Oakland Schools Chief to Step Down in July

The Oakland schools chief will step down from her role starting July 1st.

Capping weeks of confusion On Wednesday, the Oakland Unified School District board declared that Superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell will be departing from the district.

The board endorsed a voluntary severance plan with a 4-3 decision during their private session, as stated by Board President Jennifer Brouhard. Due to an earlier scheduled leave, Johnson-Trammell did not attend Wednesday’s gathering.

The board plans to select an interim superintendent who will start duties on July 1st. From July 1 until January 15, 2026, Johnson-Trammell will retain the title of superintendent emeritus as stated jointly by Johnson-Trammell and Brouhard late Wednesday night.

The communication sent to the district highlighted several achievements made by Johnson-Trammell after her appointment in 2017, such as boosting the graduation rate from 70% to nearly 80%, enhancing elementary reading levels, and decreasing persistent absenteeism figures.

During Superintendent Johnson-Trammell’s remarkable eight-year term, which stands out due to its stability, robust financial management, and enhancements in student performance, significant advancements have been achieved," the statement read. "These accomplishments lay down a solid groundwork for future transitions and ongoing efforts.

During the same gathering, the board members stated that the district is poised to formally leave receivership When it completes its outstanding loan repayments by June 30, 2025. Back in 2003, struggling with severe financial difficulties, the district came under state management and received a $100 million loan. The administration was handled by a state-appointed overseer until 2009, at which point Superintendent Tony Smith along with an elected school board began reclaiming certain levels of authority. Ever since, however, Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) has been subject to governance by either a state or county trustee who holds veto rights over every financial decision made. With the impending repayment of this debt and successful completion of a fiscal review, the district stands poised to finally break away from additional monitoring.

To others, the instant carried mixed emotions.

"We've just reached a significant landmark, but rather than rejoicing, we're feeling let down. The term 'disappointment' doesn't quite capture my emotions," stated Michele Vasquez, who serves as one of the student board directors and is a senior at MetWest High School.

Director Mike Hutchinson of District 4 revealed earlier this month that the board had been discussing in private sessions the possibility of terminating the superintendent's contract prematurely .

“We’re finally free of oversight, the colonial model we’ve had to operate under for almost a quarter of a century. We did it with our homegrown Black and brown leadership here in OUSD,” Hutchinson said Wednesday during the school board meeting. “I can’t even smile today.”

In the previous August, the board gave their approval to a new three-year contract For Johnson-Trammell, this provided an opportunity to distance herself from her daily leadership responsibilities starting in September 2025 until the end of her term. contract In June 2027, an interim superintendent would take office, with plans to launch a formal search for a permanent leader anticipated to start this autumn. According to Brouhard and Johnson-Trammell’s statement, the board has initiated this procedure.

An announcement for positions within the internal OUSD vacancies will be posted by Friday, according to District 1 Director Rachel Latta via email. The board aims to select an interim superintendent before the end of May. Latta expressed her support for the separation agreement through her vote.

I am dedicated to implementing a committee-driven approach to select our upcoming permanent superintendent," Latta stated in the email. "I was involved in the procedure that resulted in the community choosing Dr. Johnson-Trammell, and I feel we should adopt a comparable method for her replacement.

The superintendent search committee of the board will consist of Board President Brouhard, Vice President Valarie Bachelor, and District 7 Director Clifford Thompson.

In an email sent to the community on Wednesday evening, Johnson-Trammell mentioned that her initial plan was to pursue law. However, this changed when she entered a classroom as a student teacher during her college years. She stated, "Once I started teaching, I was captivated and realized that there wasn’t anything else I’d rather do."

Johnson-Trammell dedicated over 25 years to education, primarily in the Oakland Unified School District.

As I get ready to leave my position as your Superintendent on June 30, I depart with great pride in our collective achievements. Over the past eight years, we've faced some of the toughest challenges and also experienced many pivotal moments in our district's timeline. Throughout this journey, Oakland demonstrated what can be achieved when we remain committed to our goals and collaborate effectively for our students," stated Johnson-Trammell. "To each student, educator, staff member, parent, and collaborator who supported the potential of public education in Oakland—I am deeply grateful. While this endeavor was never simple, it has consistently proven worthwhile.