connect Community Funded Reporting
For almost a decade, Oakland public schools have been using a gradual phase out to close under performing or low population schools, resulting in a negative impact on local communities and students.
Oakland Unified School District is shutting many of its schools one grade at a time. For more than six years, OUSD has implemented a practice of closing down "small" or "underperforming" schools via a phase out system that slowly shuts down a school grade by grade. Although not unique, many parents, teachers and school officials see the phase out system as providing further trauma connected to the school closing issue. It's also unclear whether the program saves any money for taxpayers.
The story will raise the curtain on this little known practice that highlights the growing tension between communities and their school districts. It will also give an inside looking into the process of closing schools, showing the reaction of students.
Stories From The Ingleside (and Beyond) $183.00 to go 
Indian Wars in Minnesota $132.00 to go 
Cityhood for East LA? $285.00 to go 
Redevelopment Hell $450.82 to go
Spot.Us is an open source project to pioneer “community powered reporting.” Through
Spot.Us the public can commission and participate with journalists to do reporting on
important and perhaps overlooked topics. Contributions are tax deductible and we partner
with news organizations to distribute content under appropriate licenses.
READ MORE »
