The San Francisco school board made a wise decision, targeting math as a critical subject to improve. The latest state test scores sound the alarm:
More than half of all San Francisco Unified School District students are not proficient in math.
Even worse, proficiency actually drops the longer the kids are in school. Nearly half of all students were not proficient in math in the third grade. That number jumps to about 59 percent of students in the eighth grade.
While high achievers (approximately 26 percent of students) maintain high proficiency through elementary and middle school, the scores for other students decline as students move from third grade to eighth grade.
This has grave implications for student success. A key goal of the district is to graduate students who are ready for college. For too many, that’s not happening.
A new study reveals that “More than 10 percent of new students at a prestigious California university are taking math that covers what they should have learned as far back as elementary school.”
Which students succeed and which students struggle?
The best predictors of student success are parents’ education, income, language fluency, and attendance.
(And, of course, a strong curriculum and well-prepared teachers.)
Parent education. The higher the parent education level, the higher the student achievement. About 26 percent of all SFUSD students perform above proficient in math. That jumps to about 48 percent of students whose parents attended graduate school. Alert to private school parents: These kids do great in SFUSD.
Socioeconomics. In eighth grade, approximately 35 percent of higher-income students are higher achieving. Only 17 percent of low-income students reach this level.
About 61 percent of SFUSD students are classified as eligible for free/reduced-price meals, English learners, homeless, and foster youth.
A key goal of the district is to graduate students who are ready for college. For too many, that’s not happening.
English fluency. This has an enormous impact. Only 2 percent of eighth grade students who are English language learners exceed standards. About 86 percent are not meeting standards. As students move from third grade to eighth grade, more and more students do not meet standards.
Nearly a 25 percent of SFUSD students are English learners.
There is a bright light here. Kudos to SFUSD. Students who started as English learners and now are reclassified as fluent in English are doing well. About 30 per cent of these students in eighth grade exceed standards.
Chronic absences. Students with the best attendance have the highest achievement levels. In 2023–24, 28 percent of students were chronically absent.
The absence rates were much higher for select groups: 40 percent for Hispanics, 32 percent for socioeconomic disadvantaged students, and 59 percent for Black/African American.
Put a red circle around “chronic absences.” SFUSD can’t change parent education, income, or race. But it can take aggressive action to improve curriculum, teaching, and chronic absences.
What is SFUSD doing?
The district has adopted targeted math goals:
First, increase the percentage of eighth grade students meeting grade-level expectations from 42 percent in 2022 to 65 percent by 2027.
Next, it has adopted a new math curriculum in both elementary school and middle school. It scrapped the old curriculum that was not successful for too many students and is starting anew. Teachers must now be trained to implement this new curriculum.
Initial reports indicate, so far, the district is off track in meeting its goals.
Failing math across the United States
Poor math achievement is not just an SFUSD problem. The Nations Report Card (NAEP), which measures sample groups of students throughout the United States, shows only about 40 percent of fourth graders are Proficient and NAEP Advanced. That means 60 percent are behind.
Nearly a quarter, however, do not reach the NAEP Basic level, meaning they “likely cannot identify odd numbers or solve a problem using unit conversions.”
Chronic absences — one more time
While the district is measuring and regularly reporting on implementing the new curriculum, one essential regular report is missing: Who is showing up for school?
Are students not achieving because of incomplete implementation of the new curriculum or because they are not showing up?
The school district needs a robust campaign to help more students attend school. And if this costs more money, so be it. Investing in attendance will improve student achievement.
The golden lining
Every day a student attends school the district gets more funding. Improve attendance and generate millions more for our schools.