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Oakland board approves AMPS plan to merge Oakland Charter Academy into Downtown Charter Academy
Summary
The Oakland Board of Education on March 4 approved A Method Public Schools’ material revision to merge Oakland Charter Academy into Downtown Charter Academy, granting a one‑year enrollment preference for displaced OCA students, a permanent priority for unhoused students and an enrollment increase to accommodate displaced sixth‑ and seventh‑graders, subject to closure checklist benchmarks.
The Oakland Board of Education on March 4 voted to adopt A Method Public Schools’ material revision to merge Oakland Charter Academy (OCA) into Downtown Charter Academy (DCA), adding a one‑year temporary enrollment preference for students displaced by OCA and a permanent first priority for students experiencing homelessness, and authorizing an enrollment increase to accommodate OCA sixth‑ and seventh‑grade students beginning in the 2026–27 school year.
OUSD staff presented the petition and recommended approval under the three California Education Code criteria for charter material revisions. Tim Morris, the district’s policy specialist, summarized staff’s fiscal and facilities review, saying DCA’s enrollment projection of 448 and its submitted floor plan (22 classrooms) produced an approximate 20‑student‑per‑classroom ratio and that the charter’s multiyear budget indicators and reserves showed the school was in generally good fiscal health. "Staff recommends approval of the material revision," Morris said, noting approval would come with the benchmark that AMPS complete OCA closure procedures using OUSD’s charter school closure checklist.
Adrienne Barnes, chief executive officer of A Method Public Schools (AMPS), told trustees the merger would consolidate resources and strengthen programming: "We are now at a point where consolidating our portfolio of schools in Oakland makes sense both programmatically to best serve our students and financially to ensure network stability." Barnes outlined the requested changes: a one‑year preference for students displaced by OCA, an ongoing first priority for unhoused students, and capacity to expand DCA by up to 97 students to serve affected sixth and seventh graders.
Students, staff and parents urged approval during public comment. Eighth‑grade student Oriya Adewale said she wanted OCA students to feel welcome at DCA and directly asked the board to "please vote yes on the DCA expansion." DCA managing director Mary Busby told the board the merger would create a student population more reflective of the Fruitvale and San Antonio neighborhoods and allow the network to consolidate specialized supports and facilities.
Trustees who spoke praised staff's analysis and asked AMPS to report back on how special education services and program elements are merged. After discussion, a board member moved to adopt the material revision; a roll‑call vote recorded yes votes and absences and the motion was adopted. The board closed the decision hearing for the item and will treat closure procedures as a benchmark for implementation.
Votes at a glance: the motion to adopt material revision (Downtown Charter Academy, adoption number 25‑3065) was recorded as adopted on roll call; Director Latta, Director Berry, Director Thompson, Vice President Bachelor and the presiding board officer were recorded as voting yes; two directors were absent. (The official clerk’s roll call in the record was used to determine the outcome.)
The board moved on to a second charter hearing after adopting the DCA revision.
