• Office: School Board
• Election Date: November 5, 2024
• Candidate: Parag Gupta
• Due Date: May 31, 2024
• Printable Version

Thank you for seeking GrowSF's endorsement for the November 5, 2024 election! GrowSF believes in a growing, beautiful, vibrant, healthy, safe, and prosperous city delivered via common sense solutions and effective government. Our work includes running public opinion polls to understand what voters want, advocating for those changes, and ensuring that the SF government represents the people.

The GrowSF endorsement committee will review all completed questionnaires and seek consensus on which candidates best align with our vision for San Francisco.

This questionnaire will be published on growsf.org, and so we hope that you use this opportunity to communicate with voters.

Please complete this questionnaire by May 31, 2024 so we have enough time to adequately review and discuss your answers.

Note: This questionnaire will use the initialism "SFUSD" when referring to the San Francisco Unified School District.

• Your Goals
• Executive experience
• The Issues
  • Budget
  • Curriculum
  • Bullying & violence
  • Teachers
  • School assignment system
  • General information
• Personal
• Thank you

Your Goals

We'd like to get some details about your high-level goals and how you intend to use your elected office to achieve them.

Why are you running for School Board?

My parents immigrated to this country from India with $200 in their pocket. They struggled but they never skimped on my education. I was afforded the opportunity to go to one of the best public high school schools in the Bay Area. As a result, I was afforded great opportunities. I want to ensure that all 48,000 SFUSD students have access to excellence and opportunities.

I am also a public school dad. My daughter goes to Chinese Immersion School (CIS) at DeAvila and will attend Roosevelt Middle School next year. I served on CIS' School Site Council (SSC) for five years including three as the Chair. I stood shoulders to shoulders with our parents and teachers during the dark times of COVID. I am also an executive at the largest affordable housing organization in the country, with 45,000 residents and $4.4B in assets. In three years, I have empowered our staff to shift from outputs to measuring outcomes. I would like to bring the same ethos to SFUSD. Most recently, I was elected to the DCCC, having received the most votes out of any first-time candidate in AD-19.

I am motivated to run because the next four years will be critical for SFUSD with a potential $421 million deficit, school closures, and failing standards in K-8 math and literacy to name a few. How we address these challenges will determine the viability of SFUSD and our city's ability to attract and retain families for years, if not decades to come. We must elect four school board candidates who will bring excellence and the ability to make difficult decisions. I have the ability and a proven track record to make difficult decisions that SFUSD needs. I will be a board member who will support SFUSD staff and teachers and set students up for success.

What is your #1 policy goal?

Under regular circumstances, shrinking the achievement gap would be my top policy goal. However, considering SFUSD's present financial situation, my top priority is to develop policies that improve the district's fiscal stability and avert a total takeover by the state. I feel very strongly that SFUSD must remain in control of San Franciscans.

How will you build the coalition and political capital to enact your #1 goal?

As a newly-elected member of the San Francisco's Democratic County Central Committee (DCCC), Ihe first thing I did was introduce the SF Democratic Party's SFUSD platform resolution that promotes a public school system centered on student outcomes; quality neighborhood school system that is attractive to all families and prioritizes both excellence and equity; and encourages fiscal responsibilities and policies that will lead to the retention and growth of overall SFUSD attendance and eventual student graduation. The resolution was drafted after seeking input from School Board members. I will continue to emphasize these ideals and work shoulder to shoulder with the current School Board, teachers, and families.

I have worked across the political spectrum to find common ground on key issues. For example, co-authored a resolution last week that encourages regional financing of affordable housing co-authored with DCCC colleagues that ran on the opposing slate to build consensus. As a school board member, I seek to help the superintendent in creating stronger relationships with parents, teachers, and city officials.

On the cost side, I would explore how we would leverage existing city/county controls and functions. I would also seek to strengthen my relationship with educators so we may all come to the table and make difficult decisions together in a transparent manner. On the revenue side, I would seek to utilize my philanthropy networks to help with capital expenditures or one-time costs as we get back to fiscal solvency.

Will the power of the office of School Board be enough to achieve this goal?

The challenges faced by SFUSD have been developing for a significant period of time and will not be easily resolved. It is important to acknowledge that these challenges will require sustained efforts and dedication to overcome. In addition, it is crucial to recognize the uncertainty surrounding the potential state takeover of California.

However, as a Board Member, I am committed to ensuring that the board of education, superintendent, and central office leadership are held accountable for both the outcomes of their decisions and the consideration of all relevant viewpoints in decision-making processes. This includes actively and meaningfully seeking input from all stakeholders to ensure their perspectives are taken into account.

What are your #2 and #3 policy goals?

I will keep student success at the forefront of every decision, particularly since current student performance is subpar, with many students unprepared for high school and college. In addition, we need to retain and attract families to SFUSD. We cannot have a world class city without a world class public education system.

My #2 and #3 policy goals are:

(2) Improving student outcomes

(3) Ensuring that families have local and excellent schools that they can predictably enroll in

Will the power of the office of School Board be enough to achieve these goals?

Similar to my previous response, the policies that have contributed to the declining standards and families choosing to leave SFUSD have been developing for many years. Addressing these issues and implementing positive changes will require time and effort, as well as meaningful input from key stakeholders. Despite this, the potential state takeover could also serve as an opportunity to effectively tackle these pressing matters, ultimately helping to retain families and secure the essential revenue source for SFUSD.

Resolving complex challenges within SFUSD requires a comprehensive approach considering all stakeholders (parents, teachers, students, etc.) to understand root causes and create effective solutions via open dialogue and diverse viewpoints, accompanied by relevant data. Although meaningful change will not happen overnight, the potential state intervention could provide a chance to reevaluate and improve upon existing policies.

We've seen the school board, working with the superintendent, set student outcomes that are then tracked, so it certainly is possible.

What is an existing Board of Education policy you would like to reform?

I would modify the current student assignment system policy due to its significance in retaining students and potentially boosting enrollment numbers, which are a main source of income for the Board of Education. Establishing a department specifically focused on attracting and maintaining students is crucial. This change becomes even more important given that SFUSD experiences higher rates of families moving away due to enrollment compared to other urban regions.

Do/Did you have children in SFUSD? If so, what have you learned about SFUSD that other parents would benefit from? If not, why not?

I am a proud SFUSD parent. Ava, my daughter, is graduating from Chinese Immersion School (CIS) at DeAvila and will attend Roosevelt Middle School next year. I served on CIS' School Site Council (SSC) for five years including three as the Chair. We have very much enjoyed our six years in SFUSD so far.

A few things that I have learned about SFUSD:

• Very dedicated principals and teachers who are excellent at bringing out the best in our students.

• Active parental engagement helps to foster a warm welcoming community.

• SFUSD has many excellent schools across the city.

• Similar to how San Francisco is often negatively perceived by outsiders, stories about SFUSD also tend to be much more negative than my family's experience!

Executive experience

Please describe your experience running or governing large organizations, managing teams (including hiring, firing, and performance management), driving cultural change and clear communication throughout all levels, effective financial management (budgets, reporting, audit, etc.), and any other relevant experience.

As an executive of Mercy Housing, the largest US affordable housing nonprofit with $4.4B in assets and 1,700 employees, I'm leading a shift from an affordable housing compliance-based-ethos to outcome-based impact. In my daily work at Mercy Housing, I constantly balance fiscal responsibilities with the positive impact on our residents while centering on the feedback from residents and our frontline staff as they are closest to our residents. This experience will be invaluable in addressing the challenges facing our schools and centering on the experiences of our teachers and site staff.

Previously, I was an executive at the Stupski Foundation where I developed a nine-figure philanthropic strategy to provide 10,000 youth from low-resource Bay Area families with postsecondary opportunities that would otherwise have been unavailable. Examples include coordinating with SFUSD to fund existing nonprofit partners to create a college-going mindset and provide holistic mentoring for Sunnydale youth.

I also founded and served as the CEO of a social enterprise, Waste Ventures, that scaled from a start up to an enterprise that now works with over 6,000 waste pickers. In the executive positions mentioned above, I built and managed teams, including hiring, termination, and managing performance. I have managed staff from those who were fresh out of school to senior executives. I have been responsible for managing finance from seeking funding and bringing in additional revenue sources to managing budget and reporting. At Waste Ventures, for the first five years, I drove our independent financial audit process.

Please describe a time when you had an underperforming subordinate and how you handled the situation, including (and especially) how you were able to increase their performance.

Note: Please remember that this questionnaire will be public, so do not include any personally identifiable information.

I had a senior executive responsible for a team of seven members reporting directly to me. In a 360 process, the subordinates appreciated the vision and the intention of the senior executive but were critical of the senior executive's management style, specifically citing a brusque style, micromanagement and unclear direction. As an adherent of situational leadership, my approach to managing individuals varies depending on their level of experience, with different strategies applied for new graduates versus executives. In this instance, I employed a coaching approach during my discussion with the executive by offering candid feedback while also delving deeper through a series of open-ended questions to identify underlying issues. In addition, an external coach was brought in to work closely with this executive to provide additional perspectives and more frequent hands-on practice to enhance their leadership skills.

Please describe a time when your organization faced an extreme challenge and how you got the organization through it.

I started Waste Ventures, a social enterprise based in India focused on employing waste pickers, the largest sector of informal workers, to environmentally process waste. In doing so, the company formalized the waste picker employment while removing thousands of tons of waste from streets, dumpsites, and eventually oceans. To create this venture, we had to invent a profitable business model and pivoted at least 20 times to find a product market fit. Externally, we faced many challenges from competitors who committed arson against our facilities, local protection rackets, and unsavory politicians who sought to wet their beak. I am proud that through perseverance, Waste Ventures is now a profitable company and creates employment for over 6,000 waste pickers. For most of my time as a scrappy entrepreneur, I was the CEO and was responsible for the organization's finances, HR, program execution, and legal contracts.

The Issues

Next, we will cover the issues that voters tell us they care about. We hope to gain a better understanding of your policy positions, and we hope that you use this opportunity to communicate with voters.

Budget

SFUSD faces an existential crisis in its budget deficit. In your view, what factors have led to this crisis?

In my view, there are three factors:

1. Unknown Factors - Due to insufficient financial information as SFUSD lacks proper controls in place, the independent auditor was prevented from forming an opinion according to the FCMAT report.

2. Factors SFUSD has control over - SFUSD's spending exceeded its income and dependence on temporary funding sources (e.g., COVID-related funds) to balance budgets. Additionally, the district faces challenges with under enrolled small schools, aging facilities requiring significant upkeep, and a decentralized administration with small offices leading to increased costs and diluted accountability.

3. External Factors - public school enrollment declines by 5.5% on average across urban areas post-COVID resulting in reduced funding for the system due to fewer students.

SFUSD was deemed to be "no longer a going concern" and to be at risk of insolvency by the 2025-26 fiscal year unless it restructures and corrects its budget deficit. Please explain the current budget situation.

Urban school districts are facing decreasing enrollment. San Francisco has some of the smallest and most under-enrolled schools. SFUSD also spent beyond its means using temporary funding sources such as COVID-related funds. Currently, SFUSD has until June 30th to demonstrate to the California Department of Education that it can cut $120 million from its $1.3 billion budget. However, approximately $520 million of this is restricted, including $337 million of employee benefits. As such, SFUSD must find $120 million to cut from the remaining $780 million budget to demonstrate it can balance a budget.

Roughly 27% of its budget, or $350 million, has traditionally been central office expenses. This is almost 50% higher than the average California urban school district. Superintendent Wayne has started to make progress towards reducing this expense. Even if we were to reduce this to the 18% of overall budget, the average California school district central office expenditure, this would still be approximately $234 million. In addition, while we may be able to reduce staff in the enrollment, LEAD, and curriculum department, we must further invest in Human Resources and Finance which are currently anemic.

How does the role of the CDE's Fiscal Advisor to SFUSD inform your perspective and priorities on the responsibilities of a Board of Ed commissioner?

At the nonprofit affordable housing organization I work at, a former CEO, who spent her life in service, shared, "No margin, no mission." We still carry that credo today. We are incredibly mission-oriented AND we understand that if we are not meeting our financial goals , the organization will be insolvent and we then jeopardize our ability to house 45,000 residents.

For SFUSD, similarly, I operate under the same premise of making sure we are fiscally solvent so we may best educate our 48,000 students.

We need to prioritize fiscal solvency so the state does not come in as it would:

1. Cut indiscriminately without community input as the state is most concerned with decreasing $120M in expenditure so SFUSD is spending within its budget. This 'hack & slash' will likely lead further to families leaving the school district and lead to further decline in revenue - threatening a vicious cycle

2. Then loan money to SFUSD on which we must make financial payments - we already make RAN "payday loans"

We must come up with a 100-day plan to right the ship in a way that regularly brings key stakeholders together to materially course correct. This helps to treat the matter with the urgency that is needed. It also sends a clear signal to the state that we take our financial responsibility seriously.

Please summarize the recommended solutions in the SFUSD Fiscal Health Risk Analysis report, and tell us how you would prioritize them.

Key findings from the SFUSD Fiscal Health Risk Analysis Report include:

1. SFUSD faces significant fiscal challenges due to declining enrollment, leading to reduced revenue from the state based on average daily attendance.

2. The district has been using one-time funds to cover recurring expenses, which is unsustainable in the long term.

3. SFUSD has a history of overspending its budget.

4. Improve communication and collaboration between the district and its labor partners to address fiscal issues.

5. Importance of developing a comprehensive, multi-year financial plan to address current and future budget challenges.

6. Recommendations include implementing effective cost containment strategies, enhancing transparency and accountability, improving budget development and monitoring processes, and engaging stakeholders in meaningful dialogue about financial tradeoffs and long-term planning.

Number 5. above seems especially critical. I would ask the Superintendent to set up a 100-day "war room" to have a 100% grasp of the comprehensive financial picture so an independent auditor can confirm the district's financial condition (which has not been the case). All accountable parties would meet regularly until this was achieved. We can then take stock of initiatives that are critical towards the achievement of student outcomes and cut those that are non-critical.

The budget deficit will require hard and unpopular decisions, like closing schools, laying off teachers, reducing or changing available courses, and renegotiating the teachers' union contract. Regardless of your stance on those specific issues, what credentials or work experience do you have in handling those sorts of challenges?

When I started Waste Ventures, I was thrilled to start the first integrated solid waste management municipal contract executed by a worker's cooperative of waste pickers. My excitement was short lived as the realities of operating a solid waste (garbage) contract in an emerging economy set in. Four months in, we still had not received city payment despite removing hundreds of tons of waste and our cash on hand was dwindling as we always made sure our waste picker cooperative workers were paid.

We found out government payment was stalled as we had not "bought tea" for the city manager and would not receive payment till we did. I walked away from the contract as it didn't align with our ethical values. We lost tens of thousands of dollars in payment and had to extricate our managers as the cooperative workers started physically threatening our staff for walking away from the contract. The next six years were just as challenging as we had rival waste management companies destroy or burn down our operation and local self-styled mafia demand 'protection' payments for us to operate in their cities. At times, I even had to take out personal loans to make sure I never missed on-time payroll for my employees while still negotiating impact investor term sheets. I persevered and pivoted at least 20 times. I am proud that seven years later, Waste Ventures is a profitable triple-bottom line company that provides livelihoods to more than 6,000 waste pickers and processes thousands of tons of waste that would otherwise end up in the dumpsite or in our oceans. It reduces thousands of tons in GHG emissions. It has been featured in McKinsey Quarterly, Stanford Social Innovation Review, and I've shared it before the United Nations General Assembly.

Having navigated shady politicians, local mafia, physical violence, arson, and agitated workers to create a profitable triple bottom line business from scratch has ingrained in me a strong growth mindset and sense of self-efficacy. Since then, I have yet to encounter anything remotely as stressful. I often receive positive feedback on my ability to find common purpose, assume good intent, and move forward with a calm demeanor.

How do you approach making difficult decisions that you deem necessary even if unpopular? Please share a relevant example, if applicable.

My approach is to:

1. Identify the root cause of disagreement and the key barriers

2. Find common purpose amongst the stakeholders

3. Understand differing perspectives and what information stakeholders seek to be able to move forward

4. Gather the necessary data to inform a decision

5. Bring together the various parties to ensure all views are considered

6. Make a decision and ensure all parties are committed to the outcome (defined in the common purpose)

7. Ensure that those closest to the ground have the resources to carry out the decision and have a "scoreboard" to measure progress

As a philanthropy executive, I was tasked with identifying the most impactful way in which the foundation could improve life options for low-income youth. The foundation had pivoted many times on the outcomes sought, its method of operations, and the grantees it sought to fund. It had spent $150 million and had not achieved the target outcomes it sought in improving youth outcomes. The board sought to focus on high school students but the evidence base demonstrated the tremendous effect of early intervention in the life of youth. Though some board members felt the effects may be short lived, I had to convince them of the data and research.

I identified specifically the target audience my board had in mind as well as the target outcome of what success looked like. I then identified what were sacrosanct positions on our board and what were others that were "third rails". I researched thousands of pages of evidence to understand interventions with the highest effect size on achieving results to identify the best programs to fund. I spoke to local nonprofits with programs to understand what they've encountered as barriers and then brought it back to the board to make a decision and defined what success for the foundation would look like. We then worked with grantees and the board to identify a seamless way in which we could identify success and help grantees pivot, if necessary, to get the outcomes they sought for improving life options. The foundation board was thrilled with the rigor of the programs and I was able to make more than $110 million in grants in both early brain development interventions and to help SFUSD students achieve postsecondary success.

SFUSD facilities are in poor condition, with reports of some bathrooms being so dirty that students refuse to use them. What will you do to remedy this situation, especially given the budget constraints you will have to operate under?

My daughter has complained that she avoids drinking water all day so that she doesn't have to use the bathrooms. It is heartbreaking. She attends a school that is currently classified as being in good infrastructural condition. Yet, every winter, teachers grapple with issues such as insect infestations, leaky classrooms, and malfunctioning windows. These infrastructural challenges distract teachers from their primary role of teaching and hinder students' learning process. It's disconcerting to imagine the state of schools classified as being in poor condition.

While I understand that San Francisco voters may have reservations about bonds and potential lack of fiscal accountability, I would have advocated for a much larger bond for SFUSD. If I am fortunate enough to be elected as a Commissioner, I will champion for additional revenue streams for SFUSD, including further bonds, additional public financing, and innovative financing sources such as philanthropy.

With five years of experience in philanthropy at the Stupski Foundation, during which I facilitated over $1 million in funding to SFUSD for various initiatives, I am confident in our ability to secure more financing. Considering the wealth within San Francisco and the Bay Area, and our status as a hub for the technology industry, I believe we can make a concerted effort to attract more financing from private donors.

One reason for the budget deficit is declining enrollment. Approximately 30% of children attend private schools, and that percentage is growing. Each student not in SFUSD takes away nearly $15,000 in State funding. How will you make SFUSD more attractive to prospective students and parents?

Increasing enrollment to SFUSD may depend on external factors: demographic shifts and high cost of living. However, SFUSD can focus to improve its credibility with the public and narrow student achievement gap:

1. Elementary School: Revising the school lottery system that is simple for families to understand, balances family choice and equity, and allows families to stay closer to their neighborhoods. Predictability helps build trust between families and the school system, leading to a higher likelihood of continued enrollment in subsequent years. Families entering elementary schools particularly find the current lottery system overwhelming. Those with options move to other jurisdictions or apply to independent schools.*

2. Middle School: Providing strong 8th grade Algebra instruction is an important factor for many families to stay in SFUSD. In addition, promoting a sense of belonging within the school community is crucial for middle school students. This involves fostering an inclusive environment where students feel valued, and encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities.*

3. High School: Offering high-quality education across the City and at all schools. This encompasses several aspects, such as employing well-trained teachers, maintaining facilities and equipment, and implementing evidence-based curricula with strong student outcomes. Keeping Lowell and SOTA as merit-based schools is important AND need to ensure that all high schools across the City provide high quality education, with AP classes and CTE pathways at all high schools.*

Enrollment and student retention should be an important school district dashboard indicator so SFUSD may better understand key issues that are retaining or driving away families.

What is your perspective on SFUSD's school closures and approach to pandemic recovery?

The uncertainty surrounding the future of our schools is frightening. I can relate through my family's experience with the Chinese Immersion School at DeAvila (CIS). If it closes as an Immersion school, my daughter would have lost a critical avenue for maintaining her cultural heritage and communicating with her late grandfather. It's crucial that the community has a say in these matters rather than decisions being made solely by the Board or the Superintendent or the staff members.

Having attended multiple Resource Alignment Initiative town halls, I support the process and commend the Superintendent for addressing a structural deficit problem that has materialized over many years. As a Board Member, I will make difficult budget decisions while also focused on narrowing student achievement gaps and balancing important factors such as equity and accessibility.

I recognize that potential school closures will result in meaningful disruptions to impacted students, teachers, and families and that is why thorough stakeholder engagement must continue. Ultimately, the goal is to find a solution that best supports the needs of all SFUSD students while ensuring the long-term financial sustainability of the district. I strongly believe that SFUSD needs to remain in control by San Franciscans, and not be taken over by the State of California.

I also believe there is opportunity in the school closures to focus on excellent neighborhood schools that provide predictability to our SFUSD families and instill confidence in the school excellence their child(ren) will attend. Consolidating resources into fewer schools provides the opportunity to create excellence but must be handled delicately to build trust.

Finally, the central office can take stock of initiatives that are critical towards the achievement of student outcomes and cut those that are non-critical. I will also look into additional areas for budget reduction such as administrative cost and revenue such as from philanthropy.

Curriculum

What changes are coming to the SFUSD curriculum over the next few years?

I strongly support the two major changes to the SFUSD curriculum. I believe that they are important ingredients to narrow the achievement gap as well as to retain families within SFUSD. First, SFUSD has announced plans to pilot various new 8th grade Algebra courses in different schools, and I had the opportunity to contribute as a parent representative within the implementation workgroup for this initiative. Second, SFUSD intends to introduce a fresh core Language Arts curriculum for students ranging from pre-kindergarten to 8th grade. The intention is to build better literacy amongst students.

SFUSD student performance is low, with some of the widest achievement gaps among student populations in the state, with many students being left unprepared for high school and college. How and why are we failing our students?

First, it is important to recognize the step forward by the School Board in adopting the Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS) Vision Values Goals and Guardrails in October 2022 so that we can hold ourselves accountable. We must build on this work.

SFUSD has identified interim goals and guardrails such as kinder end-of-year reading for Black and Pacific Islander students or chronic absenteeism which disproportionately affects Black, Pacific Islander, and American Indian populations at 50%+ rates. Understanding this data, the Board can then prioritize the most critical drivers with the superintendent, partner with the city government or third-party sources, and continue to hold the school district accountable for achieving results in a transparent manner.

As to how and why we are failing children: From my 25 years of working in community, I've learned to consider the whole child - not only in the classroom but the other 18 hours as well. Many student challenges come from Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES), unstable housing, food insecurity, additional family or work responsibilities, and so on. We should share this data with relevant city departments to target solutions such as prioritizing low-income families with children attending public schools to attain affordable housing - something Mercy Housing has done in King County with the Seattle municipality.

SFUSD will be reintroducing 8th grade algebra over the next couple school years. Do you support this change?

While it was a non-binding proposition, I was in strong support for Prop G as it was critical for San Francisco voters to send a strong message to the Board of Education on the importance of a strong math foundation for our students. I also served on the Implementation Workgroup for 8th Grade Algebra for the School District. Beyond 8th grade algebra, however, I was disappointed to see the results of the SFUSD Math Audit found meaningful deficiencies for K-8 grades. I was disheartened to see the SFUSD Math Task Performance levels in the SFUSD Student Performance Analysis. African American students performed math tasks at 41% proficiency compared to 80+% proficiency for white or Asian peers indicating SFUSD has a far way to go in closing the achievement gap.

The Math Audit findings and recommendations touch upon my earlier response on academic excellence. Specifically:

1. High Quality Teachers: Providing more guidance and support for teachers

2. Academic Rigor: Streamlining math content and using high quality material called for by standards

3. Positive School Culture: Creating an expectation of achievement and a sense of belonging

How should SFUSD balance instructional minutes for core curriculum subjects with access to electives?

One of the things my daughter is most looking forward to when she attends Roosevelt Middle School next year is being able to take an elective. She was disappointed when I told her that she has limited elections because she is enrolled in the Mandarin program.

Similarly, we must balance between students meeting the basic student outcomes set by SFUSD while also recognizing that enrichment may help connect a student to their passion or purpose.

For now, given how far students are on 3rd grade Reading and 8th grade Math, we must first focus on maximizing core curriculum and then, after that is stabilized, we can look at enrichment or even financial literacy.

Many of SFUSD's language pathways have difficulty hiring and retaining qualified educators and classrooms are under-enrolled as early as grade 4, how would you address this?

The language pathways at SFUSD is one of the highlights of SFUSD. These language programs help to attract families to remain in SFUSD and provides meaningful cultural linkages for many families. Having my daughter in an immersion program is critical to enable my daughter to maintain her cultural heritage and communicate with her grandmother and late grandfather.

As a parent, I have experienced the loss of educators as we've lost many Cantonese-speaking educators and even a principal at my daughter's school, Chinese Immersion School at DeAvila. Educator quality is the greatest predictor of student achievement. We must do right by our educators. It was heartbreaking to hear a teacher share that she doesn't feel valued at SFUSD. Furthermore, she told me that she had a former colleague who moved Bay Area school districts and was treated much better. There are three key aspects I would seek to focus on to retain teachers:

1. Respect: Build back trust with teachers by encouraging transparency and inclusivity.

2. Financial: We are in the midst of a financial crisis but by being transparent, we can due the best we can for our educators and make sure they see and feel it as well. And we must pay our educators on time everytime.

3. Human Resources: At a United Educator showcase, I learned there are only two HR personnel to work with the entire educator staff. If we are to retain educators - especially those in high demand as language pathway educators, we need to be able to meet their health and benefit needs.

For language pathway educators, once we tackle some of the basics above, we can create career pathways with native language speakers, especially those that seek a career in San Francisco, that help incentivize the career and build a pipeline in the long term. Working with the educator unions, we can also work on prioritizing affordable housing for language pathway educators.

What is your position on supporting lottery-based access to language immersion programs for some versus access to second language instruction for all as part of general education instruction?

As mentioned above, the language pathways at SFUSD is one of the highlights of SFUSD. These language programs help to attract families to remain in SFUSD and provide meaningful cultural linkages for many families. Having my daughter in an immersion program is critical to enable my daughter to maintain her cultural heritage and communicate with her grandmother and late grandfather. Language immersion programs are not for every student so second language instruction as part of general education instruction may be fitting for others.

What is the current state of advanced education at SFUSD?

I feel passionately about advanced education. My immigrant parents from India struggled to make it in the Bay Area but never skimped on our education. They sent my brother, sister, and I to some of the best public high schools in the country. What made them great was the access to 13 AP classes and a track record of achievement. This in turn attracted families from all over the world who sought excellence for their kids. This achievement mindset was contagious and helped me to expect the best out of myself. Our 48,000 SFUSD students deserve to have excellence expected of them - and the pathway to achieve it. Let's tear off the academic roof rather than limit our students.

Given the efforts to dismantle advanced education in recent years, we must rebuild morale in our institutions of excellence. Bringing back Algebra to 8th grade is a first step though, because we have a bespoke curriculum (rather than a commonly used one), this transition will be slow and somewhat painful. We also need to include more AP classes and CTE pathways and dual enrollment in City College at all high schools. The Resource Alignment Initiative provides an opportunity to ensure excellence permeates in the new redistribution of neighborhood schools.

What should SFUSD be doing to ensure more students have access to more advanced education, including classes above their grade level, accelerated courses, and advanced subjects including those currently only offered by outside institutions such as community colleges?

We can't have a world class city without a world class public education system. We need to promote excellence that attracts and retains families of all economic backgrounds. When I knocked on over 1,000 doors for my DCCC campaign, I heard frustration from families about needing to "put up with the school system" or sharing they are leaving San Francisco public schools to get their children a quality education. We should celebrate Lowell and sustain it AND create excellence within all neighborhood schools. By offering AP classes, CTE pathways and magnet programs, we may be able to attract and retain more families in our school district - especially in areas with high numbers of public school-going students like Bayview Hunters Point and the Excelsior.

What is the current state of special or remedial education at SFUSD?

SFUSD faces challenges in adequately addressing its special education requirements, resulting in over $4 million spent on settlements. To tackle this issue, educators propose shifting from a caseload model to a workload model. Additionally, the district grapples with a shortage of specialists capable of providing appropriate support for special education students.

Early identification and intervention through timely instructional assistance are crucial in preventing students from falling significantly behind. We understand that, if a student falls significantly behind, this could lead to disengagement or behavioral problems.

What should SFUSD be doing to ensure students who need special education (either due to disability or academic performance) have access and the support they need to thrive?

As a parent with an only child, every school experience is a new one. When my daughter struggled writing her first narrative essay, my wife and I were quite concerned. Her teacher, however, knew exactly the coaching my daughter needed as she'd taught hundreds before through the same challenge. I firmly believe a long term investment in our students starts with a long term investment in our educators. If we seek the highest levels of student achievement, we need to retain, train, and continue to attract quality educators like my daughter's teachers.

The ability to train and retain teachers is even more critical when supporting teachers who are closing the achievement gap between Black, Pacific Islander, ELL, and IEP cohorts of students. Having spoken to teachers who burned out, it is clear we must shift our workload model for handling IEPs. We must give teachers adequate time to work with students with IEPs. If we can do so early, we have the best opportunity to increase long term student outcomes, reduce educator burnout, and ensure we meet our legal student requirements.

Bullying & violence

Last school year SFUSD was beset by reports of rampant bullying and both in-school and after-school violence. Has the School Board done enough to fix and prevent these issues? And what more should be done, if anything?

At Mercy Housing, we house thousands of residents who've experienced significant trauma from homelessness, substance abuse, and many other arduous life events. We use trauma informed care in our work - from the front desk clerk to our case managers so that we recognize and heal trauma, rather than inflame a situation. With our SFUSD students, there are many opportunities for teachable moments. For these moments (and whenever possible), I believe in restorative practices.

However, much like in Mercy Housing's communities, we cannot condone physical threats or violence if it jeopardizes the school community in any way and particularly if it is driven by animus towards race, ethnicity, religion, or other immutable factors. Everyone has the right to learn or work in a safe environment.

What failures in administration allowed such violence to happen in our schools?

During my time serving on both my daughter's School Site Council (as chair) and the Implementation Work Group for 8th Grade Algebra, I noticed two key issues:

1. A culture that lacks true accountability.

2. Although inclusivity was discussed during decision-making processes, it did not always feel genuine (to teachers and myself). In the case of the SSC, this was true when creating the site budget.

Without proper accountability measures in place, it can be difficult to empower individuals to take action. To address this, I suggest implementing a goal focused on reported incidents of violence and their resolution, with clear accountability extending to the level of an Assistant Superintendent. By tracking and measuring these instances, we can better understand which strategies are effective in addressing issues and ultimately preventing them from occurring in the first place.

What is your opinion about the new "Say Something Anonymous System"? Are other interventions warranted, as well?

I commend the school district for its efforts to tackle bullying. At my daughter's school, instances of bullying involving children, educators, and even parents targeting other children have occurred. It is crucial that children have a secure environment where they can learn and develop a sense of community. I am also grateful that the school district is leveraging existing Sandy Hook nonprofit resources instead of creating an expensive yet potentially inferior bespoke system as has been the case with other school district initiatives.

Cyberbullying remains a problem. What is SFUSD doing to stop it, and what else should they be doing?

23% of cyberbullied students will turn to a teacher first for help. SFUSD has taken various steps to address cyberbullying, such as incorporating digital citizenship and online safety into the curriculum, providing staff training on recognizing and responding to cyberbullying, and developing anonymous reporting systems to help students who might be hesitant to speak up due to fear of retaliation or stigma. However, more needs to be done.

SFUSD could consider implementing the following measures:

1. Encourage student-led initiatives: Empower students to take ownership of creating a positive and respectful online environment by forming clubs or ambassador programs focused on promoting digital kindness and inclusivity.*

2. Parental involvement: Organize workshops and resources for parents about cyberbullying, its warning signs, and ways to monitor and support their children's online activities.*

3. Periodic evaluations: Collect cyberbullying data and regularly assess and disclose publicly the effectiveness of existing anti-cyberbullying programs and make necessary adjustments.*

Teachers

State regulators have ordered SFUSD to balance its budget by laying off some teachers. What experience do you have with union negotiations, labor disputes, and corporate finance?

I've spent 25 years working with various stakeholders to practically solve problems. For example, at Waste Ventures, I had to negotiate with waste picker cooperatives and multiple municipalities to collect and process their solid waste in emerging economies. One of my insights was to seek to be transparent, listen for the negotiation points that are most important for a stakeholder, identify the Best Alternative to No Agreement (BATNA) and pursue it.

Given SFUSD's budget crisis, how will you ensure that we are able to attract and retain the best teachers?

My mother's dedication as an ESL teacher and my experience as Chair of the School Site Council have given me deep appreciation for the sacrifices teachers make. I've seen firsthand the impact of staffing issues, such as when my daughter's class went weeks without a substitute teacher when her teacher had a medical emergency. As parents, we supported the school by rotating to watch and guide the children. I watched the 3rd grade students for a couple of days and made me appreciate teachers even more, particularly just how difficult their jobs are.

Research consistently shows that teachers are the primary factor influencing student outcomes. Therefore, it's essential to not only pay our teachers well, but also ensure they receive their salaries on time. As a community, we need to make sure we do not have another disastrous roll out such as the EMPOWER payment situation - especially with yet another payroll system being deployed. It is not acceptable to not pay our teachers on time. When I was a scrappy small social enterprise owner, when times got tight, I even borrowed from a personal loan to make sure I never missed payroll for my employees. It is upsetting to see the school district not meet this basic commitment.

To attract and retain educators, we need to offer competitive salaries and address the high cost of living in San Francisco, potentially through affordable housing initiatives. Moreover, showing genuine care and appreciation for our educators is crucial. This means involving them in decision-making processes, acknowledging their contributions to our school system, and handling any human resource issues they may have in a timely manner. I fully support the recent pay increases for teachers and will continue advocating for fair compensation for SFUSD teachers.

School assignment system

Please summarize the changes needed for the SFUSD school assignment system. How do you see it working best for preK through high school?

I have experienced the SFUSD lottery twice. The first time was for my daughter's elementary school, which was a nerve-wracking experience. I found the process to be confusing with many options. We entered over 20 schools and were very fortunate to have received our first choice at CIS. We have truly loved the six years at CIS. The second time was this year as my daughter applied for middle school. This was a better experience given the feeder system provided more predictability. However, we still have several friends who weren't able to get into their feeder schools in the first round.

I have observed that the current lottery system creates confusion and barriers for many families considering entering and staying in the SFUSD system. Those with options move to other jurisdictions or apply to independent schools. PPSSF has also shared low engagement from families of color and low-income families. As such, the well-intentioned aim of the lottery is not achieving its desired outcome.

What will be important is to create a revised system where we can optimize for the following: simplicity, family choice, predictability, proximity to home and workplaces, equity, and excellent neighborhood schools. I recognize that this is difficult and complex to balance. I look forward to seeing the revised school assignment system soon. While I would have hoped that the new system could be implemented sooner than 2026, after the BOE called for one in 2018, I recognize that budget deficit and potential school consolidation priorities may add an additional layer of complexity.

Indicate how you will ensure the changes to the assignment system proceed with minimal problems.

Changes to the current school assignment system will need to be completed after the resource alignment initiative. The ultimate goal is to shift the assignment system to a steady state where families have access to excellent public schools in which their students can predictably enroll. In the aftermath of the resource alignment initiative, we must assess and survey what public school families seek in their neighborhood school and create trust in and a desire to attend neighborhood schools. This may include strategically placing programs - be it CTE Pathways, language immersion, art enrichment magnet programs, or advanced academic curriculums to draw in families.

In your opinion, how should any changes to the system balance equity concerns with convenience and the needs of children and parents?

Equity and excellence are a false dichotomy. Currently, many SFUSD students from the southeast part of the city attend public schools in other parts of the city. There is an opportunity to bolster under enrolled neighborhood schools in the Southeast that then do not necessitate commuting across the city. This builds a better sense of community in the southeast part of the city. This may be achieved by offering community schools, magnet programs, language immersion programs, and so on that are attractive to families. In turn, this may free up space in some of the historically highly requested west side schools to local west side families that may not have previously gotten in through the lottery system.

How will you measure if these changes are beneficial for students and parents?

There are several measures of how effective the assignment system is. We would want to see:

• An increase in enrollment and attendance (an indication of less families feeling frustrated with the enrollment process and seeking to leave)

• Measures of the student-centered outcomes (and progress)

• A net promoter score survey sent to families seeking their feedback

General information

In your view, why were San Francisco Board of Education members Alison Collins, Gabriela López, and Faauuga Moliga recalled?

When the pandemic first started, my daughter was in 1st grade, critical years for reading and number sense. At the time, I was the Chair of the School Site Council, and I saw the data that showed meaningful learning loss as a result of the 1.5-year long school closure for many children at my daughter's school. While my family was fortunate to have flexible jobs that enabled us to provide supplemental teaching at home, many families were not able to do so.

I found it particularly disheartening when SFUSD devoted substantial time discussing whether to rename schools instead of prioritizing reopening them during the pandemic. In my opinion, the recall of school board members resulted from the extended school closures lasting over a year and well after most other school districts in the nation had opened. This inflicted academic and emotional harm on SFUSD students and also widened the achievement gap.

Did you vote for or against the recalls of Board of Education members Alison Collins, Gabriela López, and Faauuga Moliga?

I supported the school board recall. I was actively involved in gathering the signatures needed for the recall within my school community. I was particularly concerned about the lack of urgency in even discussing the reopening of the schools, which I believe to show a negligence of duty by the BOE members, and a disregard for student well-being and student outcome.

Who are your mentors? Are there current or former Board of Education commissioners you believe have been most effective, and why?

In terms of mentors, having worked in the impact space for 25 years, I look to front line staff for guidance as they are engaging residents, students, and so on, every day. When I ran Waste Ventures, I would regularly engage waste pickers. As a Mercy Housing executive, I have spent some of the most amount of time at our sites amongst my peers. I have also created feedback loops to make sure resident and staff feedback is collected regularly. At SFUSD, I look forward to learning from students, families, educators, and site staff.

If I were fortunate enough to be elected to the SF Board of Education, I would also seek counsel from current and former Board of Education Commissioners with experience on how to balance and weigh competing issues, such as Commissioners Weissman-Ward, Motamedi and Lam (who has offered to continue to offer guidance even if she does not continue as a School Board Member). They are leaders who are focused on student outcomes and I deeply appreciate their work in ensuring that the Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS) Vision Values Goals and Guardrails in October 2022 so that SFUSD can hold itself accountable. We must build on this work.

In addition to mentors, I would seek to make decisions based on the evidence base so I could understand which issues to prioritize, what questions to ask and which communities to center on. After gathering the data, I would then discuss directly with communities most impacted by the policies of SFUSD. I would speak to students, families, teachers, and principals to understand their challenges and their recommendations. Through my active engagement with the SF Parents Coalition and the Westside Families Democratic Club, I would in particular seek feedback from parents on the best student-centered approach. It will also be important to consider the perspectives of SFUSD staff, teachers, and labor partners including, United Educators of San Francisco, SEIU 1021, and Building Crafts.

I would also seek to hear from voices that may be less well represented such as the English Language Learner community as I actively sought to do when I was SSC Chair. I also would seek perspectives from families in Bayview/Hunters Point and Excelsior, which have some of the highest per capita number of youth. I would also actively engage with voices that I may not completely agree with to hear from diverse voices.

In what ways are we succeeding in public education?

Public education within SFUSD is demonstrating positive developments in the following aspects. However, it is crucial to recognize that these topics are continuous works-in-progress and there is still space for improvement.

1. Improved support for immigrants: Public education is becoming more welcoming and accommodating of immigrant students, assisting them in adapting to new surroundings and accessing opportunities both academically and socially, especially through targeted English learner programs.

2. Focus on social-emotional learning: SFUSD is now attaching greater significance to social-emotional learning (SEL), which concentrates on cultivating vital skills such as empathy, self-awareness, and conflict resolution. By integrating SEL into the curriculum, public schools help students better manage their emotions, relationships, and overall well-being.

In what ways are we failing in public education?

The most glaring failure is the school district's need to cut over $120 million in costs by June 30th to convince the state that SFUSD is fiscally solvent and does not require a state takeover. A state takeover would be disastrous and not put the students first.

How can the school district use its land to help deliver housing for teachers, school staff, and San Francisco families?

I am the Chief Program Officer at Mercy Housing, the nation's largest non-profit housing organization, where I oversee Resident Services for 45,000 residents in 21 states. In fact, one out of 100 San Franciscans are Mercy Housing residents.

I am 100% for educator housing on District-owned property. When I've discussed with teachers, they have expressed a desire to be in more diverse housing and/or fear that their residences may be known to families that are displeased with them. I look forward to engaging with teachers on the matter. I rallied for the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation (TNDC) 2550 Irving affordable housing project seeking to provide family housing for educators and others who would otherwise be displaced from San Francisco. SFUSD should consider using more of its real estate portfolio more effectively to generate additional revenue sources. Also, with a reduction in central staff as pledged by Superintendent Wayne, there may be opportunities to consolidate central office real estate.

For working families, I would propose similar housing projects in San Francisco as the one that we developed in King County (Seattle), Washington. At Mercy Housing, we work with the King County (Seattle) school district to identify socioeconomically disadvantaged families as tenants so the students could experience housing stability. This reduces critical Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) and should lead to improved education outcomes.

Personal

Tell us a bit about yourself!

Did you attend SFUSD or public primary schools in other cities? How do our schools differ from when you were a student?

I am a child of Indian immigrants who arrived in the United States with only $200. Despite the challenges my parents faced, they prioritized my education. Growing up in the East Bay, I had the privilege of attending one of the best public schools in the San Francisco Bay Area from kindergarten to 12th grade.

Since my time as a student, technologies have evolved significantly, and teachers and students now face more complexities than before. Technological advancements such as the internet, increased access to electronics, and social media have both enhanced learning opportunities and introduced negative consequences. Furthermore, standardized testing appears to be more widespread in schools compared to when I was a student.

How long have you lived in San Francisco? What brought you here and what keeps you here?

I was born and raised in the Bay Area, and the San Francisco Bay Area is my home. After living in San Francisco briefly in 2000, I returned to the city with my wife in 2011 to start a family. Our daughter Ava was born here; she is now 10 years old and has been attending the Chinese Immersion School at DeAvila, an SFUSD elementary school, for the past six years. My family and I truly love San Francisco and plan to stay here for many more years. The strong community we have built and our commitment to continuously help to improve the city are what keep us rooted here.

What do you love most about San Francisco?

I appreciate the strong sense of community within our daughter's school. This tight-knit group has become like an extended family to us, and we value the relationships we have formed with other parents and families.

On the personal side, I enjoy running. I particularly enjoy my morning runs when there is a light drizzle in the air, as I find it to be invigorating. Even on the mistier mornings typical of San Francisco's westside, I am excited to connect with nature while engaging in physical activity.

What do you dislike the most about San Francisco?

I don't support performative politics or campaigns and candidates who aren't offering solutions for our city. When I represented the Westside Family Democratic Club before the previous DCCC to get the club chartered, we were initially blocked due to concerns that having 'Family' in the name might be a conservative dog whistle, and we didn't pass their purity test. I find it frustrating when there's a lack of focus on providing actual solutions for San Franciscans. For example, during the pandemic, schools were closed for over a year resulting in significant learning loss while the school board was preoccupied with renaming schools. These experiences motivated me to run for both the San Francisco DCCC and the school board.

Tell us about your current involvement in the community (e.g., volunteer groups, neighborhood associations, civic and professional organizations, etc.).

I hold various leadership positions within the Democratic Party, including being an elected member of the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee, an executive board member of the California Democratic Central Committee, a founding member of the Westside Families Democratic Club. I am also a national board member of YIMBY, an organization that advocates for abundant and affordable housing.

In addition to my political involvement, I have been actively engaged at my daughter's school. For five years, I served on the School Site Council, spending three of those years as Chair, especially during the challenging times of the pandemic when I worked closely alongside the Principal and teachers.

Thank you

Thank you for giving us your time and answering our questionnaire. We look forward to reading your answers and considering your candidacy!