When it comes to helping Oakland's public schools, new education policy advisor Lewis Cohen is thinking big thoughts.

"Our role is to see a bigger, long-range picture,"said Cohen, who recently was appointed by Mayor Jean Quan to oversee her administration's education platform.

Only six days into his job, Cohen is eagerly to delving into his work.

"We want to figure out ways that the city can really support the school district in achieving its mission, by providing the support that really, essentially, tackle the issue of poverty," he said. "That's what I hope we can do."

During these tough economic times, Cohen said sharing resources will be important for local government bodies.

"I'm also realistic about the limitations of government at this point," he said. "Particularly with everyone's budget being smashed, grandiose initiatives are kind of tough. On the other hand, this kind of shared work is really one of the only viable strategies in a period of tight funds."

The goals of the current mayor are different from previous administrations, Cohen said.

"If you look at the mayor's strategy, it's really different for a politician in this sense; it's fundamentally a long-range strategy," Cohen said. "Obviously, we want immediate results, but the mayor believes that if we really start addressing the issues that are happening among youth, that's where we're going to get the long-term gain around a more healthy, livable city."

Quan's office has already developed a few programs that Cohen will work directly on. First, Quan is joining forces with Oakland Unified School District Superintendent Tony Smith and Mills College President Janet L. Holmgren to create a joint cabinet on education. The mayor's office also is working to recruit 2,000 mentors to support city youth that are struggling in school, aging out of foster care or have criminal histories.

Quan said the education cabinet can have a positive financial effect.

"I believe that there might be some savings just with the school district and the city collaborating on some core functions, maybe with technology, facilities, etc.," Quan said.

Cohen isn't new to public schools or city government. He served as the executive director of the Coalition of Essential Schools, a leading national school reform organization. Prior to that, he was assistant superintendent for Government, Policy and Legislation at the Oakland Unified School District. Lewis was also an Oakland City Council legislative analyst.

"I came back because I felt I was well situated for this job," he said. "I know the key players and this is my city ... so I feel like I can be someone who can make a difference on an issue that is central not just the mayor's platform, but to who she is."

Cohen said he became interested in focusing on education while working for the City Council.

"I started thinking about education issues because I was working on public safety and economic development issues for the city, and I really saw how education was a linchpin to making progress on any of these questions."

On Thursday, Quan said Cohen was "almost the perfect pick."

"He's going to be the point person on a lot of (education initiatives)," Quan said, citing Cohen's school district and city council experience.

So far, the school district seems eager to embrace Quan's education platform.

"We're looking forward to working with the city," said Troy Flint, a spokesman for the Oakland Unified School District. "We plan on working closely with the city in an intellectual partnership. We're hoping that we can pull together existing resources so that there are benefits to both the city and our students."

Cohen's working relationship with Quan has come full circle.

Cohen first worked with Quan when he was at the city and the then-school board director was interested in developing a joint use facilities program between the city and the schools. They hit upon the idea of city-school public libraries.

"We were losing a lot of school libraries and the city was struggling to keep its city libraries open and we thought that we could join forces and together we can maintain public libraries while also saving the school libraries."

Almost a decade after the project was discussed, the first joint Oakland city-school library - the 81st Avenue East Oakland Community Library - will open its doors Jan. 29.