Research Brief

Ethnic Studies Pilot Follow-up Brief

This brief provides an overview of SFUSD’s ninth-grade ethnic studies pilot focusing on how student participation in the course influenced longer-term high school persistence and educational attainment.

The Effect of QTEA’s Compensation Changes on Teacher Recruitment

This brief describes how compensation increases in the Quality Teacher and Education Act were effective in recruiting more applicants.

Challenge Success Review of Research on Homework

This brief summarizes recommendations from Challenge Success to schools and families about how to support students when engaging in homework and homework policies.

Students’ theories about prejudice influence their friendships and behavior towards other racial groups

Stanford Professors of Psychology Carol Dweck and Jennifer Eberhardt and Research Fellow Kristin Pauker studied the question “how do students’ theories about prejudice relate to their friendships and behavior towards other racial groups?” by talking to students at five schools in the Bay Area, including one school in San Francisco. They found that fixed theories […]

Bridge to Success

Developing Early Warning Indicators for the San Francisco Unified School District

This brief from 2011 describes the development of Early Warning Indicators to help SFUSD high school principals identify incoming ninth graders who are at risk of not graduating within four years. View link

SFUSD New Graduation Requirement Task Force at Stanford LEADS

This brief explores an effort to develop the practices, structures, and policies necessary to operationalize a new graduation policy by integrating the Leadership for Equity and Accountability in Districts and Schools (LEADS) Cornerstones.

Complex Instruction

This brief summarizing research and practice related to Complex Instruction in SFUSD. In 2010, San Francisco Unified School District was in its second year of support mathematics teachers in the use of Complex INstruction. The instructional approach of CI stems from research by Stanford. Professors Elizabeth Cohen ad Rachel Loto. Cohen and Lotan argue that […]

Using a classroom observation protocol like PLATO to improve teaching & learning

This brief reports on research on the The Protocol for Language Arts Teaching Observations (PLATO), a classroom observation protocol focused on middle and high school English/language arts (ELA) instruction. Stanford Professor Pam Grossman and her team developed PLATO during a research study on classroom practices. Grossman found that structured observation tools: − Provide a common […]

Case Studies of Four Effective Elementary Schools in SFUSD

This brief describes the four interrelated school characteristics that are seen as effective in closing the achievement gap, including: 1) leadership as a foundation; 2) dynamic instruction and curriculum; 3) relational trust across the community; and 4) alignment of practices, personnel and resources.