A few of our winners from this year’s Raise the Bar Awards!
In Oakland, there are public schools where Black and Brown students are not just surviving but thriving. They are proving excellence is possible: by meeting California standards, making double-digit gains in ELA and math, and completing A-G requirements.
On a Thursday evening in March, over 200 parents, students, educators, and community leaders packed the Learning Without Limits multipurpose room for the 6th annual Families in Action Raise the Bar Awards, celebrating progress and the people driving excellence in Oakland public education.
Public schools, district and charter, across Oakland received awards for their performance with Black and Latinx students, including meeting the state standard in ELA and math; achieving 10%+ double-digit gains in ELA and math; achieving an 80% completion rate in meeting A-G requirements; and achieving a 20% or more improvement in A-G completion rate. A total of 41 schools received awards.
During the event, FIA also unveiled the 2025 Raise the Bar report, an annual data transparency tool that provides Oakland families with clear, accessible information on how public schools are serving students.
Manzanita Community School family celebrating their Lit for Literacy recognition at this year’s awards!
(Left) A full room at Learning Without Limits alongside a group of students celebrating their school’s accomplishments. (Right) Co-moderators Paulina Sepulveda with Gisell Gastelum hyping the audience up!
“Who here believes Oakland families deserve honest, clear information about how our schools are doing?” Kimi Kean, the CEO and co-founder of Families in Action, asked the audience. The response was a resounding show of hands.
Parent leaders went deeper than the data by sharing their own personal stories and insights.
Amphil Martinez, a Lazear parent, an Oakland native and parent of six, shared how her son’s struggles with homework began to shift when she participated in FIA’s Lit for Literacy. “I learned how to advocate for my kids, how to have real conversations with their teachers, and how to show up as a partner in their education,” she said.
Tamonie Jones, a mother of three young Black men at Garfield Elementary, Roosevelt Middle School and Oakland High School, spoke about what Raising the Bar means for her family.
“As a parent, Raise The Bar means having schools and teachers that believe in our children, challenge them, and provide the opportunities they need to succeed academically and prepare for the future,” she said.
Gisell Gastelum, a senior at Aspire Lionel Wilson College Preparatory Academy and a student organizer with FIA, was one of the co-hosts for the awards.
“These awards represent opportunity, growth, and the belief that every Oakland student deserves to succeed,” she said.
Gisell (2nd from left) celebrating with her fellow Aspire Lionel Wilson College Prep Academy peers on the school’s Raise the Bar Awards!
Patrice Berry speaking at this year’s awards!
Patrice Berry, the OUSD District 5 School Board member, delivered the keynote, sharing a personal story about a former student who transformed his path after gaining access to information. “This is about community, and when we build each other up,” Berry said of the Raise the Bar awards. She closed with a call to keep advocating for student outcomes across the district.
As the awards closed, Gisell urged everyone to carry this momentum forward.
“To our students here tonight: your hard work matters,” she said. “To our families: your advocacy and support are what keep this work moving forward. And to our educators and school leaders: your dedication is changing lives every single day. Let’s carry the energy and inspiration from tonight moving forward.”
“Keep pushing, keep learning, and keep Raising the Bar — not just in your classrooms, but in every corner of Oakland.”
(Left) Parent Leader, Amphil, celebrating Fremont High School’s Raise the BarAward with her sons. (Right) Leaning Without Limits team and families celebrating their awards from the night as well!
