San Francisco Killed 8th-Grade Algebra. Now It’s Set to Come Back.

The San Francisco school board narrowly approved a plan on Tuesday evening to bring back eighth-grade algebra across all the district’s public schools, 12 years after the system stopped offering it.

The course was removed from middle schools under the rationale that many students — especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds — would benefit from having more time to master foundational math before tackling algebra in high school.

But the plan didn’t work. The number of students enrolled in advanced high school math declined, and wide racial gaps remained. Meanwhile, many parents enrolled their children in summer and after-school math courses to keep them accelerated, often paying out of pocket.

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The 4-3 vote followed a lengthy board debate about how to reflect the community’s desire for more choices while ensuring that students succeed in the math courses they enroll in.

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