San Francisco School District Abandons 'Grading for Equity' Strategy Following Community Backlash

The San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) announced it will not implement a proposed "Grading for Equity" system after the plan drew intense criticism from parents, teachers, city officials, and lawmakers. The proposal, first introduced during a Board of Education meeting earlier this week, would have significantly overhauled the traditional approach to grading in the city’s public high schools.

Superintendent Maria Su explained that the intent behind the initiative was to offer a “professional development opportunity in standards-based grading.” Under the plan, a student’s semester grade would be determined solely by their performance on a final exam, which students could retake multiple times. Routine assignments such as homework, weekly tests, and even factors like tardiness or class absences would have had no impact on final grades.

The grading scale itself would also have been adjusted. According to reports, students could have received an A for an 80% score, while scores as low as 21% would still be considered passing with a grade of D. This model replicates the "Grading for Equity" system already in place in the San Leandro Unified School District.

Initially, about 70 teachers across 14 SFUSD schools were to pilot the new grading regimen. However, swift backlash from the community prompted district officials to reevaluate. Notably, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie publicly opposed the changes, stating the younger generation is owed “an education that prepares them to succeed,” and arguing the suggested reforms would fall short of this responsibility.

Lurie elaborated, “I have conveyed our view to SFUSD. We are optimistic that there is a better path forward for our kids and their future.”

The plan also drew fire from federal lawmakers. U.S. Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., sharply criticized the proposal, writing on X (formerly Twitter), “San Francisco has come up with a brilliant solution for its failing schools. Students simply won’t be failed. Under the new ‘Grading for Equity’ plan, Fs are now Cs; Bs are now As; homework and tests are ungraded; truancy is unpunished; and finals can be re-taken again and again.”

U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., also voiced concern, referencing his own family’s experience as immigrants and emphasizing the importance of rigorous educational standards. “Giving A’s for 80% & no homework is not equity—it betrays the American Dream and every parent who wants more for their kids,” Khanna stated.

On Wednesday, Superintendent Su issued a public statement clarifying that no changes have been made to grading practices across the district, nor was any formal action taken at the recent board meeting. She stressed that SFUSD remains committed to holding every student to a high standard and supporting academic achievement through prioritizing learning and mastery.

“It’s clear that there are a lot of questions, concerns, and misinformation with this proposal,” Su wrote. “We want to make sure any changes benefit our students.”

While the issue may not be settled for good, for now, the controversial "Grading for Equity" system is off the table, as SFUSD leaders seek further community input and aim to find common ground on how best to serve San Francisco’s diverse student population.