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A student holds a poster to save the school. (All photos by Maya Reyes)<\/p>\nThe packed gymnasium at La Escuelita Elementary School erupted in cheers on Tuesday night as the Oakland Unified School District board voted to approve AIMS High School\u2019s charter renewal petition.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The room was filled with students, family, and staff with matching red T-shirts and posters in support of the charter school.<\/p>\n
With this approval, AIMS High School in Oakland, which has an enrollment of 367 students, will enter a five-year renewal term from July 1 through June 30, 2032.<\/p>\n
Freshman Melody Thomas, who was enrolled at AIMS in sixth grade but went to a different school for eighth grade, wanted to return to AIMS for high school because the community\u2019s emphasis on diversity made her feel at home. She is part of the club Black Girls United, and said she and her classmates were willing to fight to keep the school open.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201c\u200aWe\u2019re like, \u2018If they close the school down, we\u2019re protesting,\u2019\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
By Wednesday morning, Melody said, the whole school had heard the news and was celebrating it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSome even started clapping,\u201d she said. \u201cEveryone was happy.\u201d<\/p>\n
District\u2019s concerns<\/p>\n
Charter schools are public schools that need to apply for renewal through the host school district, as they operate independently from other district schools. Renewal periods typically last five years but may vary by district.\u00a0<\/p>\n
AIMS K-12, which was initially named American Indian Public Charter School, began in 1996 as a middle school and Oakland\u2019s second publicly funded charter school. In 2006, it expanded to include a high school, and an elementary school in 2012.<\/p>\n
AIMS High enrolls high numbers of Black students, and 67% of its students in the 2025-26 school year were considered socioeconomically disadvantaged. Although AIMS has historically been praised for high test scores, AIMS\u2019 K-8 school was embroiled in a lengthy renewal process in 2024 through 2025 due to concerns over enrollment, staffing and leadership, and teacher credentialing. The original request was for a seven-year renewal, but after two rounds of appeals, the charter was renewed for five.<\/p>\n
The School Board pressed AIMS\u2019 officials on Tuesday about issues raised about special education policies and programing that came up during last year\u2019s renewal petition. Earlier this year, the AIMS governing board adopted a five-year Special Education Performance Improvement Plan, which includes compliance tracking and audits, staff training and requirements for reporting to the board. In accordance with the terms in the Performance Improvement Plan, AIMS will need to provide the OUSD board with an update on their special education program by Jan. 10.<\/p>\n
A student holds a poster to save the school. (All photos by Maya Reyes)<\/p>\n
The board still has concerns about teacher and leadership turnover. In 2023-24, only 17% of teachers returned from the prior year. This number has greatly improved, with 63% of teachers returning this school year. Additionally, five of six members on AIMS\u2019 governing board have been appointed since June 2024, and two members were appointed in August 2026. The high school is also operating with an interim principal. Superintendent LaResha Huffman was appointed in July.<\/p>\n
Charter schools like AIMS admit students using a public lottery system, meaning that students don\u2019t need to live within a certain zone or neighborhood near the school to attend.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kayla Pho, a junior at AIMS High School, said she was given the choice to go to other high schools but wanted to go to AIMS because of the people and academic opportunities. Students and families, she said, \u201cbelieve AIMS is their safe place.\u201d<\/p>\n
All AIMS students complete A-G requirements, which are the required courses to be eligible for admission to the University of California and California State University systems. AIMS High School\u2019s A-G completion rate remained at or near 100% through the previous charter term, which school board member Clifford Thompson commended the school for. This number is much higher than OUSD\u2019s average of about 60% completion during the same time period, according to a report by the school.\u00a0<\/p>\n
However, the school faced strong criticism from the School Board over low AP scores, as most students enrolled in AP courses do not receive passing grades on AP tests. Adria Bani, interim head of the high school, said AIMS is committed to improving these numbers and will conduct a review of how staff teaches the AP curriculum.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The School Board was also concerned about a high rate of AIMS High teachers operating without full credentials. According to a staffing report, 71% of assignments at AIMS High during the 2023-24 school year were considered \u201cineffective,\u201d meaning the teacher had no legal authorization or was authorized by emergency credential, variable term waiver, or substitute permit. OUSD\u2019s average for \u201cineffective\u201d teaching assignments in high school classes was 38%.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bani told the board that AIMS High has four teaching assistants who rotate through the school\u2019s AP classes to provide classroom support, but that none of these is fully credentialed.<\/p>\n
Board member VanCedric Williams said he hopes that during the renewal period, AIMS\u2019 new leadership can address these concerns.<\/p>\n
\u201cI \u200asee your intentions. I see that you\u2019re really moving to be transparent and accountable as well. I\u2019m really rooting for you,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to get it done, but we also are trying to break a long history of a lot of talk and not getting it done, right? So I really want to give you that opportunity to do what you say you\u2019re gonna do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Also Tuesday, the OUSD board renewed the charter for Aspire Monarch Academy, for a term from July 1, 2027 through June 30, 2032.<\/p>\n