Rules Committee names members for Students & Families RISE working group to advise post‑pandemic school recovery

The Rules Committee on April 5 forwarded recommendations to appoint eight members to the Students & Families RISE working group, an advisory body designed to craft post‑pandemic recovery strategies for the San Francisco Unified School District.

Supervisor Ronan (via staff and testimony) described three concrete goals for the RISE working group: get every SFUSD student to grade‑level proficiency, increase district enrollment to counter family flight, and create expanded enrichment programs including arts, music and sports. The group is to submit final recommendations by August 2021 to the Board, the mayor and SFUSD.

Multiple applicants described their qualifications during the public portion — including Rafael Picazo (SEIU chapter president and longtime district employee), Alida Fisher (special education advocate and parent leader), Efrain Barrera (community school coordinator and advocate), Dr. Carol Hill (principal and community‑schools practitioner), Jacob Lios Urbel (education researcher), Emily Garvey (philanthropic program officer), and Joyce Dorado (UCSF clinician specializing in trauma‑informed school practice).

Chair Peskin moved to recommend a slate (Leslie Hu seat 1; Rafael Picazo seat 2 with residency waiver; Efrain Barrera seat 3; Dr. Carol Hill seat 4; Joyce Dorado seat 5 with residency waiver; Jacob Lios Urbel seat 6; Emily Garvey seat 7; Marcus Wong seat 8). Roll call recorded Mandelmann, Chan and Peskin voting 'aye' and the motion passed without objection.