.” The mayor said he remained committed to working with outside government and private funding sources to benefit nonprofit organizations such as those funded by Measure K.

City Councilmember Jean Quan (Montclair-Laurel), the head of the council’s finance committee, reiterated her opposition to the measure. She noted that the council extended the original set-aside provided by Measure K through 2021, but said increasing that percentage further could mean deep cuts to other city services, such as parks and recreation and senior programs.

Initiative proponents said youth programs are more important than ever, with crime rates high.

“I think in neighborhoods all across the city that residents and families want Oakland to be a place where they can raise their children in a safe and nurturing environment,” said David Kakishiba, executive director of the East Bay Asian Youth Center. “And it think the Kids First! initiative would go a long way to making that happen.”

Reach Kelly Rayburn at 510-208-6435 or krayburn@bayareanewsgroup.com.

At the last Steering Committee meeting, we discussed the following issue that may be affecting our members.

Currently each school in the district has $94,000 of remaining 21^st Century Fund monies.  The district is trying to spend it all, and is turning the money over to many of our members. If it isn’t spent, the money reverts back to district, state, or feds.  The district will be audited next year on core funds.  That means many of the district’s main contractors will also be audited.
This raises questions about what to do with the monies:

1.      If it’s accounted for as a deferred expense, auditors could demand that it be given back.

2.      If monies are spent this year that can’t be continued next year, it may lead to unrealistic expectations at the school site.

3.      One idea is to spend these monies now in place of unrestricted funds which can be spent later.

Dear Friends of Oakland Public Schools . . .

Please attend the April 30th Rally to oppose the Governor’s $5 Billion cut to California’s public schools.

The impact to Oakland Unified School District is $23 million – - equivalent to 300+ teachers.

Hear parents, teachers, and students explain how these cuts will directly affect our schools!!!

Learn about concrete steps you and I can take to get our voice heard in Sacramento!!!

Oakland Public Schools

An investment we can’t afford to cut.

RALLY TO OPPOSE

GOVERNOR’S $5

BILLION

CUT TO EDUCATION

April 30, 2008 at 4PM

1025 2^nd Avenue, Hunter Hall

More information: www.ousd.k12.ca.us

Hosted by the Oakland Board of Education and co-sponsored by the Honorable Barbara Lee, the Honorable Don Perata, the Honorable Sandre Swanson, the Honorable Loni Hancock, Sheila Jordan, Superintendent, Alameda County of Education, and the Oakland Education Association.

California Afterschool Network Policy Update

Important Policy Information
The California Afterschool Network Policy Committee has requested that the Network share this important and relevant after school policy information with the field.

SB 1492 (Mcclintock): Proposed New After School Legislation
If passed, After School Education and Safety (ASES) program funding would only be released in years which the previous fiscal year ends with at least a 3% surplus and it is projected by the Department of Finance and Legislative Analyst’s Office that in the two following fiscal years, General Fund revenues will exceed General Fund expenditures. Seeks to give the Legislature authority to set the annual funding level of the ASES program by repealing the portion of proposition 49 that requires voter approval to lower ASES funding.

Under the current law it would require a ballot initiative to implement SB 1492.
The measure proposes a new ballot initiative that would for all practical
purposes repeal Proposition 49, putting an end to guaranteed state funding for after-school programs serving hundreds of thousands of students. To view the text of this bill as it was introduced, click here.

On April 2, 2008 SB 1492 (Mcclintock) will go before the Senate Education Committee.
Individuals who wish to effectively comment on this bill should send letters and comments prior to April 1, 2008. To view a letter drafted by Lindsay Callahan of the Central Valley After School Foundation opposing this bill addressed to Senator Jack Scott, chair of the Senate Education Committee, click here.

View a Children Now analysis of this bill.

To locate more contact information for members of the Senate Education Committee including Senator Jack Scott, Chair of the Committee click here. To locate your State Senator, click here www.sen.ca.gov.

SB 1674 (Torlakson): Proposed New After School Legislation
If passed this bill will expand opportunities for after school program
staff to access the existing Paraprofessional Teacher Training Program;
clarify that ASES grantees using supplemental grants may use grant funds
to operate and track attendance and expenses on weekends in addition to
intercession, summer, and vacation periods; set a minimum grant amount
for small schools with 60 students or less with 2/3 of the students
attending the after school program in order to ensure that small
programs receive enough grant funding to employ the staff necessary to
run the program; and ensure that subcontractors of ASES grantees receive
a reasonable amount of administrative funds to administer after school
programs.

To view the text of this bill as it was introduced, click here.

Individuals may comment on this bill. To view a fact sheet and letter of support for SB 1674 drafted by Jennifer Peck, Executive Director of the Bay Area Partnership for Children and Youth and Co-Chair of the Network Policy Committee addressed to Jack Scott, chair of the Senate Education Committee, click here.

To locate more contact information for members of the Senate Education Committee including Senator Jack Scott, Chair of the Committee click here. To locate your State Senator, click here.

As our partners – I share this with you. These are painful budget times. The crisis kit attached offers ways for people to let their feelings be known in Sacramento. The briefing offers how we as a district are handling the crisis internally.

Best, Kirsten

Espere éxito: Cada aula, cada alumno, cada día

From: Troy Flint
Sent: Monday, March 10, 2008 3:39 PM
To: Executive Team; Strategy Team; All Site Administrators List
Cc: troy.flint@ousd.k12.ca.us
Subject: Budget Crisis Staffing Implications Briefing Note

Hello All,

It’s no secret that the $5 billion reduction in education funding proposed by Governor Schwarzenegger is a frightening prospect for California’s schools. As you surely recognize, the cuts have very real and severe consequences, not only for the state’s schoolchildren but also for the adults who work to provide them with essential educational opportunities.

In order to meet the Governor’s demands, many school districts have issued preliminary layoff notices and announced dramatic reductions in student programs. These decisions have prompted considerable anxiety both in Oakland and across the state. We write now to provide some clarity on how Oakland Unified intends to address the fiscal crisis. Please refer to the enclosed briefing note in discussing the staffing implications of the state budget shortfall and our coordinated opposition to proposals that balance the budget on the backs of California’s school children and school district employees.

Naturally, a question involving so many lives will not be resolved with a single document and we expect to field questions on the staffing issue from all corners of OUSD. The budget crisis situation is fluid in many respects and some of the details regarding our response will become plain only as events unfold here and in Sacramento. In the meantime, we will provide the facts as we know them and work closely with the broader OUSD community to offer the answers they seek.

In closing, we would like to thank you for your strength and cooperation during this most difficult time. The caliber of leadership in Oakland Unified gives me no small confidence that we will emerge from this trial prepared to continue the critical work of accelerating student achievement. Again, if you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Best,

Troy

P.S. Please note that the budget crisis toolkit is available in English, Spanish and Chinese on the homepage of the OUSD website.
final-budget-crisis-staffing-implications-briefing-note.pdf

budget-crisis-kit-single-file.pdf

Troy Flint

Spokesperson

Oakland Unified School District

1025 Second Avenue

Oakland, CA 94606

510.879.8242 (w)

510.206.3737 (m)

510.879.1834 (f)

Expect Success: Every Student. Every Classroom. Every Day.