Author:  Richard Carranza, Deputy Superintendent of Instruction, Innovation and Social Justice, SFUSD

SFUSD has a new goal for students entering high school in 2010. We want every one of them to graduate eligible to enroll in California’s public university system.

This should seem like an obvious goal. But today, only 54% of students in San Francisco’s public schools graduate with the course credits required for enrollment in state universities.

You think 54% is low? Statewide, only 34% of students are making the cut.

San Francisco may be ahead of the pack, but that doesn’t make our numbers acceptable. Every student should graduate with the keys to a better future. As a district, it’s our responsibility to make sure a great college education is one of the doors available to them.

Starting next year, every student entering SF public high schools will be required to complete the A-G course sequence required for entrance to any California state university.  For most students this means taking more advanced math and foreign language courses than they may have otherwise taken.

But while we want to challenge our students with the academic rigor that they need to succeed in a college environment, we have to create more opportunities for them to access courses and earn the credits they need for that opportunity.

Right now, SFUSD is exploring the ways to incorporate online courses, community college partnerships and real-world internships to better engage students and help them complete the coursework they need to meet UC requirements.

Interested in helping every San Francisco student graduate with the opportunity to enroll in college? We want to hear from you.  Maybe you have an internship opportunity available with your employer, or the resources to help schools improve their capacity to make coursework relevant and exciting.

San Francisco is full of creative people who know a good opportunity when they see one, but more importantly, they have the heart to open those opportunities up to others.

Which doors will you help open?

College. It has always been my parents’ dream for their children to attend college. The reason we moved across the Pacific Ocean to adapt to this brand new environment was due to the belief of better education. Our low-income family has no money to provide us with private schools’ education. After we moved here, my siblings and I became a part of the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) system.

Our parents were also having a tough time working and supporting the family due to their lack of education. But because of these complex situations, it motivated me to gain success. I soon learned that SFUSD provides much support for their students. Not only are there many non-profit organizations out there to help us graduate high school and get to college, they also provide mentor programs and advising for students. Without the SFUSD programs, I would not have become the person I am today, and I would not have received all the support  I needed for college. I can guarantee that if I was born wealthier, I would not have the determination nor the motivation I have now to help me succeed.

Finally, after years of hard work and determination, their first child, me, had gotten into several universities. Yes, they’re proud, but their mission has come to an end. For the rest of my journey to college and adulthood, I must approach it myself. It is time for me to step-it-up and continue my own path, my rite of passage. Getting into college was difficult, especially in this economy and facing this California budget-cut.  However, it was only the first step to many more. I can only imagine the classes with 300+ students, the workload, the stress, and the social life. It is not easy to leave home, to leave our comfort zone, but it is one of the only ways to grow up, to get out there and challenge ourselves and test our independence. I believe that if we can survive it out there living in the dorms, making new friends, and getting good grades, then we have completed half of our adulthood journey.

I know this new life of mine is going to be tough, yet pleasant at the same time. I am ready to take on my next step and have fun!

Michelle Tam
Maisin Scholar 2009, Meritus Scholar Award 2009
Michelle is starting her first year at UC Davis this Fall.