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Why this issue is important
- San Francisco public school in enrollment is steadily decreasing,
with the number of enrolled students dropping by 8% since 2000.1
- One in every four (25%)
African American students dropped out in 2006, as opposed to
only 8% in 2001.2
- In 2006, only 56% of high school graduates had completed courses
required for University of California (UC) and/or California State
University (CSU) entrance, with a grade of "C" or better.
3
Background
Currently in San Francisco, there is a big gap in the graduation
rates of students, with only half of African American and Latino
students graduating. Schools serving predominantly low-income
African American and Latino students tend to have fewer resources
and the least experienced teachers. The San Francisco Unified School
District is also losing enrollment and funding as families either
move out of the city due to high housing costs, or send their
children to private or charter schools.
The SFOP Small Schools by Design Campaign
While SFOP understands that no single reform is going to solve the
complex, systemic problems with public education, we know one good
way to make tangible improvements immediately for young people who
otherwise would fall through the cracks and not graduate: create
small, autonomous public schools.
Measurable Results
SFOP parents and community leaders joined with teachers and youth in
Small Schools for Equity to launch a campaign in 2000 to create
Small Schools by Design in San Francisco. The June Jordan School for
Equity and Aim High Academy opened in 2003. June Jordan graduated
its first class of seniors last June – and 95% went on to college,
compared to a statewide average of 60%. Parent and teacher leaders
at these schools continued organizing to ensure that the school
board passed an ambitious and comprehensive Small Schools by Design
policy in February 2007. SFOP is currently organizing in the San
Francisco Community School and Sanchez Elementary School, and
working to support the creation of additional small schools in the
coming years.
SFOP Education Timeline
2004
In May 2003, parents from the Jamestown Local Organizing Committee
held a community action with 150 residents of the Mission to secure
commitments from the city to finance access to public school
buildings for community summer programs. Jamestown Community Center
serves more than 500 children ages 8 to 18 with programs that
include science, arts, dance, theater, sports, and tutoring. After
learning that Jamestown summer programs were in danger of being cut
due to a lack of funding, the parent organizing committee organized
support from the local neighborhood, Supervisor Tom Ammiano, San
Francisco Treasurer Susan Leal, and Commissioner Mark Sanchez. As a
result of the action, 2700 summer program slots for youth were saved
and $323,000 was allocated from the Children’s Fund to the San
Francisco Unified School District to keep school buildings open
during the summer.
 In 2004, parent leaders organized again to avoid a similar crisis in
late spring when the city was faced with budget cuts. Leaders now
have won a policy from the SFUSD that will allow schools that are
used by community based summer programs such as Jamestown to remain
open without charging fees.
2003
After two years of work by the schools local organizing committee,
the first small schools in San Francisco opened in 2003. SFOP and
SSE were able to convince the San Francisco Unified School District
to include new, small schools as part of its Secondary School
Redesign Initiative. Parents, teachers and students from across the
city have identified small, autonomous schools as a way to improve
the quality of education for all students. The two small schools are
setting a precedent for the future of school reform in San
Francisco.
SSE is modeled on successful small schools in New York, Boston,
Chicago, and Oakland. It will expand each year until it is a 9-12
school, with a maximum enrollment of 320-400 students. The school is
based on a philosophy that schools need to be small, personalized,
and safe, staffed by experts teachers, and have close connections
with the surrounding community. Teachers will be emphasizing a
strong curriculum with ties to the real world and community action.
2000
SFOP worked at the state level to create $50 million in funding
statewide for after school centers in schools with high populations
of lower income students. We then convinced the SF Unified School
District to establish 36 homework centers in San Francisco schools.
These centers serve 3,600 children per day and provide academic
assistance by classroom teachers and a safe environment.
Leaders from Bethel AME and St. Paulus Lutheran churches secured
over $1.4 million for the Western Addition Community
Resource/Computer Learning Center. $700,000 in state funds will help
convert the former Office of Emergency Services Building, located in
the Western Addition, to a neighborhood community resource/computer
learning center. The community also secured a grant for $743,000 to
administer the program. This center will provide services for
seniors, as well as provide after school activities, job training,
and computer access for seniors as well as students and their
parents.
1998
SFOP worked to pass SB 394, the Learn and Earn bill, which allocated
$5 million to school-to-career internships for high school students.
SFOP convinced our local representatives and legislators throughout
the state through our network of organizations statewide to place a
$9.2 billion school facilities bond on the November 1998 ballot,
which subsequently passed.
1
San Francisco Health Plan
2 Id.
3 Id.
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