EQUITY

Oakland Starting Smart and Strong is developing an early childhood system where all Oakland children and families have full and equal access to opportunities to realize their full potential.

As part of this commitment, OSSS is focusing resources and systems-building efforts towards children and families most impacted by social and economic inequity.

Steps we’re taking:

Identifying and promoting Promising Practices in Early Learning for Boys of Color. This work began in collaboration with Urban Strategies Council, who conducted a Boys of Color Health and Education Data Project, to help understand, explore and address disparities in health and education outcomes for boys of color and other populations facing inequity. This work led to a development of the OSSS Boys of Color Workgroup, who published a Call to Action and the Promising Practices Portfolio: Strategies for Supporting Boys of Color and their Families for Improved Early Years Outcomes. OSSS launched “Improving Early Learning Outcomes for Boys of Color: 10 Promising Practices,” a three-hour training based on the innovative equity strategies and approaches that were featured in the report developed by the Boys of Color workgroup.

Implementing the Smart and Strong Kids (SSK) project, through the support of the Hellman Collaborative Change Initiative and the Thomas J. Long Foundation. This project is piloting innovative, deeper and more targeted strategies for African American and Latino boys attending preschool in West Oakland. These strategies include differentiated classroom supports for children, family engagement through supporting their child’s learning, family leadership opportunities, professional development opportunities for teaching staff, and kindergarten transition supports for children, families and teachers.

Coordination with other equity efforts in the city of Oakland and Alameda County

Serving as the lead organization for the School Readiness Milestone, a subsection of the Local Action Plan for My Brother’s Keeper

Continually assessing the tools and practices supported by Oakland Starting Smart and Strong for cultural responsiveness