Funds to expand summer school
San Francisco’s school district — flush with nearly $60 million to help students catch up from pandemicrelated learning loss — plans to use a large chunk of the federal and state funds to offer expanded summer programming this year and next.
The district has access to $39.7 million in state funds to support learning recovery and address student needs in light of the pandemic, and an additional $19.2 million from the federal government. According to the district, the funds can be used for a range of programs, including tutoring, educator training or counseling, and staff recommends using anywhere from $11 million to $15 million to expand summer programs in 2021 and 2022.
The board heard a budget update on the use of state learning recovery funds on Tuesday, but did not vote on it. They’ll have to adopt an official plan for using state money by June 1. Federal funds can be used until 2024, and the district will outline preliminary plans for this money during budget development in June.
“People have suffered tremendously, children and families alike, from being in front of a computer, isolated in their homes for most of the year,” Supryia Ray, parent of a secondgrader and a sixthgrader, said at the meeting.
The increased funding comes as the district reports concerning dips in attendance and performance for some students. While average attendance rates were similar to previous years, data presented by staff showed a drop in attendance for some students who are most at risk. About 1,000 students attended remote learning less than 40% of the time: more than half of those students are in high school, and the majority are considered at risk by the district. Average attendance also dropped for African American, Pacific Islander and homeless students.
Performance assessments show virtual learning hurt some groups of students. Staff reported that equity gaps in reading and math proficiency widened, with English Learners, socioeconomically disadvantaged, African American, Pacific Islander and Hispanic students in kindergarten through fifth grade showing lower than predicted growth. Grading inequity was consistent with past years, with African American and Hispanic students receiving fewer As and more Ds or Fs compared to other groups.
“Even for those students who did attend, the level of engagement and quality of engagement actually varied,” said Deputy Superintendent of Instruction Enikia FordMorthel.
The funding comes as the district, which has been plagued by financial problems, is facing a mounting budget crisis, projecting a $100 million deficit in the 202223 fiscal year.
The district will also give another $5 million to $7 million to expand summer programs targeted at students who do not have enough credits to graduate or move to the next grade, and improve students’ college eligibility. Along with expanding summer programs, the district will allocate $8 million more to a combination of new programming and deficit reduction.
This summer, the city is launching Summer Together, which will provide SFUSD students with both inperson and virtual learning programs starting in June. The city is offering an early registration period for the highestneeds students, followed by an open enrollment period for all. Families experiencing homelessness, residents of public housing, children and youth in foster care, and children and youth with disabilities are among those being prioritized. Early registration ends May 7, and the district now expects to have enough staff for all programs.
According to staff, summer programs this year will have more robust academic offerings than in previous years. Jennifer Fong, executive director of college and career readiness, said SFUSD is funding teachers so that they can offer additional academic resources. Generally, students will have time with a teacher in the morning, coupled with enrichment activities. She said “it’s just great” to have children back on site, “having access both to academics as well as the socioemotional and the recreational” elements.
And students aren’t the only ones struggling. District staff reported that 80% of staff reported fatigue or secondary trauma, according to a new staff survey.
Like the state overall, the district is reporting enrollment decreased amid the pandemic. The enrollment drops happened primarily in transition grades — kindergarten, sixth and ninth grades — and could cost the district future funding.