OUSD superintendent Kyla Johnson-Tramell will leave the district in July after weeks of uncertainty. The district board voted 4-3 to approve a “voluntary separation agreement” that will terminate Johnson-Trammell’s contract earlier than previously determined.
Last August, OUSD approved a contract extending Johson-Trammell’s term until 2027. The agreement allowed her to step back from day-to-day duties, focusing exclusively on “specialized projects assigned by the Board,” while raising her salary to $637,036 per year. For reference, 10-month salaries for OUSD teachers range from around $63,000 to $110,000, depending on credentials and years of experience.
The board has decided to nullify this contract, and Johnson-Tramell will leave her position in July. She will remain superintendent emeritus until January 2026 while still receiving a salary of $378,789. The board plans to find an interim superintendent by the end of May. No official explanation has been provided yet.
Many are concerned with the district’s conflicting statements, lack of transparency, and disregard for community input throughout this process. Most of these discussions have taken place behind closed doors, potentially violating the Brown Act, a California law guaranteeing the public’s right to attend local legislative meetings.
Some argue that Johnson-Trammell has led the district well through a turbulent time. Since the beginning of her term in 2017, graduation rates have been boosted by 10%, elementary literacy rates are improving, and chronic attendance issues have decreased, even amidst the pandemic, numerous strikes, and economic instability.
In 2003, after facing financial insolvency, OUSD was loaned $100 million by the state of California beginning a state of receivership, meaning the district was taken over by a state administrator. In 2009, OUSD regained local control, but the state and county still had veto powers over financial decisions. Now, the District has passed a fiscal audit and is prepared to make the final loan payments on June 30, ending two decades of state oversight. However, challenges still remain.
The Oakland Education Association had proposed a one-day strike on May 1, International Workers’ Day, claiming OUSD had been withholding financial information about recent staff and budget cuts.
According to a statement released by the union, “The district has a legal obligation to provide this information, which is needed to enable educators to understand how proposals would affect teachers, district and classroom stability and the community [they] serve.”
The strike was called off after OUSD and OEA reached a “tentative agreement” to restore some of the budget cuts, retaining over 100 high school and substitute teachers. Shortly after, the union withdrew their request for information.
This would have been the district’s fourth strike within the past few years, raising concerns among families about the continuous uncertainty.
A message from OUSD states, “A strike — even for one day — adds instability for students who are already navigating so much. It risks interrupting critical learning time, end-of-year celebrations, and important services many students rely on.”
As OUSD and OEA are currently in bargaining over a new teacher contract for the next school year, questions are being raised about whether there will be another potential strike this fall.