Hey happy Friday, !

I feel like I just sent an update (because I did, sorry) and hate to feel like I'm bugging folks but this really couldn't wait. 

For many months now, I've been patiently waiting for the narrative around the current board and district to shift. I've written a number of times about it, and hoped that any independent-minded folks might look beyond politics to see the actual progress that is being made, despite what many loud detractors (and political organizations) are telling our community.

Among the least likely -- yet also among the most important -- people that I thought would notice this progress was Alameda County Superintendent of Schools Alysse Castro. I have spoken personally with Superintendent Castro and can tell you that she is both brilliant and perennially skeptical of what OUSD is doing about it's finances. And yet...

Alameda County Says OUSD's Progress Is Real

Read all about it: On Tuesday Superintendent Castro, who has publicly excoriated our district and its budgetary practices for years, sent a letter conditionally approving the budget OUSD submitted and affirming that the district's approach to budgeting over the last 9 months is a real, meaningful and positive shift. The tone of the letter was downright complimentary. I'm not kidding!

This is after a review of all the numbers available to-date, by herself and her staff. No fraud, no missing money to speak of. If you've been reading my stuff for awhile you know I'm not surprised by this conclusion, but I'm very surprised (and grateful, and relieved) at this dramatic turn by Castro.

Can We Start the Real Work Now?

I know how silly this is going to sound, but bear with me: Can we all just agree on the size of the problem now, and work on fixing it? It's an election year, which everyone in this country knows is a bad time for the truth. All the same, I think there's plenty for people to have a difference in opinion about without fabricating stuff about fraudulence and malfeasance. I'll be the first to tell you that I have no idea how to fix what's wrong at OUSD, and the first to listen to anyone's ideas, but only if we can team up around solutions and not tear each other down. 

So please share this email or the blog post on social media, especially with the haters, and let folks know that MSEG is already trying to do this work. September 30th is our Fall Summit, and I truly hope we have a large turnout. Register soon, and I thank you as always for your kind attention!  -MG

"There are three essential parts to addressing a structural deficit: staff must identify and bring forward hard choices; the governing board must make those choices; and staff must follow through and implement them. All three appear to be happening in OUSD, and that represents meaningful progress."

- ACOE Superintendent Alysse Castro