San Francisco Unified School District board approves Edgenuity contract to expand on‑demand learning

The San Francisco Unified School District Board of Education on Aug. 24 approved a subscription and support agreement to expand use of the Edgenuity online learning platform for students in grades 6 through 12 who cannot return to in‑person instruction.

Deputy Superintendent of Instruction Enekia Ford Mortale read the staff recommendation to the board, saying the district seeks to expand an existing Edgenuity contract to provide an on‑demand learning option. "We are coming before you this afternoon to ask for your approval of the contracts for Edgenuity software," Ford Mortale said.

The request was placed on a special meeting agenda as an urgent item (identified in the record as item 218‑2401). Commissioner Collins, speaking in discussion, said she was unfamiliar with the platform and cited multiple negative online reviews, asking how trustees could be confident the district was making a good investment. "Why is Edgenuity so bad? Is Edgenuity any good?" she asked, quoting common online criticisms and noting reviews that called it "the worst learning platform ever."

Elise Castro of the district's high school team answered that the district has used Edgenuity for several years for credit recovery and to support A–G course completion. "It is challenging. . . . It's a platform we have used for a number of years in SFUSD," Castro said, adding that the courseware is aligned to California standards and can work well for students who learn independently.

Staff told the board they track the program through on‑track and off‑track metrics and course completion data for A–G credits and said they can report those measures to the board. Ford Mortale also said the district will monitor student engagement (assignments completed), provide periodic live interactions and assessments for qualitative feedback, and continue its yearly culture and climate survey while exploring targeted feedback for online participants.

After discussion, the board conducted a roll‑call vote. Several trustees voted yes, and the clerk recorded five affirmative votes; the motion carried and the subscription was approved. The board adjourned and scheduled its regular meeting at 5 p.m. on a different Zoom link for staff.

The contract was described in the meeting record with the vendor name "Edge Unity, Inc." but staff and presenters referred consistently to the product as Edgenuity; the board motion and staff presentation centered on expanding the district's existing Edgenuity platform to provide remote, on‑demand instruction.