SFUSD superintendent previews refreshed strategic plan and reports modest statewide test gains

Superintendent Richard Carranza opened the Aug. 13 meeting with an overview of a refreshed strategic plan, "Impact Learning, Impact Lives," and highlighted recent statewide test results for San Francisco Unified School District.

Carranza said the plan builds on earlier reforms and will for the first time include indicators of students' academic success and well-being in the superintendent's evaluation. "For the first time, the board will use indicators of students' academic success and well-being as part of my evaluation," he said, describing the plan as a coherent theory of action linking decisions made in the boardroom to classroom practice.

Carranza reported statewide test results released the prior Thursday, noting the district "held its own" while many California districts saw decreases. He said math proficiency grew by 1.6% in grades 2 through 11 and that approximately 69% of students scored proficient or above in certain math grade groupings; when combined with end-of-course math (algebra, geometry) the district proficiency rose modestly to about 57%. He said English language arts (ELA) proficiency remains above 60% with a small decline of less than half a percentage point compared with the previous year.

The superintendent emphasized looking at trends over multiple years rather than single-year changes, noting five-year gains in English and a positive trajectory in math. "When looking at student achievement, I want to remind our constituents that the most informative perspective is to see trends and how students perform over time, not just one year of growth," Carranza said.

He also outlined district systems intended to support instruction, including a quality improvement system tied to a waiver from the federal No Child Left Behind-era requirements. Carranza said the waiver allows the district to use a more refined accountability approach while maintaining high expectations: "We're not waiving accountability. What we're doing is waiving outdated archaic systems to a more refined enlightened system." He said staff and principals will continue to analyze and share results as the year progresses.

Board members and the superintendent noted upcoming events tied to the new school year, and Carranza welcomed teachers and staff back ahead of the first day of classes on Monday, Aug. 19. He said the district would provide more detail on the strategic refresh and the superintendent's evaluation indicators in the coming months.

Board members praised professional development programs and asked for follow-up reports on how LCFF (Local Control Funding Formula) and waiver changes might affect budget set-asides and contract negotiations. Staff committed to return with a comprehensive report outlining next steps related to the waiver and implementation.