John Muir Elementary School Recognized for Three Years of Double-Digit Improvements in Math and Reading

Press Release

San Francisco (January 21, 2020) - The San Francisco Board of Education recognized John Muir Elementary School for achieving double digit growth each year for the last three years in English Language Arts and Math across all subgroups and programs.

In 2018-19, over half the students at John Muir Elementary School met or exceeded standards in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math. In 2017-18, 33% of students met or exceeded standards in ELA and 34% met or exceeded standards in Math. 

“The teachers, administrators and staff at John Muir Elementary have set a great example for how we can improve the ways we serve all of our students within SFUSD,” said Commissioner Stevon Cook. “Their commitment to developing the talents of all of our children is deeply appreciated by the Board and the entire SFUSD community.”

“As a district we remain committed to helping all of our students thrive in the 21st century,” said Superintendent Dr. Vincent Matthews. “The outcomes at John Muir Elementary demonstrate important practices that are making that goal become a reality for all of our schools.”

According to school leaders, gains in ELA and Math test scores have been achieved through multi-year efforts designed to address inequities that have historically affected the communities served by John Muir Elementary. Every week, teachers and support staff meet to plan and reflect on instructional practices. These meetings have led to the creation of culturally engaging curricula that incorporate history, social justice issues, science and health. 

Additionally, Muir has created strong coaching supports and professional growth opportunities to reduce staff turnover, which has led to teachers having on average five or more years of experience. For instance, at the start of the 2015-16 school year, John Muir Elementary established a teacher learning process called Lesson Study, which is now practiced schoolwide. Through Lesson Study, teachers observe each others classes and reflect and adjust lessons based on student responses to the lessons. 

“At Muir we believe it takes a village,” said John Muir Elementary Principal Sara Liebert. “We thrive together because of the collective effort of everyone in our community to create a safe, engaging and academically rigorous learning environment for our students.”

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