S.F.
school board OKs diversity plan S.F.
school board OKs diversity plan
Two campuses won't consider race
Julian Guthrie, Chronicle Staff Writer
www.sfgate.com
Thursday, October 25, 2001 ©2002 San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco -- In an attempt to increase diversity without considering race, the San Francisco Board of Education approved new admissions plans for two of the city's top public high schools. The school board voted late Tuesday night on the proposals for Lowell High and School of the Arts, competitive-entry schools with far more applicants than available seats.
The vote was 5 to 1, with Vice President Dan Kelly voting no. Board member Mark Sanchez was out of town. "This is not a perfect plan, but we need to start somewhere," said board member Eddie Chin. "We are trying to maintain academic rigor while leveling the playing field." The San Francisco Unified School District is constrained by a 1999 federal court order that prohibits the use of race in assigning students to any school, class or program.
Since 1983, the district had relied on a rigid racial formula. Like many school systems and universities across the state and nation, San Francisco Unified has struggled to devise an affirmative action plan that doesn't hinge on race. The plans approved for Lowell and the School of the Arts broaden the definition of merit to include a student's potential to succeed.
Criteria range from a student's "demonstrated ability to overcome hardship" to community service, leadership skills, athletics and family income. At Lowell, one of the top high schools in California, 70 percent of applicants will be admitted based solely on test scores and grades, compared with 80 percent before.
The rest will be selected through recommendations from middle school committees and principals based on the broadened criteria. Kelly said at the meeting that he didn't think the plan goes far enough to achieve its goal of increasing diversity. He also said that establishing tiers of admission has the potential to stigmatize students. However, board President Jill Wynns said she was pleased with the new policies. "We will still need to revise this as we go," Wynns said.
"But for both schools, it's a significant step forward." At Tuesday's board meeting, parents and educators expressed a mix of enthusiasm and reluctant support for the plans. Henry Louie, a parent and attorney, said he had concerns that the rigorous programs at Lowell and the School of the Arts would be weakened. "The district must send the clear message that merit has merit and hard work will be respected," Louie said.
Under the new plan for the School of the Arts, the district's only arts high school, 10 percent of seats will be set aside for students who show potential but might not be refined in their skills. The plan also limits to 10 percent the number of applicants selected from outside the city. Currently, 23 percent of SOTA students live outside San Francisco.
Yosef Nasir, a School of the Arts senior who serves as the student delegate to the board, drew applause when he spoke of the need to look beyond polished skills. "Art creates an ensemble," Nasir said. "As a senior, I would help a freshman. Students should be able to help other students who are not up to level." Applications for Lowell must be submitted to the district's educational placement center by Dec. 21. Acceptance letters will be issued by March 8, 2002.
Applications for SOTA are due by Feb. 1, 2002, and notifications will go out by March 30, 2002.
E-mail Julian Guthrie at jguthrie@sfchronicle.com.
©2002 San Francisco Chronicle Page A - 19
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