Research Brief

August 1, 2013

Can a District-Level Teacher Salary Incentive Improve Teacher Recruitment and Retention?

This brief describes evidence from an analysis of compensation increases in the Quality Teacher and Education Act showing that salary increases can improve a district’s attractiveness within their local labor market; increase the size and quality of the applicant pool; and increase the quality of new-hires. View link

July 1, 2013

Participation Among San Francisco Unified School District Students in Programs Offered by the Department of Children, Youth, and their Families

In 2012 and 2013, the San Francisco Department of Children, Youth, and their Families (DCYF), San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), and the Gardner Center collaborated to examine SFUSD student participation in DCYF-funded programs. The analysis found that DCYF had a significant presence among SFUSD students that has steadily increased over time. In addition to […]

April 1, 2013

The Effects of an Early Literacy Formative Assessment System

Background: The best formative assessment programs can enable teachers to better match instruction to  student  needs  by  providing  them  with  information  on  student  development  and  instructional  strategies. Historically, San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) has not had a common early literacy  formative  assessment  system.   During  the  2011-­‐2012  school  year,  the  District  introduced Phonological  Awareness  Literacy  […]

January 1, 2013

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.

January 1, 2013

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.

October 1, 2012

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.

January 1, 2012

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 […]

June 1, 2011

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

January 1, 2011

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.