About Dr. Marcus A. Foster

Dr. Marcus A. Foster, superintendent of Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) from 1970-1973, was a leading education reformer in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, public school system when he was recruited to take the helm of OUSD, making him the district’s first Black superintendent.

Dr. Foster ushered in an era of innovation in education for Oakland students by encouraging teachers, students, parents, community members, and businesses to find creative, intersectional solutions to address barriers to community well-being and success. In 1973, he founded the Oakland Education Institute (OEI), the first of its kind in the nation to support innovation in the schools.

Later that same year, Dr. Foster was tragically assassinated by an extremist group that was critical of his commitment to change in the district. OEI was renamed the Marcus A. Foster Educational Institute in his honor.