Upcoming Board of Education Meetings

Tuesday is the first regular board meeting of the year for the SFUSD Board of Education.

Regular Board of Education Meeting: Tuesday January 9 @ 6pm in the Board Room at 555 Franklin.

Agenda for the meeting here

Topics to be discussed include:

  • Election of Board of Education Officers for 2018
     

  • Student Advisory Council and Parent Advisory Council reports
     

  • Votes by the board to approve new or revised board policies on the following topics:

    • Student absences and excuses, homework/makeup work, science and history-social studies Instruction, extracurricular and co-curricular activities, workplace injuries, sale and disposal of books and supplies, LCAP, student discrimination/harassment, health care and emergencies, sexual health and HIV/AIDS prevention instruction, athletic competition, recognition of religious beliefs and customs.
       

    • Some highlights of the new policies:
       

  • The homework/makeup policy would require that assignments be: meaningful and extend and support classroom learning and would also require that students receive makeup work for full credit if they have an excused absence. The policy would also encourage makeup work for full credit for unexcited absences due to circumstances beyond a student's control.
     

  • The policy on science curriculum would require that SFUSD's science curriculum meet or exceed requirements of California's Next Generation Science Standards.
     

  • The policy on extracurricular/co-curricular activities provides that those activities may not have prerequisites that are not show to be "essential to the success of the activity" and shouldn't be conducted separately on the basis of any characteristic that is a "prohibited category of discrimination" under state or federal law (eg. race, sex, age, national origin, gender identity, medical condition, etc.). Also, the policy requires that no fees may be required to participate in an extracurricular or co-curricular activities or for needed equipment or materials (unless specifically allowed by law).
     

  • The policy on recognition of religious beliefs and customs would prohibit discrimination against or promotion of religious beliefs or practices and require respect of student individual religious practice. It would also allow teaching about religious holidays in the curriculum but makes clear that schools may not celebrate religious holidays. 
     

  • Full text of all of the new policies is available under Item "E" of the board agenda.
     

  • The board will hear an update on SFUSD's new one year teacher credentialing program  called "Pathway to Teaching." More information on this program here. Priority deadline for applications is February 19!
     
  • A resolution will be introduced seeking to codify the existing fee structure for groups using SFUSD facilities. The resolution will be sent for discussion in one or more board committees before coming back to the full board for approval.

Public Comment

There is always an opportunity for public comment at school board meetings. At regular meetings, speakers may speak to any item being voted on or may give general public comment during the time reserved for "Public Comment on General Matters." Speakers must sign up in advance, either by calling the board office at (415) 241-6493 or filling out a speaker card at the meeting and handing it to Esther Casco, the executive assistant to the board who sits next to the podium. Speaker cards must be turned in before the agenda item being spoken to is officially "called." Members of the public are typically allowed two minutes to speak, but time given may be shorter if there are a large number of speakers.

Recording and Live Coverage of Meetings

You can access recordings of regular and committee meetings.

Video recordings of regular meetings (not available for committee meetings)

Audio recordings of committee meetings (click where it says "audio recording," under the meeting agenda)

Recordings are usually posted a few days after the meeting.

Regular board meetings are also broadcast live on KALW, SFGOVTV2, and via live webcast.

#BoardWatch: PPS-SF live tweet coverage

Follow PPS-SF's twitter feed: this week we plan to cover the Board of Education meeting on Tuesday night. You don't need to have a Twitter account to follow! Just log on to Twitter and search @ppssf #BoardWatch.

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