TLDR: Principle Martel-price has denied another year of Ms.Davis's Financial Literacy class despite how much it helps the students,the community and how in demand it is. This goes against what the community,what the students want and need!

Students were earning money,making connections, growing being proactive and he calls this unnecessary!?

Sign our petition, fill out our Google form join our remind, and Instagram if you have it!

Long form -

Just this last February, last month Twenty five students from Oakland tech like you each earned $7,000 in scholarships from PG&E Community Financial Education Program, while at UC Berkeley. This opportunity was made available due to Ms.Davis.Of course she didn't do all the work the students did their part too and that shows with the fruit of their efforts. This program helps students in our community and could help students even outside of tech, OUSD is in an attendance crisis and it's not being talked about enough, they punish students instead of taking the initiative to try and make school a place where students WANT to be. In 2024-2025 17,434 students were chronically absent out of 32,917 which means 15,483 students had satisfactory 95% or higher attendance. More than half the students were chronically absent.

How does this connect to Financial literacy? It'll all come together. Chronic absenteeism a direct link and cause to students not graduating high school. Students who are chronically absent are four times less likely to graduate from high school in the United States as a whole,in elementary school they are less likely to read at grade level by third grade. Chronic absenteeism can cause teens and children to struggle to make connections with their peers,to struggle academically,and they also aren't making the vital positive connections they need with adults outside of home or their community.

Let's also talk about who is the most at risk, who is the most of a disadvantage, who's already lacking these resources? Black and brown teens and children.Statistically speaking Black and brown students are already at a systematic disadvantage to graduate,the world tries to put them down, who will stand up for them?who will support and help them make the decision that are in their best interest? They might have their parents, family but who else? community? Maybe. Mentor? Maybe.These are the type of things black and brown children and teens need! Community, Resources, Mentorship, Honesty, Opportunities. When students have something to looks forward to,an engaging or fun environment,and are having a positive school experience they are more likely to come to school.

In Oakland OUSD schools are supposed to be a positive environment where students feel safe,where they can make positive connections,where they can grow, but we all know that's not the case everywhere and we can't change it all but each one of us can try and eventually our efforts will make a change.Ms.Davis provided a safe,educational environment for students to learn and grow, she not only did that but she went above and beyond.She wants us to thrive. She wants us to see our excellence and see us take pride in it and she does that even if the world is trying to stop her.

She told me something and said I quote -

"We don't have the luxury of being average so excellence is our legacy."

-Ms.Davis

Works Cited
Bastian, Kevin C, et al. “Student-Level Attendance Patterns Show Depth, Breadth, and Persistence of Post-Pandemic Absenteeism.” Brookings, 9 Sept. 2024, www.brookings.edu/articles/student-level-attendance-patterns-show-depth-breadth-and-persistence-of-post-pandemic-absenteeism/

Bauer, Lauren. “School Attendance: A Building Block of Student Achievement.” Brookings, 25 Apr. 2018, www.brookings.edu/articles/school-attendance-a-building-block-of-student-achievement/

Guinan, Brett, and Laura Hill. “Chronic Absenteeism in California.” Public Policy Institute of California, 19 Mar. 2025, www.ppic.org/publication/chronic-absenteeism-in-california/

“Oregon Department of Education : Attendance, Belonging & Engagement : Attendance/Chronic Absenteeism : State of Oregon.” Oregon.gov, Attendance, Belonging & Engagement : Oregon Department of Education, 2016, www.oregon.gov/ode/students-and-family/attendance/Pages/default.aspx

“PACE - Unpacking California’s Chronic Absence Crisis through 2024–25.” Policy Analysis for California Education, 24 Feb. 2026, edpolicyinca.org/publications/unpacking-californias-chronic-absence-crisis-through-2024-25, https://doi.org/10.1080/10824669.2024.2413483;

Pacific. “Oakland-Area High School Seniors Graduate from Financial Education Program Earning $7,000 PG&E College Scholarships.” Prnewswire.com, Cision PR Newswire, 3 Feb. 2026, www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/oakland-area-high-school-seniors-graduate-from-financial-education-program-earning-7-000-pge-college-scholarships-302678152.html Accessed 5 Mar. 2026.

Staff. “The Effects of Absenteeism on Academic and Social-Emotional Outcomes: Lessons for COVID-19.” UCLA School of Education & Information Studies, 13 Oct. 2021, seis.ucla.edu/news/the-effects-of-absenteeism-on-academic-and-social-emotional/.

Stein, Kat . “Chronic Absenteeism and Low Graduation Rates Cost California Billions Annually a New Study from Penn GSE’s Center for Benefit–Cost Studies of Education Puts Numbers on California’s Educational Challenges.” Penn GSE, 12 Jan. 2024, www.gse.upenn.edu/news/chronic-absenteeism-and-low-graduation-rates-cost-california-billions-annually

“Tableau.” Ousd.org, 2025, dashboards.ousd.org/views/ChronicAbsence_0/Comparison?%3Aembed=y&%3Adisplay_count=no&%3Arender=false#40.

U.S. Department of Education. “Chronic Absenteeism.” U.S. Department of Education, 20 Jan. 2025, www.ed.gov/teaching-and-administration/supporting-students/chronic-absenteeism

Ungar Ph.D., Michael . “Why Kids like to Go to School, and Why They Don’t | Psychology Today.” Www.psychologytoday.com 10 Apr. 2010, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/nurturing-resilience/201004/why-kids-like-to-go-to-school-and-why-they-dont

“Why Attendance Matters.” Cps.edu, 2025, www.cps.edu/schools/student-attendance/attendance-and-academic-performance/