LINKED LEARNING ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT IN OAKLAND SCHOOLS

The Urban Strategies Council (USC) is an anti-poverty organization based in Oakland, California that works to transform low-income neighborhoods into vibrant, healthy communities. In response to disparate educational outcomes among students, California developed the Linked Learning program for high schools-a college and career readiness framework for schools. USC is collaborating with Oakland Unified School District to examine how Linked Learning affects student achievement and influences equitable educational outcomes. USC enlisted a Capstone team to create a database of district and school budget allocations, establish a framework for public accountability, and analyze Measure N spending patterns-a tax in the Oakland districts in which proceeds are directed to improving the quality of education. The Capstone team's findings indicated that nearly 50 percent of Measure N funds do not correlate with student performance. The team's research culminated in a set of recommendations that included improving the budget process to enhance performance tracking and adopting the Linked Learning program to address gaps in Measure N's effectiveness.