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SFUSD superintendent warns of $25M shortfall and more cuts as board hears public appeals to limit layoffs
Summary
Superintendent Garcia told the San Francisco Unified School District board the district faces an approximate $25 million shortfall for next year and a projected $84 million deficit over two years absent new revenue; community speakers urged use of rainy-day funds and federal EduJobs money to avoid layoffs and service cuts.
The San Francisco Unified School District’s superintendent told the board April 12 that the district faces deep and continuing budget shortfalls and announced another district closure day while warning of more cuts to come.
Superintendent Garcia said staff will present a budget outlook at the Committee of the Whole on April 19 and that, based on current projections, the district faces “a shortfall of approximately $25,000,000 for next year above and beyond the $113,000,000 that we had just cut last year.” He said that if current trends continue the near-term deficit could reach roughly $84,000,000 over the next two years and described the situation as “grim,” noting the district had issued layoff notices. Garcia attributed the gap to shortfalls in state funding and urged local advocacy and use of city support where available.
Public comment following the superintendent’s remarks included students, parents and union officials pressing the board to use one-time funding sources to prevent layoffs. Dennis Kelly, president of United Educators of San Francisco, urged the board to rescind layoffs where possible, reminding members that EduJobs funds and the city’s rainy-day fund were available to help mitigate staffing reductions. Several student speakers and parents described the real-world effects of staff losses and class-size increases on instruction and programs at George Washington High School and other campuses.
Board members and staff discussed translation services, contract retroactivity on some items, and next steps for budget review. The superintendent and deputy superintendents committed to further budget analysis and to present more detailed numbers at the upcoming Committee of the Whole meeting.
What’s next: District staff will deliver budget materials and an updated fiscal analysis on April 19; the board will consider options for using reserves and federal funds and the public can expect additional debate at subsequent meetings.
