Announcement Details
Announcement Message
Dear SFUSD Community:
The San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) is committed to offering a rigorous education so that our students can achieve academic excellence.
To improve student outcomes in eighth grade math and prepare students for higher-level math courses in high school, SFUSD has been piloting different ways to offer Algebra I to eighth grade students. Throughout the entire process, we have focused on strong community engagement and partnership with students, educators, principals, and the community.
On March 24, 2026, I will propose a revised Math Placement Policy to the San Francisco Board of Education.
Here is how SFUSD plans to offer Algebra I in the eighth grade across ALL SFUSD middle and K-8 schools in the 2026-27 school year to support student success:
Expanded Math
At 19 of our middle and K-8 schools, Algebra I will be offered in eighth grade as expanded math. Students who meet the academic criteria will be automatically enrolled in both Math 8 and Algebra I, but can opt out of Algebra I if desired. Students who do not meet the criteria for automatic enrollment can choose to take Algebra I as an elective.
SFUSD will increase instructional minutes for all students to 220 minutes a week for core subjects. Eighth graders who participate in Expanded Math will receive 440 minutes of math instruction per week.This will ensure students have foundational math skills, and are set up for success in Algebra I.
Expanded Math students who meet eligibility requirements may be exempted from Math 8 and enroll solely in Algebra I. Prior to receiving this exemption, students must meet with their counselor and families must provide formal written consent.
6-8th Grade Braided Compression Pilot
SFUSD will be piloting Compression Math at two schools. Students at these schools will take an accelerated pathway covering Math 6-8 and Algebra I over three years. All students at compression school sites will be enrolled in a compression math course in sixth, seventh and eighth grades. We will continue to monitor student experience and outcomes in this pilot to determine the impacts of this model.
Learn more about the survey results and how the implementation plan will work across middle and K-8 schools.
Next Steps
SFUSD has shared research findings with principals, counselors, teachers, staff, families, and students through meetings, surveys, and discussions to better understand how to support strong math learning for all middle school students.
On Monday, March 23, from 5:00 - 6:00 pm we will hold a virtual public webinar with two Stanford University professors who will share details from their independent research of our pilot programs.
We’re excited to offer Algebra I to our eighth grade students as part of our goal to help more students succeed in math, working to increase the number of students meeting grade-level standards from 42% in 2022 to 65% by 2027.
Sincerely,
Dr. Maria Su
SFUSD Superintendent
More information:
We tried out multiple ways to offer Algebra I in eighth grade.
- Fall 2023: We gathered input from students, families, educators, and community organizations to shape a thoughtful approach that includes a course sequence to help students get ready for Algebra I in eighth grade and provides acceleration options for students who are ready.
- Spring 2024: The Board of Education approved a pilot that included multiple models to test, learn from, and improve over time that could inform a future district math policy.
- School years 2024-2026: Stanford University conducted an independent study of the pilot, examining student outcomes and enrollment across each of the different models.
- January-March 2026: We shared research findings and engaged our community on a proposed district wide policy informed by the pilots. Research shows students had stronger outcomes when they completed both Math 8 and the Algebra I course at the same time, rather than skipping it in 8th grade. Learn more about this research.
Families also had opportunities to participate through a webinar on March 5, 2026 and a TK-8 survey. We are deeply grateful to everyone who shared their time, experiences, and perspectives to help guide this work.