Homework BANNED, Grades INFLATED?!

San Francisco Unified School District suspended its equity-based grading overhaul after backlash against a plan allowing students to pass with just 41% and skip homework entirely.

At a Glance

  • SFUSD’s proposed “Grading for Equity” initiative would have allowed students to earn a C with scores as low as 41% and an A with just 80%
  • The plan eliminated homework, attendance, and participation from final grade calculations
  • Mayor Daniel Lurie and Rep. Ro Khanna publicly opposed the plan, forcing the district to back down
  • Superintendent Maria Su announced the initiative is now on hold pending community engagement
  • Critics warn the policy would harm college readiness and diminish academic standards

Public Pressure Forces District Retreat

San Francisco education officials abruptly shelved the city’s “Grading for Equity” initiative after public outrage over its radical departure from traditional academic standards. The plan, targeting 14 high schools and over 10,000 students, proposed awarding C grades for scores as low as 41% and As for 80%. It also eliminated penalties for late work, removed homework and participation from grading, and allowed unlimited test retakes.

Mayor Daniel Lurie declared the proposal a disservice to students: “We owe our young people an education that prepares them to succeed.” The city’s top leadership, including Rep. Ro Khanna, slammed the initiative as a betrayal of academic rigor. Facing growing dissent, Superintendent Maria Su confirmed a pause on the policy’s implementation to rebuild trust and reassess priorities.

Radical Changes to Traditional Grading

The equity-based plan, developed with education consultant Joe Feldman, aimed to reduce what proponents called “grading bias” against low-income students by focusing solely on academic mastery. However, the plan’s mechanics raised alarm: final grades would ignore class attendance, homework completion, or engagement. Students could turn in work late without penalty and even receive a D for scoring only 21%.

Watch a report: Why San Francisco Paused Equity-Based Grading.

Khanna tied his opposition to his family’s immigrant roots, writing, “Giving A’s for 80% and no homework is not equity—it betrays the American Dream.” Critics fear such policies lower standards rather than lift students, with consequences for college preparedness and long-term success.

Concerns Over Standards and Transparency

Beyond the grading formula, transparency issues fueled the backlash. Many parents were blindsided by a proposal introduced without school board approval or a public vote, and pushed amid a district budget crisis.

Laurie Sargent, a concerned parent, voiced what many felt: “Nowhere in college or the workplace do you get 50 percent for doing nothing.” Despite supporters claiming equity grading closes opportunity gaps, past implementations elsewhere showed mixed results, with some data suggesting they obscure—not address—achievement disparities.

While Superintendent Su now pledges deeper community engagement, the district has yet to fully abandon the concept. Equity-minded reforms may resurface in altered forms. But for now, San Francisco’s students, parents, and educators have won a reprieve—and a renewed debate over what educational excellence really means.

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