OUSD Board Opens Public Hearings on Two Charter School Consolidation Plans

The Oakland Unified School District Board of Education held a special meeting focused entirely on the future of charter schools in the district — hearing detailed proposals from two operators seeking to consolidate campuses and grow enrollment. No votes were taken, but the hearings revealed board priorities around serving Oakland's most vulnerable students and ensuring charter operators can deliver on promises of inclusion and academic support.

• Amethod Public Schools proposes merging Oakland Charter Academy into Downtown Charter Academy, adding 95 seats and a one-year enrollment preference for displaced OCA students.

• Francophone Charter School seeks to unify its split campus at the Coolidge site, projecting growth to 420 students over seven years.

• Board members pressed both operators on special education, asking pointed questions about IEP rates, staffing models, and outreach to unhoused and foster youth.

• Amethod leadership touted a clean 24–25 audit and complete board turnover to address past governance concerns.

• Francophone highlighted a 0% suspension rate, crediting restorative justice training for all staff and middle school students.

Amethod Public Schools came before the board seeking approval to merge its two Oakland middle schools — Oakland Charter Academy (OCA) and Downtown Charter Academy (DCA) — into a single, expanded DCA campus for the 2026–27 school year.