Board approves PEAF spending plan after heated public comments over proposed VAPA admin cuts

The San Francisco Unified School District Board on March 12 approved the superintendent’s recommended Public Education Enrichment Fund (PEAF) expenditure plan for 2019–20 after more than three hours of public comment and extended board debate over a curriculum committee amendment that would have redirected central VAPA (Visual and Performing Arts) administrative funding to direct student services.

Edwin Diaz, director of PEAF, presented the superintendent’s plan and noted that the district had shared materials and responses to committee questions. "It is my pleasure to recommend that the board approve the ... PEAF expenditure plan," Diaz said. The curriculum committee and the PEAF Community Advisory Committee had recommended directing more dollars to site-level services — for example, adding elementary PE teachers in tier‑3 schools — and suggested reclassifying some VAPA central office funds to student services.

That recommendation prompted extensive testimony from arts teachers, parents, students, nonprofit partners and union representatives who warned the board against cutting VAPA administration before a clear replacement source for those administrative functions was identified. "If something changes in the budget for the administration and there's no way that we know how it's going to be replaced, this is very serious," said Emily Keeler, artistic director of an arts education nonprofit. Musicians, itinerant teachers and parents repeatedly described aging instruments, gaps in sequential music and arts programming and the coordination role VAPA administrators play in placing teaching artists and running district-wide festivals.

Commissioners asked for more data and suggested an audit or independent review. Commissioner Norton recommended pausing the amendment and ordering a thorough review of expenditures and program outcomes; Commissioner Collins pressed for clear site-level data on who receives arts services and noted repeated PEAF advisory recommendations over several years that administrative costs be reduced. Deputy Superintendent Myung Lee and Superintendent Matthews committed to improving transparency and earlier engagement with advisory bodies.

After deliberation the board voted to approve the superintendent’s recommendation as written rather than adopting the curriculum committee’s amendment to repurpose VAPA administrative funds. Roll-call was recorded in the transcript and the clerk announced the motion carried with five ayes.

What this means: The PEAF spending plan will move forward as presented by the superintendent. Board members asked staff to pursue process reforms (earlier PEAF CAC involvement, better data-sharing) and an audit or deeper review of VAPA spending and program outcomes in the coming months.