We, the undersigned, call on SFUSD Superintendent Dr. Matt Wayne and the Board of Education to stop SFUSD’s inequitable practice of blocking rising 9th graders who have successfully completed a UC-approved Algebra 1 class in 8th grade from being placed directly into 9th grade Geometry.

SITUATION

Since the 2016-17 school year, CA Ed Code § 51288.2 prevents school districts from requiring high school students to repeat any course they have previously completed and received a grade which meets the admissions standards of the UC/CSU system.

But in spite of this, SFUSD has continued to prevent students who have taken an accredited and UC-approved CCSS Algebra 1 course from being placed directly into Geometry in 9th grade. We believe this practice is harmful to students and is out of compliance with Ed Code § 51288.2.

PROBLEM

Instead of following this law, SFUSD places a number of extra requirements on students after they have completed a CCSS Algebra 1 course outside of SFUSD:

1 - These students must have already completed and passed a UC/CSU-approved Algebra 1 course with a passing grade;

2 - These students must then show up outside of school hours to take the district’s home-grown “Math Validation Test” (MVT) on a Saturday -- even if it conflicts with their religious or personal obligations;

3 - These students must then achieve a score of at least 80% on the “MVT” in order to have their 9th grade schedules changed to accommodate placement into a Geometry course section;

4 - Only then -- two to three weeks after the start of their first high school semester -- are these students’ academic counselors notified to rearrange the student’s schedule to ensure that they are placed into the appropriate math course, where they should have been placed from the start.

We believe this practice is harmful to students and makes no sense.

The text of Ed Code §51288.2 states:

(a) Commencing with the 2016–17 school year, except as provided in subdivision (d), a school district maintaining any of grades 9 to 12, inclusive, shall not assign a pupil enrolled in any of grades 9 to 12, inclusive, in a school in the school district to a course that the pupil has previously completed and received a grade determined by the school district to be sufficient to satisfy the requirements and prerequisites for admission to the California public institutions of postsecondary education and the minimum requirements for receiving a diploma of graduation from high school established in this article, unless either of the following applies:

(1) The course has been designed to be taken more than once because pupils are exposed to a new curriculum year to year and are therefore expected to derive educational value from taking the course again.

(2) For any course that has not been designed to be taken more than once, all of the following conditions are satisfied:

(A) A pupil is assigned to the course only if the pupil or, for a pupil who has not reached the age of majority, the pupil’s parent, guardian, or educational rights holder has consented in writing to the assignment for the purpose of improving a lower grade.

(B) A school official has determined that the pupil will benefit from being assigned to the course period.

(C) The principal or assistant principal of the school has stated in a written document to be maintained at the school that, for the relevant school year, no pupils are assigned to those classes unless the school has met the conditions specified in subparagraphs (A) and (B).

(b) Under no circumstances shall a school district assign a pupil enrolled in any of grades 9 to 12, inclusive, in a school in the school district to a course that the pupil has previously completed and received a grade determined by the school district to be sufficient to satisfy the requirements and prerequisites for admission to the California public institutions of postsecondary education and the minimum requirements for receiving a diploma of graduation from high school established in this article because there are not sufficient curricular course offerings for the pupil to take during the relevant period of the designated school day.

(c) Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to limit or otherwise affect the authority of a school district to authorize dual enrollment in community college, as provided for in Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 48800) of Part 27, to establish and maintain evening high school programs, as provided for in Article 3 (commencing with Section 51720) of Chapter 5, to offer independent study, as provided for in Article 5.5 (commencing with Section 51745) of Chapter 5, to provide courses of work-based learning or work experience education, as provided for in Article 7 (commencing with Section 51760) of Chapter 5, or to offer any class or course of instruction authorized under Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 51700), if the program otherwise meets all of the requirements of law governing that program.

If SFUSD believes that the ability to pass the MVT is an absolute necessity, then SFUSD should require all their Algebra 1 students to earn an 80% on the MVT in order to progress to Geometry -- regardless of when or where they took CCSS Algebra 1. As it stands now, the district refuses to administer this test to 9th grade SFUSD students finishing Algebra 1 even if only to determine an equitable pass/fail threshold. For this reason, there can be no question that the current double standard is inequitable.

CONCLUSION

SFUSD’s continued reliance on its policy of requiring the MVT to be moved into a 9th grade Geometry is out of compliance with the letter and spirit of Ed Code § 51228.2.

Students who have passed a valid UC/CSU-approved and accredited Algebra 1 course should be placed directly into 9th grade CCSS Geometry sections without delay so they can begin their first year in high school without disruption.