Literacy First

Why too many of our third-graders still struggle to read — and the clear path that is already working in San Francisco classrooms

“I see the hunger to learn every week in Bayview kindergartens. When we give children the right instruction and support, they soar. We already have proof inside SFUSD.”
— Laurance Lee

The Reality in 2026

Only about half of SFUSD third-graders read at grade level. For English Learners it is roughly 12%. The district’s goal of 70% proficiency remains off track. Winter interim scores slipped. Roughly one-third of teachers are not yet fully using the new curriculum.

This is urgent — and solvable.

Local Proof: What Is Already Working in SFUSD

We do not have to wait for a miracle from outside.

High-Impact Tutoring (SF Ed Fund + Chapter One)
In just five months, participating students meeting grade-level reading standards more than doubled — from 24% to 54%.

  • At Sanchez Elementary (Mission): first-graders went from 15% to 59% proficient.
  • At Guadalupe Elementary (Excelsior/Crocker-Amazon, ~70% English Learners): kindergarteners jumped from 39% to nearly 68%. Principal Raj Sharma called it “an early literacy gain that we have never seen before.”

Ready, Set, Read! (district literacy initiative)
Kindergarten proficiency rose 4 points; first grade rose 7 points. African American and Pacific Islander kindergarteners made the largest leap — +13.4 points (39% → 53%).

These are high-needs schools and student groups. The gains happened with structured literacy, consistent tutoring, coaching, and leadership that refused to accept the status quo.

California Context

The same ingredients — Science of Reading curriculum taught with fidelity, expert coaching, and high-dosage tutoring — produced large gains statewide (Stanford ELSBG study, Poway, Tracy, and others). SFUSD now has its own living proof points.

My Plan

  1. Full, non-negotiable implementation of the adopted curriculum + coaching so every classroom delivers it.
  2. Scale high-impact tutoring immediately to every student who is behind (clear the waitlists permanently).
  3. Public, simple dashboards by school and student group, updated quarterly.
  4. Protect and expand what is working at places like Sanchez, Guadalupe, and the Ready, Set, Read! schools.
  5. Honest metrics — we will report progress (or the lack of it) openly.

Day One vs. Year One

Day One: Publish current tutoring waitlist numbers by school within 30 days. Get every classroom not yet using the new curriculum into coaching this semester. Start quarterly public dashboards now — not next year.

Year One and Beyond: Scale high-impact tutoring to every student who is behind, permanently. Replicate what worked at Sanchez and Guadalupe at every high-need school. Make reading proficiency a standing quarterly board metric.

What Success Looks Like

Rising third-grade proficiency every year, dramatic improvement for English Learners and historically underserved groups, and a district that finally treats reading as the non-negotiable foundation.

Citations & Sources

About these deep dives
I have spent years writing about SFUSD budgets, facilities, and student outcomes in local media (Examiner, Beyond Chron, and others). These pages continue that work. They are researched and written by me, accelerated with AI tools, and reviewed by experienced educators. I believe voters deserve the full picture, the data, and a clear plan — not slogans.

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