This course aims to teach learners how to design a school choice policy that promotes diversity, predictability, and proximity in the San Francisco Unified School District. Students will learn how to use choice modeling to predict student behavior under different policy scenarios, evaluate policies using historical data, and make policy recommendations based on equity priorities. The teaching method includes interactive sessions, policy simulations, and real-world case studies. This course is intended for policymakers, educators, researchers, and anyone interested in education policy and school district management.
Designing School Choice for Diversity in the San Francisco Unified School District
Stanford University via YouTube
Overview
Syllabus
HAI Weekly Seminar
Evaluating Policies: Choice Modeling Choice Modeling: Predict how students would choose if we changed the policy • Use historical choice data from 2014-2019 • Predict student choice: Will a student like, list, or enroll in a school!
Policy Decision Support Tool End-to-end simulation tool to test policies and evaluate resulting assignments
Evaluating Policies: Which Policy? Zones Zones + Reserves
Policy Recommendation and Next Steps Proposed Policy: Restrict choice using geographic zones and reserves, improve outcomes for target populations (homeless, foster care) using equity priorities SFUSD Board of Education approved policy in Dec 2020 for implementation starting the 2024-25 school year Challenges and considerations negative effects of reducing choice, zones, reserves system changes to ensure equitable zones
Summary Supported the development of a new student assignment policy in the San Francisco Unified School District with optimization and Al
Taught by
Stanford HAI
