SFUSD outlines 'Coordinated Care Teams' to centralize family and student supports

Chief Ellie Lau Smith presented an update on a newly defined coordinated care team structure intended to integrate existing site-based teams (culture and climate, student assistance, family partnership, attendance review, student success teams) into a single coordinated process. The presentation emphasized anti-racist practice, family partnership, data-informed interventions and a centralized Family Resource Link for tracking requests and follow-up.

Key elements: The coordinated care team model is designed to triage needs at the school-site level, escalate cases to a central wellness and partnership division when necessary, and provide training, coaching and monthly collaboration with school staff and community-based partners. Chief Lau Smith acknowledged the work is new, variable by site and will require ongoing refinement, training and data-system improvements.

Implementation timeline and resources: Staff said many elements are already underway (family wellness check-ins and some site teams), but fully embedding the model across 100+ schools will take time—one presenter estimated the work may take a year to institutionalize and several years to fully mature. The district plans to resume work on data‑system integration in January, and the Family Resource Link currently serves as the interim centralized tracking tool.

Board concerns and requests: Commissioners asked who would maintain centralized tracking and how to ensure family liaisons and academic advisors are included as equal partners. Chief Lau Smith said a small group of division-level staff will coordinate and that resourcing, staffing and data systems are ongoing priorities in the budget process.

Next steps: District staff will continue training, iterate tools and provide updates to the board as teams scale and data systems are strengthened.