Plans for School Year 2026-2027 Grades 6-8 Schedule Update

Posted on
Grade Level
K-8 School
Middle School

Dear Middle School and K-8 Families,

Thank you to the families, students and educators who took the time to share your thoughts, concerns and questions about SFUSD’s course offerings for grades 6-8. Your input is important and we are grateful for your engagement.

I am happy to share that we will continue to operate seven-period schedules at all schools that currently use this model. 

We are actively working with school leaders on ways to increase their instructional minutes to a minimum of 220 minutes per week for each course, and strengthen learning opportunities for students through thoughtful bell schedule design and program planning.

What this will mean for your scholar in the 2026-27 school year:

  • Increasing instructional time in core subjects, particularly English Language Arts and mathematics, toward our goal to improve student outcomes in 3rd grade literacy, 8th grade math, and college and career readiness.
  • Expanding math instructional minutes in 8th grade to support strong math skills, reach our math goals and provide an opportunity for every 8th grade student to enroll in Algebra.
  • Designing bell schedules to maximize learning time during the school day.
  • Creating opportunities for math and/or English intervention and acceleration courses, so that every student receives the right level of support or challenge.

Our goal is to ensure that every middle grade student has sustained time to read deeply, write thoughtfully, solve complex problems, ask questions and receive meaningful feedback from their teachers.

This work also aligns with SFUSD’s Vision, Values, Goals, and Guardrails, which call on us to create classrooms where students have the time they need to think, grapple and truly learn.

On Tuesday, March 24, we will bring an updated Board Policy on Math Placement to the Board of Education for approval. This policy will formalize SFUSD’s commitment to offering Algebra in the 8th grade. I am grateful to the parents, principals, and our greater community who have shown up to engage with us on this issue. I am actively working with my team to finalize our proposal for implementation, and will be sharing more information with you once it is available.   

Thank you for your partnership.

 

Sincerely,

Teresa Isabel Shipp

Associate Superintendent of Educational Services (Interim)