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SFUSD superintendent warns of $24 million hit next year, 400 layoffs possible without local relief
Summary
Superintendent Carlos Garcia told the Board of Education the district faces an immediate $13 million midyear shortfall and a possible $24 million reduction next fiscal year under the governor's proposal; staff are preparing roughly 400 layoff notices unless local rainy-day funds or other revenue offsets are secured.
Superintendent Carlos Garcia told the Board of Education on Feb. 3 that the San Francisco Unified School District is facing an immediate $13 million midyear shortfall and a possible $24 million reduction for the next school year under the governor's budget proposal. He said the district has been preparing for cuts this year and can absorb the midyear reduction without layoffs, but that the larger, next-year hit will likely force staff reductions unless alternative funding is found.
"At this point we're preparing that whether we like it or not ... we're gonna have no choice but to send off approximately 400 layoff notices in the next few weeks here in San Francisco," Garcia said, estimating about 250 teachers and 150 administrators would receive notices. He urged community members to press the governor and legislators and asked the Board to pursue local rainy-day funding, noting the district's share of such funds could be roughly $24,000,000 and would ‘‘make up for the $24,000,000 that we would lose from the state.'
Why it matters: The superintendent framed the cuts as both an immediate operational challenge and a trigger for personnel actions that would affect classrooms and school leadership. Garcia said the district has tried to plan conservatively and had contingency measures in place to avoid midyear layoffs, but the projected next-year reduction would exceed those contingencies without outside funding.
What the district said: Garcia described ongoing planning work to protect staff and programs and asked the Board and community to advocate with state lawmakers. He noted some federal stimulus funding was being discussed but said it would not necessarily match the district's most pressing needs.
Context: Garcia's remarks followed other agenda items and came during the Superintendent's Report. The board did not take immediate formal action on the district budget during this meeting; Garcia said staff would continue outreach and planning and that more information would be shared in the coming weeks.
Next steps: The superintendent urged phone calls and advocacy directed at state legislators and indicated the district would pursue internal and local options, including conversations with the mayor and Board of Supervisors about rainy-day funds to mitigate layoffs.
