SFUSD board orders diplomas for 2015 students impacted by cancelled state exam

The San Francisco Unified School District Board of Education voted unanimously to issue diplomas to students in the class of 2015 who completed district course and credit requirements but had not passed the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE), the board announced at a special meeting called to address the disruption caused by the state's cancellation of the July test administration.

Superintendent read Resolution 15-14-SP1 and described the board's action as a remedy for students who lost a last-chance testing opportunity after the California Department of Education, acting amid pending state legislation, cancelled the July administration. "Students who have been accepted into college should not be prevented from starting class this fall because of a test cancellation they could not control," the superintendent read, citing a statement from the governor and the state board of education.

Why this matters: Board staff identified a cohort of students who had completed the district's coursework and credit requirements but had not passed one or both sections of the CAHSEE. District staff initially identified roughly 144 potentially affected records and, after transcript-level review, determined that 107 students met the district criteria for diploma issuance under the resolution. Dr. Ritu Khanna, chief of research, planning and assessment, told the board the 107 students come from nearly all the district's comprehensive high schools and noted the group's demographics: more than 80 percent qualify for free or reduced-price lunch; the cohort includes about 40 Latino students, 30 Chinese students, 14 African American students, and roughly 72 percent are English learners.

Assemblymember David Chiu, who addressed the board, called the state's action "unacceptable" and said his office was exploring legislative options and urging the California Department of Education to ensure college admissions were not revoked because of the cancelled exam. "This is a decision that has been completely mystifying," he said, and pledged to press state leaders to move quickly.

Board members praised staff for a rapid review and emphasized outreach. Commissioner Winns said the action was a local fix to a problem "wholly created by the State of California," and asked staff to ensure students and families are notified in writing. Staff said outreach plans would be finalized the following week and that the district would continue to review records and respond to inquiries from families and schools.

The board moved to suspend rules to allow immediate action. Commissioner Winns made the motion to suspend the rules; Commissioner Norton seconded. A roll-call vote produced five votes in favor; two members (Dr. Marazzi and Miss Mendoza McDonald) were absent. The resolution passed and the board directed the superintendent to issue diplomas to all students in the 2015 class who had received a certificate of completion solely because they had not passed the CAHSEE but who otherwise met SFUSD credit and course requirements. The board also directed staff to bring board policy 6105.2 back for reconsideration after the California Legislature and governor act on SB 172.

Todd David, a parent and co-founder of the San Francisco Parent Political Action Committee, spoke in public comment in support of the district's decision. After the vote the board converted the meeting into a short commencement, and several students from San Francisco International High School and Mission High School were called up to receive diplomas.

What the board did not decide: The board's action is an internal district policy change and the board acknowledged it takes place while state rules and legislation are in flux. Board members asked staff to continue searching records for other potentially affected students and to conduct outreach in multiple languages; staff said they would do so. The resolution directs the superintendent to return with a policy update once the state's action on SB 172 is resolved.

Next steps: The superintendent will issue diplomas to the identified students and report back to the board when state-level legislation or guidance changes the legal framework. The district will finalize written notification and outreach plans to affected students and families.