Education panel discusses low teacher expectations and attendance impact on student performance

The San Francisco City Council meeting on July 4, 2025, highlighted critical issues in the education system, particularly around student expectations and attendance, which are pivotal for improving academic performance.

During the meeting, educators and stakeholders expressed concern over findings from the TNTP audits, which revealed that many teachers lack high expectations for their students. This lack of ambition is troubling, as high expectations have been identified as a key factor in enhancing the performance of students who begin at lower academic levels. Participants emphasized the need to investigate why these expectations are not being met and how to foster a culture of higher aspirations within classrooms.

Jeff Lucas, an educator, pointed out the importance of creating a robust educational system that functions effectively without relying solely on individual teacher ingenuity. He called for a root cause analysis of math education, similar to a previous analysis conducted for attendance, to identify barriers to student success. Lucas noted that attendance significantly impacts academic outcomes, yet it was not addressed in the TNTP report.

Patrick Wolf echoed these sentiments, stressing the urgent need to tackle chronic absenteeism, particularly among Black and Brown students, which has worsened since the pandemic. He suggested that the district could benefit from learning from high-performing districts like Long Beach, advocating for collaboration and knowledge-sharing to improve educational practices.

Miguel Sittergene highlighted the challenges of math retention, particularly between third and eighth grades, where students often struggle to build on previous knowledge. He pointed out that this issue disproportionately affects students from disadvantaged backgrounds, who may lack the support needed to reinforce their learning at home.

The discussions underscored a collective commitment to addressing these educational challenges, with a focus on setting higher expectations, improving attendance, and ensuring that all students have the opportunity to succeed. Moving forward, stakeholders are encouraged to collaborate and implement strategies that will enhance the educational experience for all students in San Francisco.