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Administrators, support staff and unions urge SFUSD to increase pay to retain principals, custodians and nutrition workers
Summary
Multiple public commenters — school administrators, union representatives and district staff — urged the board to use the 2025–26 budget to raise pay for principals, assistant principals, custodians, food-service and other classified staff to stem turnover and recruitment losses to nearby districts.
Several public commenters told the board during the public-comment period on June 17 that low pay is driving SFUSD administrators and classified staff to leave for higher salaries in neighboring districts and the city government.
Anna Clafter, president of the United Administrators of San Francisco (UASF), said SFUSD pays less than neighboring districts and described multiple recruitment losses: "If we want to attract strong leaders, we need strong salaries. We don't need to be the unpaid training ground for our suburban neighbor districts," she said. "Pay us what we're worth so we can stay in SFUSD."
Leticia Zamudio, field representative for SEIU Local 1021, asked the board to prioritize increases for low-paid classified workers — custodians, food service workers and clerks — and raised concerns that last year’s reopener for SEIU members left some workers feeling "strung along." Andy Halinski, UASF secretary and special-education supervisor, said administrators need raises comparable to teacher increases or the district will continue losing experienced leaders.
Other speakers — an early-career administrator, parents and cafeteria staff — described the effects of understaffing on school operations and summer programs and urged the board to use the upcoming budget process to address pay parity and retention.
Why it matters: Recruitment and retention for site leaders and classified staff affect school operations, safety and student supports. Several presenters tied pay concerns to recent budget choices and urged the board to prioritize compensation in 2025–26.
What’s next: The board heard public comment during the meeting’s public-comment period. Staff and the superintendent will see the public input as they prepare the formal budget adoption at the next meeting.
