Audit finds gaps in SFUSD K–8 math materials and instruction; district plans K–8 pilots, expanded DreamBox and 1,500 tutoring seats

An outside audit of San Francisco Unified School District’s K–8 math program found key gaps in curriculum and classroom practice and prompted district leaders to outline a phased response combining short-term digital supports with longer-term curriculum pilots and coaching.

"We are at 39.7% right now based on our STAR math performance," Superintendent Wayne told the board at the Jan. 3 progress-monitoring workshop, citing the district’s interim target of 65% of eighth graders meeting standards by October 2027. Wayne and TNTP presenters pointed to a drop from roughly 55% proficiency in third grade to 39.7% by eighth grade as a signal that foundational skills are not sustained.

Jeff Tsang of TNTP, the national education nonprofit that conducted the audit, said the curriculum review and classroom observations produced mixed results: elementary materials often focused on the major work of the grade, but the seventh-grade materials the team reviewed “did not spend the large majority of the year on the major work or most critical concepts,” and lacked sufficient practice on fractions and multistep problems. TNTP also reported that while 68% of sampled assignments were grade-appropriate, only 28% of observed lessons…