The Oakland REACH

The Oakland REACH is a parent-led and parent-run organization dedicated to reversing the longstanding trend of miseducation affecting Black and Brown families. They build solutions that positively impact generational access and agency. Through their Liberator Model, The Oakland REACH supports the training and retention of nearly 140 tutors embedded in 65 schools across Oakland, reaching more than 4,110 students in the 2023–24 school year.

The Problem
For generations, the education system in Oakland has underserved Black and Brown families. Recent data from the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) reveals fewer than three in 10 K–5 Black and Brown students are reading or doing math at or above grade level. According to the National Assessment of Adult Literacy, two-thirds of students who cannot read proficiently by the end of the fourth grade will end up in jail or on welfare. This cycle is unacceptable, trapping students in a cycle of failure. Unfortunately, systemic leaders often overlook low-income Black and Brown families as potential partners and change agents. The Oakland REACH is committed to addressing and solving this critical issue.

The Solution
The Oakland REACH empowers communities, enabling families to create lives of their own design rather than having one chosen for them. Their approach is simple and powerful: They Ask; They Listen; They Build; They Liberate. Through their initiatives, The Oakland REACH has seen parents and caregivers eagerly go the extra mile to secure a high-quality education for their children. In response, they developed the Liberator Model, training parents and caregivers as paid tutors to provide intensive tutoring in some of Oakland’s lowest-performing schools.

Named for its mission, the Liberator Model empowers families to move beyond mere survival. This model aligns with the multifaceted needs and aspirations of families, addressing five critical academic and socio-economic challenges faced in Oakland and nationwide:
1. Academic Support: Liberators offer high-dosage tutoring during school hours.
2. Economic Mobility: Liberators receive compensation, with opportunities for full-time hours and benefits.
3. Workforce Development: Liberators acquire valuable skills such as G-suite certification, Salesforce proficiency, and enhanced presentation and communication abilities.
4. Talent Pipeline: Liberators represent an untapped resource to address national teacher shortages.
5. Social Emotional Learning (SEL): Liberators foster a sense of agency and belonging among students and families.

The Oakland REACH is replicating the Liberator Model nationally through the REACH Way Institute (RWI), a unique learning and collaboration experience sharing their transformative formula for parent power. They aim to empower leaders nationwide to adapt and implement this formula, building impactful work at scale and establishing high-performing teams to benefit families. REACH’s first-ever national replication is in partnership with Rocky Mountain Prep in Colorado.