SFUSD’s African American initiative reports gains in graduation rate, calls for deeper data work and sustained funding

The San Francisco Unified School District’s African American Achievement & Leadership Initiative (ALI) presented its annual report on June 14, highlighting programmatic work and measurable gains while urging deeper data partnerships and sustainable funding.

Key findings and programs: Director Solyndra McCray and the ALI team said graduation rates for African American students have risen nearly 10 percentage points over five years, but UC/CSU eligibility among those graduates has risen more slowly. ALI described a portfolio of efforts — Black Star Rising (9th-grade transition supports), Mastering Cultural Identity courses, counseling professional learning communities, and expanded African American Parent Advisory Council (APAC) activity — intended to raise achievement and belonging.

What advocates asked for: Presenters and APAC urged the board to prioritize funding for a district-supported LCAP coordinator, improved research partnerships (Research, Planning & Assessment) for program evaluation, and broader scaling of high-impact practices such as the Pitch instructional model now moving under ALI. “If we are not intentionally looking at ways that our practices promote or take away from our African American student population, then there is no way that we can meet SFUSD’s Vision 2025,” Director McCray said.

Board and public reaction: Commissioners pressed for outcome metrics and asked ALI to deepen partnerships with internal research teams to produce evidence on program effects; several public speakers and community organizations (NAACP, APAC, Alliance of Black School Educators) thanked ALI and urged sustained commitment and clearer numbers on college eligibility and program reach.

Next steps: ALI said it is restructuring to better integrate wellness and academic teams, to scale successful pilots and to return next spring with design-team findings and stronger quantitative reporting.