Back to the Basics in Public Schools

As San Francisco students head back to school, families across the City are getting ready for a new year. Over the past few weeks, I’ve met families at backpack giveaways in the Sunset and Chinatown, and it’s been great to see how excited so many kids are to get back into the classroom.

Families across San Francisco are struggling with affordability, and giveaways are a great way to take some costs off their backs. A new backpack and school supplies are only one small part of being ready for school. Students also need amazing teachers (I’m so grateful to our San Francisco public school teachers for working hard to support students), healthy meals and classes that challenge them and prepare them for the future.

This year, I’m particularly glad to see Algebra I returning to eighth grade across San Francisco public schools.

I’ve been pushing to reinstate eight grade algebra for more than a decade. In 2015, when the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) eliminated eighth grade algebra, I teamed up with then D-4 Supervisor Katy Tang to publicly urge the district to reverse course. I thought SFUSD made the wrong decision then, and I’ve been pushing to restore it ever since.

One of my biggest concerns was equity. After the change, families who could afford it could pay hundreds of dollars for outside algebra courses so their kids could test into a more advanced math track. Many lower-income families didn’t have that option. In 2016, I worked with Supervisor Tang and SF Mayor Ed Lee to secure funding to help lower-income students access outside Algebra I courses.

To me, equity means expanding opportunity, not taking it away. We should maintain high academic standards while making sure students from every background have the support they need to meet those standards.

That’s why the return of Algebra I to eighth grade this year is such an important step. Students who are ready for advanced math should have that opportunity, regardless of whether their parents can afford to pay for an outside course. I’m glad SFUSD has made this change, and I hope we continue looking for ways to challenge and support all of our students.

Of course, what happens in the classroom is only one part of a student’s ability to succeed. It’s hard for a kid to focus on algebra, reading or anything else when they’re hungry.

California became the first state in the country to provide free breakfast and lunch to all public school students, regardless of family income. That was an important step. It means families don’t have to worry about whether they fall just above an income cutoff, and students don’t have to feel singled out for receiving a free meal.

Making universal school meals work also requires investment behind the scenes. In 2025, while I was chair of the California Senate Budget Committee, we included $160 million in the state budget to support universal school meals. The funding helps schools upgrade kitchen infrastructure, support nutrition staff and purchase local food, with $10 million specifically dedicated to recruiting and retaining nutrition workers.

I saw some of this work firsthand when I visited Lowell High School, had lunch with students and toured the school’s upgraded kitchen. It was a good reminder that providing school meals requires much more than simply paying for the food. Schools need the kitchens, equipment and staff to prepare and serve those meals every day.

We also need to make sure students actually want to eat the food being served.

This school year, SFUSD is adding new menu options, including sesame orange chicken rice, with hopes to continue serving popular choices like dumplings. I’m glad to see the district paying attention not only to nutrition, but also to whether students enjoy their meals. If we want kids to eat at school, what we serve matters.

It has been a few difficult years for SFUSD, and there is still plenty of work ahead. There are also good things happening in our public schools. This year, nearly 49,000 students will return to classrooms, eighth graders will once again have access to Algebra I and students across the district will continue to have access to free breakfast and lunch.

As we start another school year, we should stay focused on what matters most: giving our kids a strong public education and the opportunity to succeed. That means getting the basics right, maintaining high standards and making sure a student’s opportunities aren’t determined by how much money their family has.

I hope every student, teacher, school worker and family in San Francisco has a great start to the new school year.

Scott Wiener represents San Francisco and northern San Mateo County in the California Senate. He chairs the Senate Budget Committee and is a member of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus. He can be reached at 415-557-1300.