Board approves 2024–25 school calendar, removes 2025–26 from vote after community concern over Eid

The San Francisco Board of Education voted to adopt the 2024–25 academic calendar on Jan. 9 after a contentious meeting about whether the two‑year calendar process had meaningfully consulted families who observe Eid.

Dozens of community members and students urged the board to place Eid on the district calendar. Sharif Sakut, who said he had lost family members in the Gaza conflict, told the board: “Please, if you're gonna accept the calendar, accept the first year. Let's come together the second year to continue working.” Student organizer Sarah Rashad said the board had already voted for a resolution and added: “Taking it away just harmed the community.”

District staff presented a two‑year proposal developed through an oversight committee, a community engagement committee, partner interviews and a family survey that collected roughly 1,480 responses. Staff said the draft calendars were consistent with legal requirements in the California Education Code (including the minimum instructional days) and noted Administrative Regulation AR 6141.2 governs excused absences for religious observances. Staff also said oversight and labor partners reviewed the proposal and that committees recommended not adding additional holidays to the calendars.

Board members diverged over whether the engagement process met the district’s Guardrail 1 standard for “meaningful consultation.” Supporters of approving both years said the process reflected an improvement over past practice and would help families and partners plan. Opponents—citing public commenters and student advocates—said the engagement did not adequately reach Arabic‑speaking families and student petitioners and therefore did not meet the intended standard.

The board took a motion to approve both years, then voted on an amendment to remove the 2025–26 calendar from the motion. The amendment passed on a roll call recorded in the transcript as carrying with four ayes; the board then voted to adopt the 2024–25 calendar alone, with seven recorded votes in favor.

Superintendent Wayne and staff pledged follow‑up work: monitoring Guardrail 1 separately from particular decisions, convening oversight and engagement committees in the fall to review process and implementation, and conducting targeted outreach to communities that said they were not sufficiently included. Staff said the district would evaluate AR 6141.2 implementation to reduce conflicts between major tests and religious observances.

The board’s action closes this year’s calendar decision on 2024–25; any changes to the 2025–26 calendar will be returned to the board after additional engagement and monitoring steps.