The Current Financial Challenge

The San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) is grappling with a significant budget deficit estimated at $113 million. This shortfall is the result of prolonged misjudgments and unfounded assumptions about budget management and its impact on student learning.

Revisiting Budget Cut Assumptions

A prevailing sentiment at school board meetings is the call to “keep cuts away from kids.” However, this mindset may overlook an essential truth: the proximity of spending to students does not inherently dictate its effectiveness in enhancing educational outcomes. Rather, it is crucial to assess how financial resources are utilized to improve student performance.

Math Proficiency: A Case Study

One area of particular concern is the stagnation of math proficiency among eighth graders. SFUSD has not only failed to meet its objectives but has seen a decline in overall math competence over recent years.

During a January presentation, SFUSD outlined various interventions such as new curricula and teacher coaching aimed at addressing this issue. Yet, frequent expenditures on new initiatives often divert attention from more effective strategies.

The Instructional Time Deficit

One substantial factor in the district’s poor math performance is an insufficient allocation of instructional time. According to the California Department of Education, middle school students should receive a minimum of 250 to 300 minutes of math instruction weekly, with additional time for students requiring intervention. Currently, SFUSD does not meet these recommended standards.

In response to the previous algebra policy changes, SFUSD pledged to adjust instruction time to between 205 and 250 minutes per week. This remains below the state-recommended thresholds, raising concerns about the prioritization of math education.

Reassessing Resource Allocation

Increasing math instruction time will necessitate some trade-offs in other areas, such as advisory, physical education, and electives. However, effective budget management should focus on prioritizing resources that directly foster student learning and key competencies.

Moreover, the district could realize further savings by potentially accepting larger class sizes in math, albeit this approach should be used judiciously considering long-term educational impacts.

Adopting Proven Strategies

SFUSD must change its tendency to reinvent strategies that could be effectively modeled on successful programs from other districts. For instance, when reimplementing algebra courses, SFUSD opted for a pilot program to test various instructional methodologies. Instead, a successful approach from Long Beach—which effectively combines a structured “Math 6-8” curriculum with eighth grade algebra—could provide a blueprint for SFUSD’s own math program.

Streamlining Curriculum Development

In addition, the district should critically evaluate its central office operations, particularly regarding the development of custom curricula. Prior attempts at creating an in-house math curriculum have yielded suboptimal results, suggesting that adopting established educational materials could enhance outcomes while conserving financial resources.

Strategic Resource Management

SFUSD’s budget management strategy should not adhere strictly to the narrative of either minimizing cuts or disproportionately targeting student programs. Instead, it should emphasize outcome-driven, evidence-based decisions that reflect true educational priorities.

By taking bold steps to eliminate unnecessary expenses and reallocating funds toward high-impact educational strategies, SFUSD stands to improve financial stability and enhance student learning outcomes significantly.