West Oakland Initiative
Breaking Down Barriers to Learning
Lincoln's West Oakland Initiative (WOI) is a culturally responsive academic intervention and wellness program that integrates in-class supports, social-emotional development, parent engagement, and case management. WOI strengthens literacy rates and addresses educational equity among K-12th graders attending West Oakland public schools.
WOI brings together experienced Lincoln staff, Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) administration, school leadership teams, school based service providers, and other community partners to provide academic and behavior supports, strengths-based case management, service coordination, and summer programming to high need students and their families. WOI incorporates best-practices in youth development, links youth with caring adults, fosters a sense of belonging using social-emotional skill-building, and develops students' critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Our Unique Model
WOI provides a multi-tiered system of support. Providing three tiers of services ensures that students' unique needs are addressed responsively and proactively.
Tier 1- Lincoln WOI teams partner with each school to help design and implement universal supports, including whole-school interventions that support positive school culture and climate using a healing centered engagement approach
Tier 2- WOI staff hold weekly academic and/or social-emotional skill development sessions with students in need of extra one-on-one support; meet regularly with students' teachers; and hold quarterly check-ins with parents to support students' overall success.
Tier 3- All supports under Tier 2 in addition to monthly meetings with a team of players who make up a student's daily ecosystem.