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So You’ve Opted Out of 9th Grade Ethnic Studies -Now What?
 

According to SFUSD, students can complete the Ethnic Studies graduation requirement through one of several flexible and approvable course pathways, with more to come in the future.

Here’s what we know about four alternative pathways to this year’s pilot that SFUSD has said can be used to fulfill its Ethnic Studies graduation requirement.

 

 

✅ Pathway 1: Take an SFUSD Course Later

 

According to communications from SFUSD, your student can fulfill the requirement in 10th, 11th, or 12th grade by taking:
 

  • SFUSD’s Ethnic Studies course
     

  • AP African American Studies, currently offered at Lowell and Washington High Schools. SFUSD has communicated that they will accept this course as fulfilling the Ethnic Studies requirement. They have also indicated that it may be expanded to other high schools
     

  • SFUSD Will Develop More Courses to Satisfy the Ethnic Studies Requirement

    SFUSD states: “We are actively researching offering SFUSD online courses that can be accessible to all SFUSD students at every high school to meet the requirement that will be ready for the 2026-2027 school year”
     

  • Other Current Offerings: Clarification is being sought from SFUSD about whether or not other SFUSD courses can be used to satisfy the Ethnic Studies graduation requirement. The current listing of these courses and where they are offered in SFUSD HIgh School Courses Matrix.  
     

 

💻 Pathway 2: Take an Accredited, A-G Approved Online Course

 

According to forms and materials obtained from the SFUSD Office of Extended Learning, students can request pre-approval to take courses from external online providers who are accredited and who offer A-G-appropriate high school courses. Several of these accredited providers offer  one-semester courses that SFUSD has said it would accept toward its Ethnic Studies graduation requirement. Some examples include:

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💡 NOTE: These are external, for-pay options (typically $125–$400); they are not tuition-free. You must request and receive official pre-approval first from your SFUSD school counselor to enroll for credit.
 

💡 NOTE: Because these are only one-semester high school courses, you might still need to take a second, one-semester course to fulfill SFUSD’s full-year/two-semester requirement. You must receive pre-approval for these courses from your SFUSD counselor first before you enroll & receive credit. Always check with your counselor first.
 

💡 NOTE: All alternative courses must be from an accredited institution. While A-G status is helpful, these elective courses do not have to be A–G approved.

If you’re considering this pathway (taking a course from an online provider) — you must submit a syllabus and documentation for review as part of SFUSD’s pre-approval process first. SFUSD makes no exceptions to this policy. Ask your SFUSD counselor for specific instructions and the form.

 

 

🎓 Pathway 3: Enroll in an External College Course

 

With pre-approval and acceptance from your Counselor, SFUSD has stated that it will accept college-level Ethnic Studies courses toward its Ethnic Studies requirement. The list of possible courses through this pathway is likely to grow.  Some of the courses you can request for pre-approval include:
 

REMEMBER -- You must obtain pre-approval from your SFUSD high school Counselor before you enroll if you want to receive credit and have the course appear on your transcript. Check the course listing for for prerequisites!  Don’t enroll until you’ve received written pre-approval. Speak to your SFUSD Counselor about how to submit a college course for pre-approval.
 

These courses are tuition-free (aside from small materials fees) but they’re best suited for 11th or 12th grade. Any external course you propose to take for HS credit -- including courses from CCSF --  must be submitted for pre-approval first from SFUSD. Don’t enroll until you’ve received written pre-approval. Speak to your SFUSD Counselor first about how to submit a college course for pre-approval.

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🎓 Pathway 4: Help Us Advocate for Dual Enrollment College Courses Within SFUSD

 

Prior to its July 29th Board of Education meeting, SFUSD shared the following: “We are currently exploring possible dual enrollment courses with CCSF for fall of 2026. Dual enrollment is a labor-intensive process that starts the school year prior so the earliest we can offer this option is next school year (i.e., SY 2026-27).”
 

Dual Enrollment courses provide high school students with additional in-school supports that make it possible for students to succeed in a college-level course with support and guidance from a credentialed SFUSD classroom teacher and without having to travel from their high school campus to City College and back.
 

Subscribe for more details on this option in the future.

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📋 Ready to enroll in an alternative, on-demand online course that will satisfy the graduation requirement for Class of 2029?

Five steps for SFUSD Pre-Approval:
 

  1. Research the course first (make sure it’s from an accredited provider and offers an official transcript)
     

  2. Gather documentation (syllabus, accreditation info, A–G listing if available)
     

  3. Submit to your SFUSD counselor using SFUSD’s “Non-SFUSD Coursework for Credit Guidelines & Procedures” packet
     

  4. Get approval in writing before enrolling
     

  5. Submit your transcript after completion
     

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⚠️ A Note on Equity

Families who can pay for outside courses may be able to satisfy the requirement more quickly and keep their elective slots — while others cannot. This is why so many stakeholders are demanding a greater number of transparent, flexible, and district-funded options.

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