by Laurance Lem Lee on August 21, 2023 (BeyondChron.org)
SFUSD Superintendent Wayne
Another first day of San Francisco public schools and so much hope. This year the hope is both the yearly hope of all the newness of a fresh start and the hope in the follow through of plans from well intentioned administrators. Last year’s school term ended with both relief and much work to do.
For those that aren’t immersed in the joys and challenges of San Francisco public schools, it’s alot. Nearly 50,000 students are again back, as the interest reflects both passionate support and a captured market. Some families adore many of their teachers and principals, others tolerate that things are as good as they can get given decades of under investment in public schools.
It’s been more than a minute since I went to SFUSD schools. The value of the diverse student bodies and the dedicated school staff were beyond measure. The challenges then were small to what schools face now. Years of head scratching management decisions and political Boards of Education Commissioners have brought us to today.
In a way, this year’s San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) resembles the San Francisco 49ers and Giants of the past couple years. We fans have so much love and so much hope in teams that had everyone from big stars to untested rookies. Will SFUSD complete the school year with better outcomes than expected? Or will we finish the season with both triumphs and trials?
Last year, I framed the new changes in leadership as welcomed changes in the face of growing impatience. New Superintendent Matt Wayne and new School Board President Jenny Lam were rolling out their plans of goals and guardrails with a focus on student outcomes. Both refreshing and untested here.
How did last school year go? Well, the good news is there is more patience. Listening sessions and repeated explanations of the upcoming planned changes were refreshing and welcomed. The bad news is the hoped-for big changes are taking a while to be implemented.
In the meantime, millions of precious dollars have been put into fixing the teacher payroll and there are still new paycheck problems over the summer. A new teacher’s contract is not yet agreed to. The Civil Grand Jury reported on uncertified teachers. Understaffing continues, especially in areas of high need.
As for paying teachers and staff, the money is not available from one time funds. And now the state is sending out signals that it is not patient with continuing structural deficits. Superintendent Wayne will take on this topic in an upcoming August 29 Board Meeting. We’re hoping for a resolution here somehow, and imagine it’s not an easy process. What seems clear is last year’s school budget was another whiff, another can kick. And we remember that whole exercise of zero based budgeting.
So here we are on the verge of fall 2023. Things could be worse. We could have a skipper who knew SFUSD less well than Superintendent Wayne. We could have more culture wars. We could have hours of Commissioners gaslighting and grandstanding.
What are some goals for this school year and next? There are rollouts of improvements in reading and math, especially with goals in third grade reading. It’s no small task as many schools with poor historical results have big expectations of improved outcomes.
And critical to such outcomes is students in class learning. Is there a plan to address chronic absenteeism? Are there sufficient plans and resources for mental health and conflict resolution and/or restorative justice?
As Wayne and the Board of Education have set big goals, they have also had to figure who to put in charge of such efforts. Wayne, with the Board’s consent, had several positions filled by current SFUSD leadership staff, the same ones who ran things when outcomes were not a priority. How will this arrangement work out?
One big choice for voters soon is the expected maybe $1 billion school Facilities Bond, likely being planned for March 2024. The prior Facilities Bond of 2016, for $744 million, passed with 79.8% voter approval, much above the needed 55% voter approval for this type of school bond. Our schools do need new boilers, ceiling tiles, and lead free soil.
Will the voters be 55% or more in support this time around? I have no special insight. I do know that prior advocates feel frustrated with how the 2016 bond money was spent- the arts community who expected a downtown Ruth Asawa School of the Arts campus, the Buena Vista school community who are waiting and waiting for school site fixes, and other schools who were promised modernized schools.
And now we know that the City will put forth a $300 million affordable housing bond in March 2024. Such double asks for bond money were scrupulously avoided in recent prior elections.
Above are a few of many large questions that will have effects inside classrooms.
As we start this school year, let’s keep up the hope and the support for those educating our public school students. It looks like quite a school year of expectation.
