(Sacramento)—Assemblymember Sandré R. Swanson (D-Oakland) hailed the return of additional local governance to the Oakland Unified School District Board of Education today.

"This is a positive step in the right direction. I applaud the Board and the Superintendent of Public Instruction for completing a Memorandum of Understanding that will empower the Board to make decisions concerning issues of Facilities and Personnel. Most importantly, the Board now has the ability to hire a Superintendent who can provide leadership and help stabilize the administration of the District. Best of all, parents and the community will finally begin to have a Board that is empowered and accountable to them," Assemblymember Swanson stated.

Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) has been in State receivership since 2003, having at that time been authorized a $100 million emergency loan with a repayment period of 20 years. A State Administrator was appointed by Superintendent Jack O'Connell and empowered to assume total control of all aspects of OUSD's governing board. In 2003, as a result of being in receivership, the governing board of OUSD lost all of its rights, duties and powers. After today's transfer of authority, the State Administrator will retain responsibility over the areas of Pupil Achievement and Fiscal Management.

Today's return of authority came about thanks to an audit of the District's operations late last year by the Fiscal Crisis Management & Assistance Team (FCMAT). Mr. Swanson obtained an appropriation to fund the audit last year. Districts under receivership cannot show progress necessary to begin the process of returning to local control without regular audits by FCMAT. Funds for the audit must come from the State, as Districts under receivership rarely have the budget for them.

"We will continue to work towards allowing the District to fully regain all of its local governing authority. At the same time, however, we need to start moving from arguments over administration of the District to the more pressing issues at hand, namely how we as a community and as a state can offer a quality education for every single child. I look forward to working with the Oakland School Board, parents, teachers, and other stakeholders locally, as well as with my colleagues in Sacramento, on this challenging issue," Mr. Swanson concluded.