SFUSD receives $7 Million from salesforce.org to expand STEM education

Press Release

Salesforce.org, the philanthropic arm of Salesforce, announced today it will donate $7 million to the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) to continue to expand and improve STEM education.

This marks the fifth consecutive year of Salesforce.org’s partnership with SFUSD, bringing Salesforce.org’s total investment in the district to $26.7 million.

Mayor Edwin Lee helped facilitate the partnership between Salesforce.org and the City’s public schools as part of the Mayor’s Middle School Leadership Initiative.

“Our partnership with Mr. Benioff and Mayor Lee has brought many great life changing opportunities and outcomes for our students. Middle schools have been our priority with this initiative and academic achievement is on the rise in the middle grades,” said SFUSD Superintendent Dr. Vincent Matthews. “In addition to enabling improved teaching and learning for all our students, this partnership is bringing access to young people who have historically been underrepresented in STEM fields. It’s a game changer.”

“Salesforce.org understands that an investment in our youth is an investment in the future of San Francisco,” said San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee. “Support for STEM programs is changing the way that the students of San Francisco’s public schools are learning, helping them prepare for tomorrow’s shifting trends. We are fortunate to live in a thriving city, and we want to see everyone — especially our young students — benefit from that prosperity. Salesforce.org’s ongoing commitment to our STEM programs helps us achieve that goal.” 

“We want to live in a city, and in a country, where every child has access to education that will prepare them for the jobs of tomorrow,” said Rob Acker, CEO of Salesforce.org. “I’m inspired by the progress we’ve made with SFUSD and look forward to strengthening our partnership to give Bay Area students access to STEM education to make a positive impact on future generations.”

The new $7 million donation to SFUSD will be used to:

• Continue to increase computer science enrollment in middle schools and high schools, and expand the program to 21 elementary schools
• Continue to provide math coaches to improve teaching efficacy and student outcomes
• Increase teacher training through a new partnership with NYU designed to drive teacher support and retention
• Pilot a new instructional model in partnership with New Tech Network that offers personalized learning across all content areas
• Deliver $100,000 per school of unrestricted funds to all 21 middle and K-8 schools through the Principal’s Innovation Fund

Since Salesforce.org formed its partnership with SFUSD five years ago, San Francisco has become the very first school district in the United States to have a computer science curriculum for every grade. Enrollment of girls in computer science has increased from nearly 200 to more than 3,800, and enrollment of underrepresented groups in computer science has increased from less than 100 to more than 3,800. Today, computer science enrollment mirrors the SFUSD student demographic; females and underrepresented groups each make up nearly half of overall CS enrollment.  

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Page updated on 09/13/17