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SFUSD board adopts revised FY2020–21 budget with city and philanthropic support amid community calls to restore equity funding
Summary
The board approved revisions to the FY2020–21 budgets after staff presented adjustments and outlined new funding sources, including a proposed $15 million from the mayor and philanthropic gifts (about $10M and $9M). Public commenters urged restoring cuts to African American programs and preserving bus drivers’ health coverage.
The San Francisco Unified School District Board of Education voted on Aug. 11 to adopt revisions to its FY2020–21 budgets, after the district presented proposed changes and identified new revenue sources to help close a budget gap created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chief Financial Officer Megan Wallace said the district is using a combination of sources — including $15 million proposed in Mayor London N. Breed’s recommended budget and philanthropic gifts — to balance the revised budget within the statutory window for revisions under California Education Code. District staff described a $10,000,000 gift designated for an SFUSD Access Initiative (devices, Wi‑Fi, teacher training and family tech support) and a $9,000,000 gift from Salesforce to fund teacher-pathway work and a preK–12 computer science curriculum.
Public commenters and representatives of unions and parent groups told the board they appreciated measures that avoid layoffs or concessions in the near term but urged greater transparency and asked the district to restore funding to equity programs. Members of the African American parent advisory committee and other advocates said the African American Achievement and Leadership Initiative had been cut roughly 38% in the proposed revisions and called for restoring that funding.
Multiple speakers raised urgent concerns about contractor and bus drivers’ health insurance if benefits are paused while in-person learning is suspended. Bus drivers who testified described the prospect of losing health coverage in the middle of the pandemic and urged the board or city to fund interim benefits so they do not face coverage gaps.
Board members and staff clarified that some budget reductions reflected vacant positions not being filled and enumerated where new philanthropic dollars are targeted. Staff also outlined next steps for more public-facing budget materials (the budget book and District website) and offered to brief stakeholders on budget details.
The board recorded the budget adoption vote as six ayes (one commissioner noted absent) and adopted the recommended revisions.
