Welcome back to our “Meet the Candidates” series, where candidates for the San Francisco Unified School Board of Education respond to questions each week in 100 words or fewer. Answers will be published every Friday.
Mission Local now includes all eight of the candidates who will appear on the November ballot. They are as follows: Autumn Brown Garibay, Virginia Cheung, Alida Fisher, Ryan Hazelton, Phil Kim, Laurance Lee, Reina Tello and Tim Tung.
Each candidate is first ordered alphabetically, then rotated each week.
San Francisco Unified School District has a goal to have 70 percent of third graders reading at the set state level by 2028. Getting there will be a challenge — last year’s rate was 49 percent.
The district also hopes to increase eighth-grade math scores to 65 percent. That rate is currently at 41.2 percent.
The data also shows that students of color, English learners, those receiving special education services and students experiencing homelessness are behind their peers.
SFUSD officials say that next steps are to continue to gather data through “learning walks,” which are classroom visits to see how students learn and teachers teach, and thenthen applying their findings to supporting specific school sites.
At the meeting where this plan was announced, several in attendence board members, parents and candidates alike— seemed skeptical of this approach.
This week, Mission Local asked candidates: What would you do to reach math and English targets?
Ryan Hazelton
Job: Executive director of Mariposa Kids, a nonprofit for play-based programs for kids ages 1-11
Age: 43
Party: Democratic
Residency: Homeowner in the SoMa, living in San Francisco since 2007
Children: None
SFUSD experience: Chair of San Francisco Child Care Planning & Advisory Council, appointed by SFUSD
Education: Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of California, San Diego
Languages: English
Transportation: Public transit, walking and biking
Website: Ryan Hazelton for SF School Board
High-dosage tutoring is an extremely effective evidence-based intervention, and SFUSD’s own programs show it works. Through the SF Ed Fund’s tutoring partnership, participating students caught up twice as fast. Through Chapter One, SFUSD is expanding high-impact tutoring to 20 of the highest-need schools. I’d push to expand both so every struggling reader has access. I also want to see consistent implementation of our new literacy and math curricula across every school site, and ensure educators have the professional development they need to deliver it well. We need a surge of investment in programs that work.
Endorsed by: United Educators of San Francisco, Supervisor Connie Chan, Board of Education Commissioner Matt Alexander, former Supervisor Gordon Mar… read more here.
Phil Kim
Job: Deputy Director at San Francisco Agency for Human Rights, incumbent Board of Education president
Age: 36
Party: Democratic
Residency: Renter in the Castro
Children: None
SFUSD experience: School board president
Education: Bachelor’s degree in neuroscience from Bucknell University; master’s in education policy and administration from Loyola Marymount University; Pursuing EdD at the University of California, Berkeley
Languages: English and Korean
Transportation: Public transit, Walking
Website: Phil Kim for School Board
Reaching our math and English targets requires staying relentlessly focused on what happens in classrooms every day: high-quality curriculum, strong instruction, and targeted support for students who need it most.
I will continue pushing SFUSD to use data to identify where students are struggling, invest in effective professional learning and coaching for educators, and ensure interventions reach students early. We also need to learn from schools that are accelerating outcomes, particularly for students furthest from our goals, and scale what works. Our budget, staffing, and central-office priorities must ultimately be aligned to improving student outcomes.
Endorsed by: Mayor Daniel Lurie, State Senator Scott Wiener, Assemblymember Matt Haney, Assemblymember Catherine Stefani, Supervisor Rafael Mandelman… read more here.
Laurance Lee
Job: Volunteer at schools and licensed general contractor
Age: 56
Party: Democratic
Residency: Homeowner in Noe Valley, born in the Richmond District
Children: Yes, but did not attend SFUSD
SFUSD experience: Current vice chair SFUSD Citizens Bond Oversight Committee (Appointed in 2022)
Education: Bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and history & science from Harvard University
Languages: English (learning Cantonese, Mandarin, Spanish and French)
Transportation: Driving, public transit and walking
Website: Laurance Lee for School Board
A two-point rise in third-grade reading is welcome, but at 49%, SFUSD is 21 points short of its 2028 target. Stronger curriculum and coaching improve instruction; learning walks show where implementation falls short. But teachers need classroom support, and struggling students need targeted intervention. Some schools made double-digit ELA or math gains over three years. The district should identify what worked, adapt it for other schools, and track progress year-round. District leaders must clear barriers and change course when results stall. Individual schools are showing that big gains are possible. SFUSD now needs a plan to make that progress systemwide.
Endorsed by: State Senator Scott Wiener, Chinese American Citizens Alliance San Francisco Lodge, United Food and Commercial Workers Union, Local 648… read more here.
Reina Tello
Job: Community organizer
Age: 44
Party: Democratic
Residency: Renter, born and raised in San Francisco
Children: Two children: 14, rising eighth grader at James Lick; 18, recently graduated from June Jordan School for Equity
SFUSD experience: None
Education: Current City College of San Francisco student studying labor and community studies
Languages: English and Spanish
Transportation: Driving
Website: Reina for School Board
In order to improve math and reading levels, we must have an assessment of needs for our students. We need to make sure that our students are accurately diagnosed with any learning disabilities in order to ensure we have the programs and services necessary to support them.
We need to expand the programs that ARE working to all schools.
Endorsed by: United Educators of San Francisco, Teamsters Local 853, Board of Education Commissioner Matt Alexander; Supervisor Connie Chan, Supervisor Jackie Fielder… read more here.
Tim Tung
Job: Public finance analyst, research analyst, public finance lecturer
Age: 46
Party: Democratic
Residency: Homeowner in the Western Addition, previously lived in the Richmond and SoMa
Children: Two children at Chinese Immersion School at De Avila
SFUSD experience: Chair of the school site council at the Chinese Immersion School at De Avila; serves on SFUSD’s local control and accountability plan advisory committee
Education: Bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in information and data science from the University of California, Berkeley; master’s degree in public administration from San Jose State University
Languages: English
Transportation: Driving, public transit and walking
Website: Tim Tung for School Board
To reach our math and English targets, we must focus relentlessly on fundamentals: effective instruction, sufficient learning time, and targeted support. I would ensure 100% implementation of SFUSD’s approved, research-backed English curriculum, with coaching and accountability for schools that need support. I would reduce chronic absenteeism and ensure students receive the state-recommended instructional minutes in core subjects. I would expand targeted tutoring, WIN time, and other evidence-based interventions, prioritizing students and schools with the largest achievement gaps. Finally, I would direct resources toward these highest-need students and track results using SFUSD’s existing assessments, holding the Superintendent accountable for measurable progress.
Endorsed by: GrowSF, Scott Wiener, Nancy Tung, Rafael Mandelman, Matt Dorsey, Stephen Sherrill, Alan Wong… read more here.
Autumn Brown Garibay
Job: Senior customer success manager at Sprout Social, Inc.
Age: 41
Party: Democratic
Residency: Renter in the Mission District
Children: Three in SFUSD schools
SFUSD experience: PTA at kids’ school, served on the Parent Leadership Council of the San Francisco Parent Coalition
Education: Bachelor’s degree in public relations and marketing from Long Beach State University and Sacramento State University
Languages: English
Transportation: Public transit, walking and biking
Website: Autumn Brown Garibay for School Board
Reaching our math and English targets requires strong instruction, early intervention, and transparency about what is actually working. SFUSD collects student progress data throughout the year, but the Board and families need a clearer school-level picture of where students are making gains and where they are falling behind. We cannot reach ambitious goals while working in the dark. Better information will help us identify successful practices, share them across the district, and direct support where students need it most. If elected, I will keep the Board focused on using that information to turn districtwide goals into meaningful improvement for students.
Endorsed by: SF Parents Action, GrowSF, State Senator Scott Wiener and Supervisor Rafael Mandelman …read more here.
Virginia Cheung
Job: Chief advancement officer of Open Door Legal
Age: 43
Party: Democratic
Residency: Homeowner in Crocker Amazon, previously lived in the Mission District and the Portola since moving to San Francisco in 2008
Children: Yes, they attend Alice Fong Yu Alternative School and Wah Mei School
SFUSD experience: Treasurer for Parents for Public Schools of San Francisco and served on the Parent Advisory Board of Wah Mei BASE ExCel
Education: Bachelor’s degree in social ecology with a minor in digital art, University of California, Irvine
Languages: English, Cantonese, Mandarin and French
Transportation: Driving
Website: Virginia Cheung for School Board
I would prioritize early intervention and direct resources toward what works. In the first five years, children develop language and build the foundations for literacy and math. I would strengthen SFUSD’s partnership with the Department of Early Childhood and early education providers to improve kindergarten readiness and equip parents to talk, read, sing, and learn with their children.
I would set measurable literacy and math intervention goals and hold the district accountable for identifying gaps early and tracking progress, providing targeted high-dosage tutoring through before- and after-school programs, and promoting partnerships with community organizations to provide learning kits, particularly for TK and kindergarten families.
Endorsed by: United Educators of San Francisco, San Francisco Building and Construction Trades Council, Board of Education Commissioner Matt Alexander; Supervisor Connie Chan… read more here.
Alida Fisher
Job: Executive Director at the Community Alliance for Special Education, incumbent Board of Education member
Age: 51
Party: Democratic
Residency: Homeowner in Lakeview/OMI, lived in the Sunset until 2015
Children: Yes, four adults, ages 18-25. Three have graduated from SFUSD, and the fourth is a senior at Mission High School this year.
SFUSD experience: Current SFUSD Board of Education member. Has served as Chair of the Community Advisory Committee for Special Education, member or past member of SFUSD’s African American Parent Advisory Council, LCAP Task Force, Charter School Oversight Committee, and PIR/CEIS/CCEIS Committee, PTSAs and SSCs at nine school sites
Education: Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Case Western Reserve University
Languages: English, with limited ability to speak and understand Spanish and French
Transportation: Driving, public transit and walking
Website: www.alidafisher.com (Note: will launch soon)
As we continue implementing new literacy and math curriculum, we must invest in ongoing professional development, instructional coaching, differentiated academic supports (including strong Tier 2 interventions) and behavioral supports, so every educator has the tools to meet students’ diverse needs and every student has the opportunity to succeed.
I believe strongly in the principle of targeted universalism: when we design systems and services that effectively support students who face the greatest barriers, the benefits extend to all students. As John F. Kennedy said, “a rising tide lifts all boats.” Investments in inclusive practices strengthen entire communities.
Endorsements: SF Parents PAC, Supervisor Myrna Melgar, Supervisor Shamann Walton.
Answers may be lightly edited for formatting, spelling, and grammar. If you have questions for the candidates, please let us know at rosina@missionlocal.com.
You can register to vote via the sf.gov website.