Research Brief
Instructional Reform Facilitator Knowledge Sharing in San Francisco Unified School District
This brief summarizes two phases of a research study on the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) Instructional Reform Facilitator (IRF) Network created to learn and promote equity for underserved groups, such as African American students, multilingual learners, and students with Individual Education Plans. The IRFs set out to meet these needs by coaching teachers, […]
Summary of: Research Study on Examining the Connections Between Collective Teacher Efficacy and Lesson Study
This brief summarizes the research study: Examining the Connections Between Collective Teacher Efficacy and Lesson Study. The report discusses findings from a study that took place during the 2023-2024 school year at one elementary school in San Francisco Unified School district. An in-depth qualitative case study was conducted, including observations of a complete Lesson Study cycle […]
Summary of: Core Rubric Feedback Survey Results by Dr. Rebecca Deutscher and Dr. Janet Carlson
This brief summarizes the report, CORE Rubric Feedback Survey Results, by Dr. Rebecca Deutscher and Dr. Janet Carlson which highlights findings from a study focused on the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) use of the CORE Rubric. The research was conducted by a collaboration of Stanford University researchers and SFUSD educators. The CORE Rubric […]
Fifteen Years of Research about San Francisco’s Student Assignment Policy
Since 2009, there have been a number of research projects involving Stanford University and other research organizations working with the San Francisco Unified School District to examine San Francisco’s student assignment policy. This brief outlines the three themes stemming from the research findings: 1) A number of factors influence whether schools effectively serve a diverse […]
Summary of Recommendations for the Home Language Survey
The Home Language Survey has long served as a foundational tool for assessing the linguistic backgrounds of students in U.S. schools. This research summary examines the HLS’s historical adaptations post the pivotal 1974 Lau vs. Nichols Supreme Court decision, its current validation challenges, and its potential biases, proposing a detailed agenda for future research to […]
National English Learner Reclassification Policies and Processes
This research summary of a study by Morales & Lepper (2024) explores the complexities of English Learner reclassification policies across the United States, highlighting how varied criteria and policy complexities affect EL students’ educational trajectories and outcomes. By comparing states with different reclassification strategies, the study provides insights into the implications of policy structures on […]
Toward Black Student Thriving in SFUSD: Understanding Racial Disparities and System Design
In September 2023 a group of SFUSD leaders and researchers from across the country came together to examine what was originally termed the “production of racial and ability stratification” in SFUSD with the purpose of ultimately co-designing solutions. Building on six months of preparation and funding received from a prestigious Spencer Foundation Vision Grant, the […]
Summary of “More than a Test Teacher Sensemaking of Educational Policies and Assessments to Inform Mathematical Opportunities in Elementary Classrooms”
This research brief summarizes the dissertation, More than a Test: Teacher Sensemaking of Educational Policies and Assessments to Inform Mathematical Opportunities in Elementary Classrooms by Rosa Del Carmen Chavez. The dissertation discusses a study focused on understanding the “multilayered relationship between educational policies and students’ mathematical identity development by highlighting the role that teachers play […]
Summary of: Designing School Choice for Diversity in the San Francisco Unified School District
This brief summarizes the paper, Designing School Choice for Diversity in the San Francisco Unified School District1 which describes a collaboration between Stanford University researchers and the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) to re-design the district’s elementary student assignment system. The existing district-wide choice system replicates patterns of residential segregation at district schools and […]
Practices, Structures, and Systems for Supporting Multilingual Learners in SFUSD
This summary of research evidence finds five instructional practices, structures or policies related to multilingual students (otherwise known as “English Learners”) that are associated with positively impacting teaching and learning. This summarizes research from 2010-2018 conducted between Stanford University and San Francisco Unified School District.