Middle School Mathematics

SFUSD aims to engage all students equitably in a standards-aligned, high quality mathematics curriculum so that students develop mathematical ‘habits of mind’ as critical thinkers, adept problem solvers, and mathematical communicators, and therefore engage productively in college, career and the ever-changing, interdisciplinary world.

In spring 2026, we provided families with an opportunity to complete a survey on Algebra I. We are grateful to everyone who took the time to share their perspectives.

Preliminary findings from the family survey (n=2,324) include:

• Of the 887 responses to the question asking for thoughts on the proposed [Algebra 1 in 8th grade] models, 99% either explicitly supported offering algebra in 8th grade or engaged with questions of how to implement it
• The elective model (Algebra 1 as an add-on to Math 8) was the most frequently referenced and supported approach (~43% of responses mentioning a model preference)
• The most prominent concern (~43% of all responses mentioning electives) is the loss of access to other electives—arts, music, orchestra—when algebra is added as a second math course
• A significant minority (~18%) prefer that Algebra 1 replace Math 8 entirely, preserving elective time while still advancing students mathematically
• Approximately 10% support a full curriculum redesign to compress 4 years of math content into 3 middle school years as the ideal long-term solution
• Equity concerns appear in approximately 9% of responses, reflecting both calls for universal algebra access and warnings against placing unprepared students in advanced coursework
• Some respondents (approximately 3–4% of those answering the model question) cited enrollment decline or competition from private schools as reasons to act — a small but consistent signal across multiple open-ended questions

Amplify Desmos Math is the newly adopted Core Curriculum for mathematics in grades 6 through 8 in SFUSD. The program combines digital and print materials to foster deep engagement of students through structured problem-based learning within a collaborative math community. Student inquiry drives learning with meaningful conversations and teachers support students to build on each other’s ideas. The “Launch - Monitor - Connect” lesson structure allows teachers to monitor learning and to support students to synthesize learning at the end of each lesson. Click the grade levels below for an overview of the standards and for a link to family resources.