In 2003, the Oakland public schools were taken over by the state. Last week, they were given back. On KQED, we hear from Tony Smith, Oakland's new superintendent. Smith, 42, was an administrator in San Francisco and previously ran schools in Emeryville. Smith has a daughter currently enrolled in an Oakland public school. Smith plans on rebuilding the school system and has been praised for reaching out and connecting to different groups. YMI will be following this story in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!

Keep up with the latest from Youth Radio. Follow @youthradio on Twitter. Live your digital life on Facebook? Become a fan of YMI-Youth Media International and get updates delivered right to your page.