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Board adopts K–5 and 6–8 math curricula; unanimous roll call vote
Summary
After a multi-stage pilot, the San Francisco Unified School District Board of Education voted to adopt Imagine LearningIllustrative Math for K— and Amplify Desmos Math for grades 6—. The vote passed on a roll call of six ayes; the board and staff said the curricula better align K— and address gaps between fifth and sixth grade.
The San Francisco Unified School District Board of Education voted to adopt new K— and 6— math curricula after reviewing pilot data and staff recommendations.
Board members approved a five-year purchase for K— (Imagine Learning Illustrative Math) and an annual contract for grades 6— (Amplify Desmos Math), with launch professional development included. The roll call recorded six ayes and the motion passed.
Staff told the board the district—s curriculum audit found weaknesses in the prior, district-authored math materials and recommended a paired adoption to strengthen continuity between elementary and middle grades. Pilot work during 2024' 25 included classroom observations, teacher and student surveys and matched statistical comparisons. Staff said student and teacher perceptions and independent observations favored Imagine Learning at the elementary level and showed promising, statistically significant gains in classrooms piloting Amplify Desmos Math at the middle-school level.
Devin Krugman, executive director for content, told the board the two programs are both built on the Illustrative Math design and thus provide k— alignment that could help close the large drop in proficiency the district has historically seen between fifth and sixth grade. Renee Marcy, math and science content lead, summarized the pilot evidence and the plan for launch professional learning in summer 2025.
During discussion commissioners asked about: ongoing license and consumable costs; how staff will scale exemplary teacher practices beyond pilot classrooms; supports for English learners and other focal populations; and whether the curricular change mid-cycle reduces the likelihood of meeting 2027 proficiency targets. Staff said the adoption includes licenses, digital platform, teacher materials and consumables; that some earlier pilot funds had already been committed; and that they will align instructional coaching and differentiated site supports to scale stronger practice.
The board chair closed debate and called the roll. The vote record read in the meeting transcript as: Commissioner Alexander (yes), Commissioner Fisher (yes), Commissioner Gupta (yes), Vice President Huling (yes), Commissioner Wray (yes), Commissioner Weiseman Ward (yes). The motion carried.
Board and staff said the next steps are a summer launch of professional learning, a phased implementation and a focus on fewer, better-aligned supplemental tools so teachers and students use the same core materials across grades.
The adoption item was placed on the consent calendar for implementation planning; staff said work will continue to align coaching, assessment and supplemental interventions with the new curricula.
