Description

Teachers nearly went on strike. More than 400 positions were cut. And the district still has $50 million in budget cuts left to find. Education reporter Ashley McBride breaks down everything happening in Oakland Unified right now — and what it means for students, educators, and the city.

Plus: a mass shooting at a downtown nightclub leaves two dead, Oakland's speed cameras issue a stunning 70,000 warnings in their first month, thousands of immigrant truck drivers lose their licenses overnight, a new state bill aims to crack down on illegal dumping, the public defender makes a stand over a jury with no Black members, a vivid walking tour of Bruce Lee's Oakland, and your guide to all the Oakland sports teams to root for in 2026.

Stories we cover in this episode:

Education

• Oakland teachers avert strike, reach tentative deal with OUSD
• OUSD board approves 421 staff layoffs
• OUSD plans to slash two-thirds of the district's central office; $50M more in cuts loom
• Oakland schools brace for staff layoffs
• A new contract for OUSD support staff raises the district's lowest salaries
• Funding for violence prevention in schools at risk

Public safety

• Weekend mass shooting in Oakland: What we know
• Alameda County public defender challenges judge over lack of Black jurors

Transportation and immigration

• New Oakland speed cameras send 70K warnings in first month
• 13K immigrant truck drivers lose California licenses

Government accountability

• Illegal dumpers face big fines in Oakland, but they rarely have to pay

Culture and sports

• Walking Bruce Lee's Oakland with Jeff Chang
• An Oakland sports fan's guide to the 2026 season

Find all these stories and more at oaklandside.org. Have feedback or story ideas? Email us at editors@oaklandside.org.