SFMTA outlines three‑part plan to address school crossing guard vacancies; staff to redeploy and hire temporary help

SFMTA Director Julie Kirschbaum told the board the agency began the school year with 155 crossing guards assigned to 91 schools and nearly 400 hours of coverage per day, but that open corners remain.

Kirschbaum said the agency has not cut crossing guard positions but faces a hiring slowdown caused by an agency budget deficit and high seasonal turnover for a largely temporary workforce.

“We started the school year with 155 crossing guards on duty at 91 schools, providing almost 400 hours of coverage per day,” Kirschbaum said. “Still, there are vacant corners, and families and schools are understandably concerned about student safety.”

Agency plan: Kirschbaum described a three‑part approach to restore coverage to last year’s levels: (1) reassign and split shifts so a single guard can cover multiple corners that have offset school start/end times; (2) deploy trained city staff temporarily in crossing roles starting mid‑September to cover remaining gaps; and (3) accelerate hiring and training from an existing candidate pool with a goal of filling vacancies by year‑end.

Public input: Joel Kamisher, a school crossing guard and union representative, told the board he supports staffing actions but warned against relying on volunteers to replace paid, trained guards. Kamisher said volunteers had been trained and released without the regular supervisory oversight and required training programs that long‑standing paid guards receive.

Why it matters: Crossing guards serve children at vulnerable school crossings, and staffing shortfalls prompted concern from families and advocacy groups. The agency said the temporary measures will prioritize peak arrival and dismissal times and include training of temporary staff.

Ending: Kirschbaum said the agency’s goal is to “restore coverage to last year’s levels as soon as possible,” with temporary measures in place while permanent hires move through training.