Meanwhile, Over in San Francisco Unified School District.... Part 1

 I knew that San Francisco Unified School District was on the Student Outcome Focused Governance (SOFG) train but didn't know just how much. (Fun Fact: I lived in the Bay Area and, at one point, right in San Francisco. A very happy time in my life.)

Here's a link to their website and oh man! what a plethora of real information. There is no comparison to the SPS website. 

So first, let's compare what it looks like for "Goals and Guardrails." Please note that each district has chosen different names for similar goals as well as the number of the goal. However, SPS doesn't cover as broad a spectrum of issues as SFUSD does. 

As well, you can see the fine hand of SOFG guru, A.J. Crabill, except that the SPS versions come across fairly harshly while SFUSD's seem to have a kinder, gentler tone. Whose fine hand made the SPS versions harsher? I'd bet it was former director Chandra Hampson.

 

SPS

Guardrail 1: Engagement

The superintendent will not allow school and district initiatives to go forth without engaging students of color furthest from educational justice and their families, following stakeholder engagement principles that are utilizing current adopted best practices.

SFUSD

Guardrail 1 Effective Decision-Making:

The superintendent will not make major decisions without utilizing a process–that includes meaningful consultation with the parents/guardians, students, and staff who will be impacted by those decisions–at the inception, adoption, and review.

Obviously, the titles are different but the SFUSD guardrail IS their "engagement." Quite the difference and the main one being that in SFUSD it appears that, no matter the topic, they will engage directly with "parents/guardians, students, and staff who will be impacted by those decisions" and not just that but all the entire way through. That likely means a much wider pool of parents and students.

 

SPS 

Guardrail 2: Operations

The superintendent will not allow operational systems to deliver unreliable service.

SFUSD

Guardrail 4 - Resource Allocation

The Superintendent will not allow resources to be allocated without transparently communicating how the allocations are baseline sufficient to operate all schools while addressing inequitable inputs and creating more equity and excellence in student outcomes.

 
The difference in this seems to be that SPS' is so brief as to be almost nonsensical (not everything is controllable by the Superintendent) and that SFUSD's seems to be part business (transparently communicating) but also aspirational. 
 
 

SPS

Guardrail 3: Districtwide Vision and Anti-racism

The superintendent will not allow adult behaviors in central office, school buildings, or classrooms that are misaligned with districtwide vision, values, and anti-racism initiatives.

SFUSD

Has no guardrail similar to this SPS guardrail. And again, what does it truly mean? The Superintendent wags his finger to the staff masses and says don't do it? Or what? This SPS guardrail makes it sound like the Superintendent can fire at will and that's not true.


SPS

Guardrail 4: Discipline

The superintendent will not allow the use of disciplinary actions as a substitute for culturally responsive behavioral and social emotional supports for students, with and without disabilities.

SFUSD

Guardrail 2 - Serving the Whole Child

The Superintendent will not take approaches that neglect the cognitive and academic development, social and emotional development, identity development, physical and mental well-being, or ethical and moral development of students.

Both start off the same but SPS' is more about "disciplinary actions" than overall student emotional support that SFUSD's has.

 

SPS 

Yeah, SPS has no guardrail on C&I and that is troubling.

SFUSD

Guardrail 3- Curriculum & Instruction

The Superintendent will not allow curriculum and instruction that is not rooted in excellence, challenging and engaging, not student-centered, not culturally responsive, or not differentiated to meet the academic needs of all students.


SPS

Guardrail 5: Safe and Welcoming

The superintendent will not allow any district department, school building, or classrooms to provide unwelcoming environments.

SFUSD

Guardrail 5 - Strategic Partnerships

The Superintendent will not impede collaboration with the City of San Francisco, state and federal agencies, community-based organizations, philanthropic organizations, and the business community to advance the District’s goals and values.

Again, the SPS emphasis is on adult behaviors and SFUSD is clear that their Board of Education can collaborate with anyone it wants to. It's a bit puzzling because I think SOFG would say it's the Superintendent who goes out into the wider community. Hmmm.

 Next up - San Francisco Unified School District's "Resource Alignment Initiative."  Yes, it does include closures.

Comments

Anonymous said…
I feel that our superintendent deserves an award for keeping track of all of the things he will not allow through SOFG. Luckily "District Administration" came through for us: https://districtadministration.com/da-100-education-influencers-brent-jones/. It is curious that the paragraph trumpeting his achievements refers to his PAST job. It would be fun to consider all of the things Dr. Jones is influencing today...

Concerned
7/3/24, 1:41 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tuesday Open Thread

The speaker list is up for the Board meeting tomorrow; not as packed as I thought with just four people on the waitlist. The majority of the speakers are speaking on high school boundaries (with several wanting to talk about Ballard High). There are only three of us speaking about the Green Dot resolution asking the City to not grant the zoning departures that Green Dot has requested.  It's me, long-time watchdog, Chris Jackins, and the head of the Washington State Charter Schools Association, Patrick D'Amelio.  (I knew Mr. D'Amelio when he headed the Alliance for Education and Big Brothers and Big Sisters; he's a stand-up guy.)
Read more

Breaking It Down: Where the District Might Close Schools

Update 2: an absolutely fabulous interactive map made by parent Beth Day (@thebethocracy on Twitter - she covers Board meetings and is fun to read).   end of update    Update 1: Mea culpa, I did indeed get Decatur and Thornton Creek mixed up. Thanks to all for the correction. end of update   I suspect some who read this post will be irate. Why do this? Because the district seems very hellbent on this effort with no oversight skid marks from the Board.    To clearly state - I do not believe that closing 20 schools is a good idea. I think they hit on 20 because they thought it might bring in the most savings. But the jury is still out on the savings because the district has not shown its work nor its data. I suspect closing schools and THEN leasing/renting them is the big plan but that means the district really has to keep the buildings up.   But this district, with its happy talk about "well-resourced schools" is NOT acknowledging the pain and yes, gr...
Read more

Education News Roundup

From the ever-amusing Washington Policy Center : Vouchers are Pell Grants for students under 18.  Vouchers are no different than Pell Grants or GI benefits, except the money goes to the families of students younger than age 18.  Except they are. Pell Grants were created to help needy students and that's not really the goal of the voucher program.  The Pell grant website does have a couple of great studies on why low-income students drop out before finishing their higher ed and what makes a difference.
Read more