Violence interrupters seem to be making Oakland schools safer. But funding is running out

A partnership between Oakland Unified School District and the city’s Department of Violence Prevention to bolster student safety will end at the close of this school year, in June 2026, unless leaders can come up with needed funding.

Violence interruption and prevention teams have worked at Oakland high schools since 2022. The teams include a life coach, a gender-based violence specialist, and a violence interrupter who intervenes to support victims in the midst of conflicts.

Last year, the Department of Violence Prevention reported that Oakland high schools saw a 10% reduction in suspensions for physical violence after the violence interruption and prevention teams were introduced.

But at the annual meeting of Oakland’s Education Partnership Committee on Monday, school district and