S.F. schools to overhaul outdated history curriculum, approve ethnic studies course

San Francisco's public school kids should finally recognize the world depicted in their social studies classes next fall after the district's first curriculum update since 2006 - when iPods dominated the music market, only birds tweeted and same-sex couples couldn't marry in California.

The school board, at its April 28 meeting, is expected to approve new history and social studies materials as well as an official ethnic studies curriculum, the latter a topic of impassioned debate over the past couple of years.

The updates are part of a "sweeping modernization" of course content across the district, and specifically in which social science materials are "outdated and do not fully reflect the district's values," officials said.

"It's about time," said Superintendent Maria Su. "Lots of things have changed in the last 20 years."

She noted that in the current textbooks, George W. Bush is still listed as the president. In addition, there is an absence of diverse communities and a lack of cultural responsiveness.

Typically, districts would be expected to update learning materials every six to 10 years, Su said.

The board is expected to approve elementary and high school curricula, with middle school content remaining the same, based on educator feedback.

The board is also expected to approve a new permanent curriculum for the district's year-long ethnic studies course, which will be a graduation requirement starting with the class of 2029.

The superintendent is recommending the board officially approve the off-the-shelf curriculum in place this school year, called "Voices," which replaced the controversial home-grown content used by the district since 2010, initially for an elective semesterlong course, one of the first in the country.

The district's content, which had evolved over the years, sparked pushback from some parents who argued the course was more about political opinions and activism than fostering pride and awareness of historically marginalized groups.

Su pulled the curriculum over last year's summer and replaced it with "Voices" as a pilot curriculum, with the graduation requirement still in effect.

"San Francisco and SFUSD should be proud that we were trailblazers in this work," Su said. "Students need to learn history so we don't repeat the mistakes of the past."

The new curriculum, if approved by the board, will ensure there are lesson plans that are structured, aligned with state standards and consistent across all schools, Su said.

An administrative regulation that Su put in place last year helps ensure educators follow the curriculum approved by the school board for each subject.

"We're building greater oversight and greater accountability," she said.

While administrators have had to use the new regulation to enforce the teaching of approved curriculum in a handful of cases, it wasn't for ethnic studies, Su said.

District officials also reminded teachers at the beginning of the school year they can't express political opinions during the school day, including in what they say, wear or put on their walls. Community concerns in recent years have reflected antisemitic or Islamophobic messaging in classrooms.

"In the classroom, the District has a responsibility to regulate classroom activities and discussion to ensure that information is related to academic curriculum and that staff do not create undue pressure on students to agree with a staff member's political views," according to a statement officials issued just before the start of school in August.

The approval of the history, social studies and ethnic studies curricula follows votes on English/language arts as well as math content last year, upgrades to board-approved curriculum long overdue, Su said.

The new social studies and history curriculum is expected to cost the district about $7 million for the first five years, including print and digital materials.

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This story was originally published April 16, 2026 at 7:20 PM.