School board approves amendment extending Alvarez & Marsal support to stabilize Empower SF payroll system

The San Francisco Unified School District Board of Education voted 7-0 to approve an amendment to its services agreement with Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) that increases consultant capacity and extends on-site support through May 31 to accelerate resolution of persistent payroll problems tied to the district—s Empower SF payroll system. The board recorded the unanimous roll-call vote after a public presentation and extended public comment.

Superintendent Wayne told the board the district declared a payroll state of emergency on Nov. 7 and has set up a command center to manage ticket resolution and stabilize operations. "Our number one priority needs to be to make our staff whole, be transparent about what we're doing to address this issue, and also be held accountable to following through on the plans we're presenting," the superintendent said in his presentation. He described steps already taken, including increased case management and targeted fixes to 403(b) contributions and health‑benefit calculations.

A&M presented the…