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SFUSD honors Peer Court volunteers; board hears research partnership presentation
Summary
The board recognized student volunteers from the Peer Court restorative-justice program and heard a presentation from the Strategic Educational Research Partnership (SERP) on middle-school research collaborations. Community speakers praised youth involvement and urged restorative alternatives to suspension.
The San Francisco Unified School District Board of Education recognized Peer Court student volunteers and presenters from community programs, and received an overview of a research partnership aimed at improving classroom practice.
Nicole Brown of the Peer Court program described the student volunteer training and role in providing restorative alternatives on campuses, saying students “volunteered anywhere between 12 and 24 hours of training” to return to campuses as peer leaders. Several students—Helena Chow, Matthew Beverly and others—addressed the board about their experiences and urged continued support for restorative justice alternatives.
The board also received a presentation from Phil Daro and representatives of the Strategic Educational Research Partnership (SERP), which works with SFUSD, Stanford and UC Berkeley to align research and classroom practice. SERP staff explained their co-development model in which district practitioners help define research questions and researchers help test and scale promising teaching practices, particularly in middle-school math and science.
Superintendent Carlos Garcia and board members praised the partnership’s potential to deliver low-cost, research-based supports for teachers and students. Garcia noted the partnership brings external resources: SERP representatives confirmed they solicit outside funding and do not expect the district to underwrite their operating costs.
The recognition and presentations drew praise from students, parents and union representatives who urged continued investment in restorative practices and data-driven instructional improvements.
