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LWV LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS
Smart Voter
Alameda County, CA March 7, 2000 Election
Measure E
Endorsement of Mayor's Education Commission Recommendations
City of Oakland

Advisory Measure

55578 / 72.4% Yes votes ...... 21165 / 27.5% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Information shown below: Fiscal Impact | Impartial Analysis | Arguments | Full Text
Shall voters endorse the Mayor's Education Commission's call for Oakland achieving statewide test averages for elementary schools by 2002, and middle and high schools by 2004, by establishing a system of diverse and excellent public schools that: provides safe, modern facilities; requires each school to adopt a successful reading program; allows each school to select and remove its teachers and staff; sanctions and rewards schools based on performance; and initiates City/County collaborations to support education?
Fiscal Impact from Roland E. Smith, City Auditor:
This proposed measure is advisory and does not mandate any action by the Oakland Unified School District or the City of Oakland. Accordingly, no new taxes, revenues or expenditures are identified and mandated. The measure does not identify and allocate responsibility to the Oakland Unified School District and the City of Oakland. However, passage of this advisory will communicate an expectation that action will be taken toward the agenda.

The final draft of the Long-Range Facilities Master Plan prepared by URS Greiner Woodward Clyde for the School Board indicates modernization needs totaling $461,584,747.00, the best indication of costs known as this date.

The four other objectives identified have not been studied by the School District or the City to an extent that would make a cost determination available. Accordingly, costs are not available at this time.

Impartial Analysis from Jayne W. Williams, City Attorney
In June 1999, Mayor Jerry Brown appointed a Commission on Education consisting of sixteen members. Mayor Brown requested that the Commission review the current state of Oakland's public schools and make recommendations to improve Oakland public school students' performance. The commission recommended that an advisory measure be placed on the March 2000 ballot that would seek the voters' endorsement of the commission's recommendations to improve student performance. If adopted, this advisory measure would declare the voters' endorsement of the Commission's recommendations that the Oakland Board of Education, the Oakland City Council and the Mayor of Oakland work together to achieve statewide, standardized test averages in reading and math for elementary schools by 2002 and for middle and high schools by 2004. The advisory measure, if passed, would endorse the following policies and actions as a means for Oakland public schools' students to achieve the statewide, standardized test averages in reading and math:

the establishment of a system of diverse and excellent public schools that

- provides safe, modern facilties;

- requires each school to adopt a successful reading program;

- allows each school to select and remove its teachers and staff;

- sanctions and rewards schools based on performance; and

- initiates City/County collaborations to support education.

Passage of this advisory measure would impose no legal obligations on the Oakland School Board, the Mayor of Oakland or the City Council to take any action regarding the Commission's recommendations. The measure, if adopted, would advise the Oakland School Board, Mayor and City Council of the voters' support of the Commission's recommendations to improve student performance.

 
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Arguments For Measure E
In June 1999, the Mayor's Commission on Education, consisting of sixteen civic leaders, activists, parents and educators, began reviewing the current state of Oakland's public schools. The commission examined school programs in Oakland and in similar urban communities. In October, the Commission made recommendations and called for Oakland's public school to reach statewide test standardds by the year 2004. By voting YES on Measure E, you will for the first time set a clear goal and timetable for Oakland's schools.

This advisory ballot measure envisions a system of diverse schools which emphasize reading, school site decision making and close collaboration between the schools and other levels of local government.

Vote YES on Measure E to give the Oakland School Board, the Oakland City Council and the Mayor a democratically endorsed agenda for Oakland's public schools.

By voting YES on Measure E, you do your part to put Oakland's school back on track.
s/Jerry Brown, Mayor of Oakland
s/Ignacio de la Fuente, President, Oakland City Council
s/Katherine A. Gueldner
s/Don Perata, California State Senator

(No arguments against Measure E were submitted)

Text for Measure E
WHEREAS, in June 1999 Mayor Jerry Brown appointed a Commission on Education consisting of sixteen civic leaders, activists, parents and educators, to review the current state of Oakland's public schools and to recommend steps that would significantly improve the performance of students in the Oakland Unified School District, and WHEREAS, the Commission determined that the performance of the Oakland Public Schools has fallen dramatically below the level of excellence that the young people of our community deserve and require to prepare them to enter institutions of higher education, to become productive citizens, and to pursue rewarding careers and lives; and

WHEREAS, the Commission also determined that in order to improve student performance, Oakland public schools must set high performance standards for all schools; emphasize the acquisition of reading skills; provide safe modern facilities that reduce overcrowding; provide program supplies, trained teachers and other staff, provide accountability standards and measures; reward schools that achieve high performance standards; and promote collaborative efforts between the community, the schools, and local government; and

WHEREAS, voter endorsement of a unified, comprehensive plan for developing a system of diverse and excellent public schools that achieve improved student performance throughout the Oakland Unified School District would identify an agenda that the Oakland Board of Education, the Oakland City Council and the Oakland Mayor could work together to implement; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED: That the City Council of the City of Oakland hereby authorizes and directs the City Clerk, at least 88 days prior to the March 7,2000 election to file with the Alameda County Board of Supervisors and the County Clerk certified copies of this resolution, and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED: That the text of the proposed ballot advisory measure shall be as follows:

Shall voters endorse the Mayor's Education Commission's call for Oakland achieving statewide test averages for elementary schools by 2002, and middle and high schools by 2004, by establishing a system of diverse and excellent public schools that:

- provides safe, modern facilities;

- requires each school to adopt a successful reading program;

- allows each school to select and remove its teachers and staff;

- sanctions and rewards schools based on performance; and

- initiates City/County collaborations to support education? and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED: That in accordance with the Elections Code and Chapter 3.08 of the Oakland Municipal Code, the City Clerk shall fix and determine a date for submission of arguments for or against said proposed charter amendment, and said date shall be posted in the Office of the City Clerk; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED: That in accordance with the Elections Code and Chapter 3.08 of the Oakland Municipal Code, the City Clerk shall provide for notice and publication as to said ballot advisory measure in the manner provided for by law; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED: That the City Clerk and City Manager are hereby authorized and directed to take any and all actions necessary under law to prepare for and conduct the March 7, 2000 election and appropriate all monies necessary for the City Manager and City Clerk to prepare and conduct the March 7, 2000 election, consistent with law.

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Created: April 13, 2000 02:34
Smart Voter 2000 <http://www.smartvoter.org/>
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