Overview
- San Francisco’s school board, which voted 4-3 Tuesday, approved Algebra I for eighth graders after years of parent pressure and a 2024 voter push.
- All students will be able to take Algebra I as an elective alongside Math 8, and eligible students may take Algebra I as their main math class after a counselor meeting, with the test-score cutoff still to be set.
- Stanford researchers reported large gains when students took Algebra I and Math 8 together, while students who skipped Math 8 were more likely to repeat algebra in ninth grade.
- District leaders warned of rollout strains that include tight schedules, mandatory counseling sessions, and a shortage of certified math teachers that could crowd out arts or language electives.
- The board also voted 6-1 to add five school days, moving the last day to June 10, to make up for a February strike and protect attendance-based funding.