San Francisco, California, Proposition G, Declaration of Policy Urging San Francisco Unified School District to Offer Algebra 1 to Students by Eighth Grade Measure (March 2024)

San Francisco Proposition G
Election date March 5, 2024
Topic City governance
Status Approved
Type Referral

San Francisco Proposition G was on the ballot as a referral in San Francisco on March 5, 2024. It was approved.

A "yes" vote supported declaring it the official policy of the county and city of San Francisco to urge the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) to offer Algebra 1 to students by the eighth grade.

A "no" vote opposed declaring it the official policy of the county and city of San Francisco to urge the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) to offer Algebra 1 to students by the eighth grade.

Election results

San Francisco Proposition G
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		182,066	81.75%
No		40,638	18.25%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Overview

What did Proposition G do?

See also: Text of measure

Proposition G made it the policy of the city and county of San Francisco to encourage the San Francisco Unified School District to offer Algebra 1 to students by eighth grade (the last year of middle school). The measure also made it the official policy of the city and county to support SFUSD in:

• developing a math curriculum for elementary and middle school students "rooted in excellence;"
• ensure students who need extra help can access it and students who are excelling can "explore their potential;"
• build a math curriculum and instruction team;
• provide options to ensure students have access to courses that would qualify them for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) majors in California universities and colleges;
• promote targeted approaches to math education and career guidance for girls to address the underrepresentation of women in STEM;
• provide support and guidance to educators; and
• address the findings of the state legislature in the California Mathematics Placement Act of 2015 (Senate Bill 359) that all students deserve an equal chance to advance in mathematics, have access to high-quality mathematics programs, and that it is crucial for educators and guidance personnel to advise students about the importance of accurate math course placement and its impact on future college eligibility.

As of March 2024, the San Francisco Unified School District operated the San Francisco public school system and currently offered Algebra 1 to students beginning in ninth grade (the first year of high school).

Why is this measure on the ballot?

See also: Support and Path to the ballot

The measure was sponsored by Supervisor Joel Engardio of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. The board of supervisors voted 10-1 to place the measure on the ballot. Speaking about San Francisco Unified School District's algebra offerings, Engardio said, "We make everyone wait until 9th grade because some kids aren’t ready for algebra sooner. Let’s better prepare all students instead of holding back kids who love math. .... In San Francisco, Algebra 1 is not offered until 9th grade. We stopped offering it in 8th grade because not every student was prepared for it. How is that a solution? We should do better to prepare all students for algebra — and not punish kids who can handle it earlier." As for why a ballot measure was necessary, Engardio said, "The Board of Supervisors does not have control over the school district. Our schools are governed by an independently elected school board. But every resident of San Francisco is our constituent, including parents and students. Their voices deserve to be heard. That’s why I introduced through the Board of Supervisors a declaration of policy for the March 2024 ballot. It urges the school district to offer Algebra 1 to students by the 8th grade and to develop a math curriculum for students at all grade levels."

The single vote against the proposition came from Supervisor Shamann Walton, who said, "I don't like misleading the voters in making them think that we're putting something on the ballot that has any teeth or that actually does anything, because this measure does not do anything."

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title was as follows:

“

Shall it be City policy to encourage the San Francisco Unified School District to offer Algebra 1 to students by their eighth-grade year and to support the School District’s development of its math curriculum?

”

Ballot digest

In San Francisco, a five-member Ballot Simplification Committee writes a digest for each ballot measure. The digest for Proposition G was as follows:

“

The Way It Is Now: The San Francisco Unified School District (School District) is a public agency that is separate from the City and operates the San Francisco public school system. The School District previously offered Algebra 1 courses to students in eighth grade. The School District currently offers Algebra 1 courses to students starting in ninth grade. The Proposal: Proposition G would make it City policy to encourage the School District to offer Algebra 1 to students by their eighth-grade year and to support the School District’s development of its math curriculum for students at all grade levels. A "YES" Vote Means: If you vote "yes," you want to make it City policy to encourage the School District to offer Algebra 1 to students by their eighth-grade year and to support the School District’s development of its math curriculum. A "NO" Vote Means: If you vote "no," you do not want to adopt this as City policy.

”

Full text

The full text of the ballot measure is below:

Motion ordering submitted to the voters at an election to be held on March 5, 2024, a Declaration of Policy urging the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) to offer Algebra 1 to students by the eighth grade, and supporting the SFUSD in its efforts to develop its math curriculum for students at all grade levels. MOVED, That the Board of Supervisors hereby submits the following declaration of policy to the voters of the City and County of San Francisco, at an election to be held on March 5, 2024. Declaration of Policy declaring it the official policy of the City and County of San Francisco to urge the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) to offer Algebra 1 to students by the eighth grade, and to support the SFUSD in its efforts to develop its math curriculum for students at all grade levels. The People of the City and County of San Francisco hereby declare: It shall be the official policy of the City and County of San Francisco to urge the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) to offer Algebra 1 to students by the eighth grade. It shall also be the official policy of the City and County of San Francisco to support the SFUSD in: developing a coherent math curriculum for elementary and middle school students rooted in educational excellence; ensuring that math instruction is student-centered so that students who are struggling get the help they need, and students who are ready for more, can explore their potential; building a first-rate math curriculum and instruction team that is committed to serving students in a challenging, engaging, student-centered, culturally-responsive, and differentiated way; providing a range of educational options to ensure that elementary and middle school students have access to courses that would qualify them for science, technology, engineering, and math majors at colleges in the University of California and California State University systems; promoting targeted approaches to math education and career guidance for girls to address the historic underrepresentation of women in certain science, technology, engineering, and math fields; providing support and guidance to educators so they may be successful in their efforts to encourage and support students’ desire to learn algebra; and meaningfully addressing the California Legislature’s findings in the California Mathematics Placement Act of 2015 (SB 359), that 1) all pupils, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or socioeconomic background, deserve an equal chance to advance in mathematics; 2) with the shift towards implementation of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics, it is particularly important for all pupils to have access to high-quality mathematics programs that meet the goals and expectations of these standards; and 3) it is crucial for educators and guidance personnel to advise pupils and parents on the importance of accurate mathematics course placement and its impact on future college eligibility so pupils may take each course in the mathematics course sequence.

Support

Supporters

Officials

• San Francisco Supervisor Matt Dorsey (Nonpartisan)
• San Francisco Supervisor Joel Engardio (Nonpartisan)
• San Francisco Supervisor Rafael Mandelman (Nonpartisan)
• San Francisco Supervisor Myrna Melgar (Nonpartisan)
• San Francisco Supervisor Hillary Ronen (Nonpartisan)
• San Francisco Supervisor Ahsha Safaí (Nonpartisan)
• San Francisco Supervisor Catherine Stefani (D)

Political Parties

• San Francisco Democratic Party
• San Francisco Green Party
• San Francisco Republican Pary

Organizations

• Chinese American Democratic Club
• District 2 Democratic Club
• Eastern Neighborhoods Democratic Club
• Ed Lee Democratic Club
• Grow SF
• Noe Valley Democratic Club
• SF Chronicle
• SF Guardians
• SF Women's Political Action Committee
• San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association
• Together SF
• United Democratic Club
• Westside Family Democratic Club

Arguments

• San Francisco Board of Supervisors Engardio, Safai, Melgar, Stefani, Dorsey, Mandelman, and Ronen: VOTE YES ON PROP TO BRING BACK ALGEBRA. San Francisco's 8th graders have not been allowed to take algebra the past decade. The school board moved algebra to high school, hoping it would make math outcomes more equitable. But the well-intended policy had the opposite effect. It held back the kids who love math without providing additional help to the kids who were falling behind. Prohibiting 8th grade Algebra made it difficult for students interested in technology careers to advance enough in math to satisfy college requirements. Families left public schools over the issue. Kids who stayed had to double up on math courses or pay for private classes to ensure they reached calculus by senior year. Kids without extra resources lost out. That's why we want all of San Francisco's 8th graders to have access to algebra, just like the vast majority of 8th graders in the Bay Area - without having to take two math classes at the same time or being forced into summer school. Prop & calls for ending the school district's failed algebra experiment. Prop E says the City of San Francisco will officially encourage our schools to offer algebra by 8th grade and support the development of a coherent math curriculum at every grade level that is rooted in educational excellence. We need to better prepare all students for algebra — and not punish those who are ready. If a kid likes math, let's encourage it! Prop G is a consensus measure put on the ballot by 10 of the 11 city supervisors and supported by the mayors.
• SF Guardians: Do our kids deserve the same opportunities as other Bay Area kids? In SF, in the beating heart of the tech world, our public school kids can't take algebra until 9th grade... while other Bay Area kids take it in 7th. Our kids who want to learn calculus - and be on track for science and tech careers - have to take two years of advanced math in just one year... or leave our schools. Families have been leaving. 500 kids left when algebra was removed. Today 1 in 7 leave at middle school. They shouldn't have to go. You may hear it's hard to bring algebra back - but most Bay Area districts do it. You may hear it's inequitable— but removing algebra made the equity gap worse. You may hear it's expensive — and there is a one-time cost to train some 26 teachers - bu you'll bring families back, with their funding, for years What's the cost of NOT offering algebra? Not just families and funding, but lives derailed scientific discoveries not made, technology not invented. Enrollment is down and we're talking about closing schools. What's best for our kids? Bring algebra back — to bring families back, and their funding with them, year after year. Bring algebra back — so disadvantaged kids can have science and tech careers. Bring algebra back — because it's best for our kids. Please help. Vote YES on G if you expect our kids to have the same opportunities in math as other Bay Area kids - because our kids are JUST as capable. Vote YES on G if you ALSO expect support for young children who are struggling in math - because you know they can succeed. Vote YES on G to Bring Algebra Back.
• San Francisco Supervisor Joel Engardio: "In San Francisco, Algebra 1 is not offered until 9th grade. We stopped offering it in 8th grade algebra because not every student was prepared for it. How is that a solution? We should do better to prepare all students for algebra — and not punish kids who can handle it earlier. By delaying algebra, math-loving kids in San Francisco are punished because they won’t be able to take calculus coursework by high school graduation — and this hurts college options. There are workarounds. Students can cram a year of geometry in summer school, but a long waitlist means not everyone gets a seat. Parents can pay for math courses that help students reach calculus by senior year, but that only works for families who can afford it."

Opposition

Opponents

Officials

• San Francisco Supervisor Shamann Walton (Nonpartisan)

Arguments

• Supervisor Shamann Walton: "I don't like misleading the voters in making them think that we're putting something on the ballot that has any teeth or that actually does anything, because this measure does not do anything."

Background

Algebra in San Francisco

In 2014, San Francisco delayed offering algebra courses until the ninth grade rather than the eighth grade in an effort to close racial disparities, and increase Black and Hispanic success in math courses.

Joe Hong, writing for CalMatters, wrote, "In 2014, district officials decided to delay Algebra 1 until 9th grade in hopes of lowering the number of Black, Latino and low-income students failing Algebra 1 in 8th grade. The goal was to get these students into higher level math classes and eventually to careers in science, tech, engineering or math. The change succeeded at reducing the number of students failing courses, but has coincided with a drop in test scores at some schools serving higher-needs students, a point of criticism relevant to all of California because the state plans to recommend the same policy for every school district statewide as part of a new math framework."

Algebra 1 courses in the U.S.

In 2013, the Brookings Institution reported that the number of students taking Algebra 1 or another advanced math course, such as geometry, tripled between 1990 and 2011, with half of U.S. eighth graders taking Algebra 1 or higher by 2011. According to the U.S. Department of Education, 80% of eighth graders had access to Algebra 1 during the 2015 school year.

Kevin Dykema, president of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and a middle school math teacher in Michigan, said, "Without a doubt, there has been a shift – not necessarily a good shift – toward getting Algebra 1 done in eighth grade."

Terrie Galanti, a former K-12 math teacher and assistant professor in the College of Education at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, said, "My concern is that (the decision to take Algebra 1 early) is often motivated by the thought that if I don't take seventh grade algebra, then I won't be able to take calculus as a junior – and then I won't be as competitive for top-tier universities. Many students would benefit from more opportunities in the pre-algebra realm to think about fractions, proportions and ratios, as opposed to moving more quickly into the more abstract kinds of mathematics"

San Francisco ballot measures

From 2010 through 2022, San Francisco voters decided on 151 local ballot measures—an average of 14 per year, including odd and even-numbered election years. Voters approved 103 (68.21%) and defeated 48 (31.79%).

Reports and analyses

Note: The inclusion of a report, white page, or study concerning a ballot measure in this article does not indicate that Ballotpedia agrees with the conclusions of that study or that Ballotpedia necessarily considers the study to have a sound methodology, accurate conclusions, or a neutral basis. To read a full explanation of Ballotpedia's policy on the inclusion of reports and analyses, please click here.

Course-taking patterns under SFUSD Algebra 1 policy

Elizabeth Huffaker, Sarah Novicoff, and Thomas S. Dee of Sanford University conducted a study titled Ahead of the Game? Course-Taking Patterns under a Math Pathways Reform, in which they found that "The new policy led to large changes in course-taking patterns among ninth and 10th graders, creating more heterogeneous peer groups in early high school math," and that "delaying Algebra I until ninth grade made it difficult for some students to complete the sequence of course prerequisites that would position them to take AP Calculus before graduating."

The executive summary described by the report as its key findings can be expanded here

“ The new policy led to large changes in course taking patterns among ninth and 10th graders, creating more heterogeneous peer groups in early high school math. Ninth graders: After the policy change, beginning with the Class of 2019, Geometry enrollment fell by 45 percentage points to only seven percent while enrollment in Algebra I jumped 53 percentage points to 90%. This change attenuated slightly for the 2020 and 2021 cohorts who participated in acceleration options like summer-school Geometry. 10th graders: After the policy change, beginning with the Class of 2019, Geometry enrollment increased by 38 percentage points to 78% while exclusive enrollment in Algebra II decreased by 33 percentage points to 5%. These changes attenuated somewhat for the 2020 and 2021 cohorts who participated in acceleration options. Enrollment in specific advanced math courses at any time in high school varied across cohorts both among all students as well as among the four largest racial/ethnic groups in the District (i.e., Asian or Pacific Islander, Hispanic, White, and Black). Changes in credit attainment paralleled changes in course enrollment suggesting that the preparation students received for these courses remained stable over time. ... Implications for the San Francisco Unified School District With ninth grade Algebra I, the wide availability of acceleration options is vital. According to the authors, “delaying Algebra I until ninth grade made it difficult for some students to complete the sequence of course prerequisites that would position them to take AP Calculus before graduating.” This led to a six percentage point drop in AP Calculus (21%) in the first year of the policy. However, this initial difficulty diminished over time such that participation in AP Calculus among the graduating class of 2021 was about two percentage points (6%) below the graduating class of 2018. The data demonstrate that students increasingly participated in the acceleration options. This implies that if the District wants to maintain AP Calculus as a high-school capstone for some, it has to confront the trade-off of offering acceleration in middle school (e.g., grade-8 Algebra) or the continued and extensive use of acceleration in high school. To expand access to AP math for historically underrepresented groups, SFUSD must expand course offerings and focus on the course selection process. The large ethnoracial gaps in advanced math course-taking remained in the post-reform period. The authors state, “In the post-policy period, the percent of Black students enrolling in any AP math course has remained statistically significantly indistinguishable from the pre-policy period while Hispanic student enrollment in advanced math increased by 1 percentage point.” This implies the need to reconsider the possible barriers that limit equitable access to advanced math. For example, this could point to the need to support teacher practices in earlier math courses that promote and sustain students’ sense of engagement and belonging in the subject. This could also be due to insufficient course offerings, challenges in the course selection process, or some combination of both. Currently, not all SFUSD high schools offer an AP math course, with availability less common in certain high schools with large Black and Hispanic populations. In addition, as acceleration in the post-policy period is based solely on a student’s request when they have passed the prior course, SFUSD should consider whether there are ways to improve the course selection process, such as training counselors and encouraging enrollment in a senior-year math course. ”

The full report can be read here.

California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress

According to information from the California Department of Education's Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP), the percentage of students meeting math standards increased by 2.6 percentage points between the 2014-15 and the 2018-19 school years and the percentage of Black and Latino students meeting standards also increased by 2.6 points. The gap between the percentage of low-income students compared to all students across the district meeting standards has increased by two percentage points.

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing local ballot measures in California

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted 10-1 to place the measure on the ballot. The San Francisco City Council—more commonly known as the Board of Supervisors—is the city's primary legislative body. It is responsible for adopting the city budget, approving mayoral appointees, levying taxes, and making or amending city laws, policies, and ordinances. The city council consists of 11 members, each of whom is elected by one of the city's 11 districts.

The following ten supervisors voted in favor of the measure:

• Connie Chan
• Catherine Stefani
• Aaron Peskin
• Joel Engardio
• Dean Preston
• Matt Dorsey
• Myrna Melgar
• Rafael Mandelman
• Hillary Ronen
• Ahsha Safaí

The following supervisor voted against the measure:

• Shamann Walton

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in California

See below to learn more about current voter registration rules, identification requirements, and poll times in California.

How to vote in California

Poll times

All polls in California are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Pacific Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.

Registration

Check your voter registration status here.

To vote in California, an individual must be a U.S. citizen and California resident. A voter must be at least 18 years of age on Election Day. Pre-registration is available at 16 years of age. Pre-registered voters are automatically registered to vote when they turn 18.

Automatic registration

California automatically registers eligible individuals to vote when they complete a driver's license, identification (ID) card, or change of address transaction through the Department of Motor Vehicles. Learn more by visiting this website.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

California has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

California allows same-day voter registration.

Californians must be registered to vote at least 15 days before Election Day. If the registration deadline has passed for an upcoming election, voters may visit a location designated by their county elections official during the 14 days prior to, and including Election Day to conditionally register to vote and vote a provisional ballot, which are counted once county election officials have completed the voter registration verification process. The state refers to this process as Same Day Voter Registration.

Residency requirements

To register to vote in California, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

California's constitution requires that voters be U.S. citizens. When registering to vote, proof of citizenship is not required. Individuals who become U.S. citizens less than 15 days before an election must bring proof of citizenship to their county elections office to register to vote in that election. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.

As of November 2024, two jurisdictions in California had authorized noncitizen residents to vote for local board of education positions through local ballot measures. Only one of those jurisdictions, San Francisco, had implemented that law. Noncitizens voting for board of education positions must register to vote using a separate application from the state voter registration application.

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The secretary of state's My Voter Status website allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

Voter ID requirements

California does not require voters to present identification before casting a ballot in most cases. However, some voters may be asked to show a form of identification when voting if they are voting for the first time after registering to vote by mail and did not provide a driver license number, California identification number, or the last four digits of their social security number. On September 29, 2024, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed SB 1174 into law prohibiting any jurisdiction in the state from adopting a local law that requires voters to present ID before voting.

The following list of accepted ID was current as of October 2024. Click here for the California Secretary of State page to ensure you have the most current information.

“

Current and valid photo identification provided by a third party in the ordinary course of business that includes the name and photograph of the individual presenting it. Examples of photo identification include, but are not limited to, the following documents: driver's license or identification card of any state; passport; employee identification card; identification card provided by a commercial establishment; credit or debit card; military identification card; student identification card; health club identification card; insurance plan identification card; or public housing identification card. Any of the following documents, provided that the document includes the name and address of the individual presenting it, and is dated since the date of the last general election…: utility bill; bank statement; government check; government paycheck; document issued by a governmental agency; sample ballot or other official elections document issued by a governmental, agency dated for the election in which the individual is providing it as proof, of residency or identity; voter notification card issued by a governmental agency; public housing identification card issued by a governmental agency; lease or rental statement or agreement issued by a governmental agency; student identification card issued by a governmental agency; tuition statement or bill issued by a governmental agency; insurance plan card or drug discount card issued by a governmental agency; discharge certificates, pardons, or other official documents issued to the individual by a governmental agency in connection with the resolution of a criminal case, indictment, sentence, or other matter; public transportation authority senior citizen and disabled discount cards issued by a governmental agency; identification documents issued by governmental disability agencies; identification documents issued by government homeless shelters and other government temporary or transitional facilities; drug prescription issued by a government doctor or other governmental health care provider; (R) property tax statement issued by a governmental agency; vehicle registration issued by a governmental agency; or vehicle certificate of ownership issued by a governmental agency.

”

See also

Local measures

• Local measures in 2024
• City governance on the ballot

California

• California 2024 local measures
• Local ballot measures, California
• San Francisco, California

News and analysis

• State and local preemption conflicts
• Measures advancing national agendas