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San Francisco board makes A–G college sequence the district graduation requirement
Summary
After hours of public comment from students, parents and advocacy groups, the San Francisco Unified School District board unanimously approved making the University of California/CSU A–G college‑prep course sequence the default graduation requirement for students entering ninth grade in 2010, adding an implementation task force and six‑month progress reports.
The San Francisco Unified School District board unanimously approved a resolution to change district graduation requirements to the University 'A–G' college‑preparatory course sequence, starting with students who enter ninth grade in 2010. The decision followed more than an hour of public testimony from dozens of students, parents and community groups who said A–G would expand college access and address the district’s racial achievement gaps.
Superintendent Carlos Garcia framed the move as aligning the district with state and university expectations and with recent direction from U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to use stimulus and other funds to improve teacher quality and student readiness. Community advocates — including student groups such as YMACC, Coleman Advocates and Education Trust West, as well as City College Trustee Chris Jackson — urged the board to adopt the requirement and to couple it with an implementation plan that included supports for underrepresented students.
Board members debated implementation details: how English Language Development classes would meet UC requirements, whether schools needed a seventh period or additional staffing under Prop H to allow students to meet A–G, and how the policy would affect special education students. Commissioner Wins and others asked staff to pull detailed data on where students now fall short and on elective patterns that prevent students from meeting the 'g' (electives) requirement.
To address those concerns, the board amended the resolution to create an implementation task force with community representation and directed staff to return with regular progress reports to the board, including a semiannual update. The final vote on the amended resolution was unanimous.
Next steps listed by the board include forming the implementation task force, analyzing school‑by‑school scheduling and staffing needs (including how Prop H FTEs might be applied), clarifying how the district will align ELD and special education pathways with A–G, and reporting back to the board on progress according to the task force schedule.
