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Board reviews race and racism working‑group data showing large achievement gaps
Summary
A working‑group report presented by Hoover Lydell documented stark racial disparities in graduation, suspension and AP participation for African American and Latino students and highlighted school‑level successes (Galileo, Balboa, Thurgood Marshall Algebra Project) as the board discussed policy levers such as student assignment and standard‑based report cards.
The board received a data‑driven presentation from Hoover Lydell, chair of the district working group on race and racism, showing persistent gaps in achievement and discipline across San Francisco Unified School District.
Lydell summarized cohort and subgroup outcomes and said the district must address the conditions that produce disparate outcomes for low‑income students of color. He cited a longitudinal cohort figure: "Of the African American students who entered the ninth grade in 2003 in the San Francisco High School, only 31.8 percent received a San Francisco High School diploma 4 years later in 02/2007." The presentation also highlighted that Black and Latino students were disproportionately represented among suspensions and special education placements and underrepresented in honors, Advanced Placement and gifted programs.
The report paired data with school‑level case studies. Lydell credited Galileo and Balboa schools with interventions that reduced referrals and increased honors/AP participation and described Thurgood Marshall’s Algebra Project as a hands‑on, field‑test curriculum that engaged students previously alienated by traditional instruction. Board members asked for next steps and for the committee to formalize dissemination of successful practices across sites.
Superintendent Garcia and deputy staff framed these results as central to the district’s strategic plan and said several policy levers would be considered, including student‑assignment models, targeted program expansion (AVID, Project SEED), and grading/credit policies. Garcia said staff would bring forward policy options and share evidence about the interventions that appear to be working.
Board members emphasized earlier intervention, consistent standards in the elementary grades, and the need to remove gatekeeping practices that limit access to advanced coursework. The board asked staff to return with concrete next steps for scaling successful site practices and to integrate the metrics into the district's balanced scorecard.
