Board approves new Head of Communications and Governance amid budget concerns

The San Francisco Board of Education on Jan. 14 voted to create a Head of Communications and Governance position and approved an employment contract for Hongmei Peng to fill the role, a move the superintendent said is budget-neutral but that drew vocal opposition from some commissioners, student delegates and public commenters concerned about classroom staffing and fiscal priorities.

Superintendent Maria Hsu said the new position will “support our governance work by creating better alignment across multiple touch points within and outside the district,” and that the district would fund the role with “unspent funds from vacant positions that are currently in the superintendent’s office,” so the hire would not “increase the number of staff in the superintendent’s office nor will it increase the budget in the superintendent’s office.”

The vote followed extensive public comment and questions from board members about process, transparency and how the position will produce near‑term benefits for classrooms. Student Delegate Lam told the board she opposed the hire in light of staffing shortages: “What about the over 48,000 students across the district who are left without teachers? … We’re currently in a budget deficit, and yet we’re putting money into a position that could be used towards student needs.”

Why it matters: District leaders said the post combines external affairs, community engagement and governance support to strengthen relationships with city, state and philanthropic partners and to improve communications with families during a…