Algebra: can you email the Superintendent?

Tell him, no doubling up and no summer school! There's a better way

[Forgot the Superintendent’s email— here’s the corrected version. The dangers of writing these things at 2am…]

Thank you for showing up in force at yesterday’s town hall!! 200 people showed up when only 100 had registered — which is incredible. I was so excited to hear people from our community there.

We need your help emailing the Superintendent and asking for a better plan — because every plan at the town hall had flaws.

Suggested plans for 8th grade algebra

Yesterday’s algebra town hall presented slides with three options for bringing algebra back. Here they are:

A - Opt-in compression course in 8th grade: 8th grade math + Algebra I.

Our concerns: That’s a lot to compress into one math class period. Does that curriculum already exist? What material would be skipped?

B - Two math periods in 8th grade: Math 8 during the regular school day, opt-in Algebra 1 as an elective or as 0 period (may vary by school).

Our concerns: Some middle schools only offer one elective per term, so kids would not be able to pursue art/music/other passions at the same time. Also, some kids may be unable to make it to 0 period because they have to drop their siblings off at elementary school.

C - Opt-in 6 week intensive Algebra I summer course after 8th grade - so intensive that 1 day of instruction = 1 week of content. Classes would be offered centrally rather than at every middle school.

Our concerns: That’s really drinking from the fire hose. And kids/families may not want to give up their summers for math — especially when their suburban friends don’t have to.

Option A is the best option presented, but we think we have a better idea.

So what’s our plan?

1/ Compress math 6/7/8 into two years — this is less compression per year so it should be easier on the kids
2/ Summer options for kids who want to hop on the accelerated track later

3/ Make algebra opt-out rather than opt-in -- in Dallas, they automatically enrolled kids in Algebra if they scored well on state math tests… and went from 26% enrollment in Algebra to 42%. The gains are especially high for Black and Latino students. (And yes, the students are passing Algebra I at similar rates.)

4/ Tutoring for elementary age kids as soon as they fall behind in math, like Long Beach does. The inequities we’re trying to avoid at the algebra level start much, much earlier — let’s fix them in elementary school.

This plan would give a wide range of kids access to 8th grade algebra during the regular school day, without having to double up on math, give up their electives, or give up their summers… while addressing inequity right where it starts — in the younger grades.

And it was very popular in the town hall zoom chat window. :-)

How you can help

Email Superintendent Matt Wayne ( waynem@sfusd.edu ) TODAY and ask him to consider our plan for bringing algebra back. Sample email:

Superintendent Wayne,

Thank you for working so hard to bring algebra back this fall. Would it be audacious to ask you to consider another option for bringing algebra back? I’d like to see:

1/ compressing Math 6/7/8 into two years for more gentle acceleration

2/ summer options for acceleration, for kids who want to join the accelerated path later

3/ make Algebra opt-out (not opt-in) to increase diversity

4/ quick help for elementary kids who are behind in math — tutoring or other research-based interventions like Direct Instruction

(I understand that we may need to rely on summer math classes or compression classes temporarily while the grade 6/7/8 curriculum is adjusted; that’s fine.)

Thank you for your consideration,
[YOUR NAME]

And let’s get voters’ help!

Prop G lets voters throw their shoulder behind the effort for algebra, at a critical moment. Donate to our PAC to fund our algebra campaign — we need flyers for the farmers’ market, signs, and (budget permitting) other fun stuff!

So honored to have your support and hard work,
Autumn & Siva
SF Guardians | @sfguardians | sfguardians on Facebook

Paid for by SF Guardians, FPPC #1448292.  Ad Committee’s Top Funder:
                                    1. Autumn Looijen ($5,000)
               Financial disclosures are available at sfethics.org.

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