Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Other· 80 schools in district

Independent Study Sojourner Truth

8251 Fontaine St., Oakland, CA 94605Oakland Unified →
Federal DataAlternative Education SchoolGrades KG–12Non-Charter
690
Students
Total enrolled
$24,270
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 69% vs nat'l
13.1 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 15% vs nat'l
36/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 28% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 690 students in grades KG–12 in Oakland, California.
69% above average funding
District spends $24,270 per pupil, 69% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 36th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Independent Study Sojourner Truth is a large other in Oakland, California, serving grades KG–12 with 690 students. The district invests $24,270 per student — 69% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 13.1:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 89% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 36/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Independent Study Sojourner Truth

690
Total Students
13.1 : 1
Student:Teacher
89%
Free Lunch
53
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution303 male · 384 female
44%
56%
Male 44%Female 56%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility89%
National avg 52% · 611 students
Student Composition
9%
8%
31%
36%
13%
Asian9%
White8%
Hispanic / Latino31%
Black36%
Multiracial13%
Native American1%
Pacific Islander2%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 062805005701

Academic Outcomes at Independent Study Sojourner Truth

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
36
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 36th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 13th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 94605

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$24,270Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$24,270
State avg
$29,103
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$10,679
Student Support$4,611
Administration$2,912
Operations$3,640
Other$2,427
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $24,270 spent per student, an estimated $10,752 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
42%
43%
State government
42.5%
Local (property tax)
42.8%
Federal programs
14.7%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $24,270/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 13.1:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (36/100) — national median is 50
  • 89% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Lincoln ElementaryMelrose Leadership AcademyLockwood STEAM Academy ElementaryGreenleaf
+12 more
↓
Middle
Edna Brewer MiddleElmhurst United MiddleMontera MiddleRoosevelt Middle
+2 more
↓
High School
Oakland Technical HighSkyline HighOakland HighFremont High
+4 more
School Profile
TypeAlternative Education School
LevelOther
GradesKG – 12
Location—
CountyAlameda County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictOakland Unified →
Phone: (510)879-5330
NCES ID: 062805005701
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Oakland seeking a public school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Oakland Unified
High
Oakland Technical High
1,796 students · 09–12
● 52 opp57% FRL
High
Skyline High
1,590 students · 09–12
● 56 opp73% FRL
High
Oakland High
1,531 students · 09–12
● 45 opp88% FRL
High
Fremont High
1,146 students · 09–12
● 41 opp97% FRL
Mid
Edna Brewer Middle
781 students · 06–08
● 45 opp53% FRL
Mid
Elmhurst United Middle
766 students · 06–08
● 35 opp94% FRL
Elem
Lincoln Elementary
705 students · KG–05
● 36 opp77% FRL
High
Coliseum College Prep Academy
700 students · 06–12
● 35 opp97% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
8251 Fontaine St., Oakland, CA 94605
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Other
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.