The UC San Francisco MESA Schools Program (MSP) serves middle and high school students in San Francisco and Oakland with the goal of enhancing math and science skills, exploring career opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), and ensuring that students are competitively eligible for higher education. Major elements of the program includes:
- Individual Academic Plans. The plans help monitor individual student progress toward college.
- Study skills training. Students learn the most effective study techniques for academic achievement.
- MESA Day Academies. Hands-on, common-core aligned math and science competitions give students a chance to meet like-minded students and vie for awards. Students follow MESA-developed curriculum that reinforce California state math and science content standards. Top winners of local competitions advance to regional and, in some instances, national contests.
- Career and college exploration. Industry guest speakers and field trips to companies and college campuses present various college and career options.
- Incentive awards. Outstanding student achievement and leadership is recognized.
- MESA periods. These classes, held during regular hours in some schools, allow MESA teachers to work with students on academics and MESA activities. Some schools offer MESA periods while others schedule MESA sessions before or after school, or at lunch.
- Teacher professional development opportunities. Institutes are offered for MESA teachers featuring hands-on curriculum and new techniques to teach math and science. The institutes are geared especially for educators who work in schools with limited resources.
