OAKLAND, CA – California Charter Schools Association (CCSA) President and CEO Myrna Castrejón announced that CCSA—the nation’s largest statewide charter school association—is closely monitoring the Alameda County Board of Education (ACOE)to ensure it renews the charter petition of AIMS K-8, a top-performing Oakland charter public school that has prepared countless Black scholars for success, at ACOE's meeting on Tuesday, March 11. CCSA is also watching closely the board's public hearing of charter petition appeals for two additional schools during that same session.
AIMS K-8 is a California Distinguished School that has demonstrated outstanding academic success among its Black students. Under state law, high-performing charter schools with a proven track record of closing achievement gaps qualify for presumptive charter renewal to continue serving their communities.
However, ACOE trustees are threatening to close AIMS K-8 on technicalities that fail to justify shutting down a successful school.
“If ACOE trustees blatantly disregard state law and move to close these schools, it would be a clear abuse of discretion and set up an appropriate appeal to the California State Board of Education,” said Myrna Castrejón, CCSA President and CEO.
The three schools at risk of closure —AIMS K-8, Leadership Oakland R&D, and Oakland Charter High School—are led by Black educators and serve predominantly minority students. Shutting them down would displace 1,500 students, stripping them of their outstanding school environments and dispersing them into the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) which continues to struggle with persistent low performance and financial instability. On December 11, 2024, OUSD already demonstrated an abuse of discretion by denying the renewal petitions for these schools.
“This raises serious concerns: Is this truly about improving outcomes for kids—or a political move to eliminate competition amid Oakland Unified’s well-documented financial mismanagement? What message does this send to Black educators leading these excellent schools and the communities they serve?”
Families, activists, and community leaders are mobilizing to voice their concerns before and during the ACOE’s board meeting on Tuesday, March 11.
“These schools educate children whose immense gifts and talents deserve an environment where they’re already thriving in spite of life challenges, providing critical programs and opportunities tailored to their students’ unique needs,” Castrejón said. “If ACOE votes to close these schools, they will dismantle schools that are pillars of their communities and have been delivering real opportunities and a brighter future to students who deserve these excellent options.”
“On behalf of CCSA and the entire charter school movement in California, we urge the Alameda County Board of Education to put kids first, follow state law, and renew the petitions of these schools.”
For media inquiries or to schedule an interview with CCSA President and CEO Myrna Castrejón, please contact: Ana Tintocalis, Managing Director, Public Relations & Creative Services, [email protected] 916.666.2274
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About the California Charter Schools Association
The vision of the California Charter Schools Association (CCSA) is to build great public schools of joy and rigor that prepare all California students for success in college, career, community, and life. The mission of CCSA is to meet parent, educator, and community need for great public school options by supporting and advocating for high quality non-profit charter schools and sharing their success throughout California’s public schools. Learn more.