Alameda Unified School District — High-risk

Risk issues for Alameda Unified School District this cycle spanned labor, state oversight, student services, and construction-site environmental concerns. The earliest development, reported at the January 13, 2026 meeting, was a sharp escalation in contract negotiations: the Alameda Education Association announced that a non-binding membership poll with 94.6% participation found 91.4% of respondents willing to strike if no agreement is reached, with mediation on the horizon. One month later, at the February 10 meeting, staff disclosed that the county had placed AUSD in "differentiated assistance" due to low performance among homeless students in English, math, and chronic absenteeism, adding new county oversight and support requirements.

At the February 24 meeting, public comment from Alameda Family Services highlighted a looming gap in student support: cuts to Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) funding were reported to eliminate districtwide Tier 1 mental health prevention services, while the medical partner for the Alameda High School-based health center was expected to end services in April, putting the center's operations for at least 1,500 students at risk.

Most recently, at the June 9, 2026 meeting, environmental findings from two Measure B construction projects were reported under DTSC oversight. Soil testing at Frank Otis Elementary identified non-naturally occurring metals, and a Removal Action Workplan for safe excavation and removal of impacted soil was approved and integrated into the construction schedule. At Wood Middle School, testing found levels mostly consistent with natural background, though a localized area near a former transformer required remediation; the Preliminary Environmental Assessment was submitted to DTSC and entered a 30-day public review period.