Advice on OUSD preschools
Hello - looking for advice on OUSD preschools / Child Development Centers, particularly at Emerson or Sankofa, but open to any gems. My 14th month old currently attends a playgroup run by Oakland Parks & Rec with excellent teachers, and I am wondering if we can avoid the private preschool waiting list process altogether by enrolling her in an OUSD preschool when she comes of age.
1. Do OUSD preK programs have a good amount of child-directed play, or do they mostly consist of teacher-led instruction?
2. Are these programs difficult to get into, and would shoot ourselves in the foot by counting on a public program and not waitlisting our child for private preschools now?
3. If she attends a preK program attached to an OUSD elementary school, will she automatically be enrolled into kindergarten at that elementary school, or will she still have to enter the lottery system?
4. Our ideal preschool, public or private, would be majority black or people of color, with an alternative curriculum closer to Waldorf / Montessori philosophy. Does that exist??
Parent Replies
OUSD preschools only very recently (last year!) opened their doors to full-pay/sliding scale families; previously all spots were subsidized and you could only attend if you met income restrictions or qualified for special education services through the school district. I don't think they're difficult to get into right now (given that last year they were still taking kids mid-year). All that's to say that the landscape is changing in OUSD PreK, so you really need to visit specific schools to see what things look like today. My sense from friends whose children have attended is that you will find a majority of families of color, but you will likely not find an alternative curriculum. You do currently get priority for kindergarten if you attend PreK at a site. Be aware that OUSD preschool starts at age three, while many private programs start at two, so if you are looking to start next fall, you may need to do a year of private regardless. I'd check out La Plazita and Via Nova for preschools with significant numbers of black and brown families, depending on where you live. Good luck with the search!