Board Sends 'San Francisco Quality Teacher and Education Act' to Voters, Details Use of Funds for Teacher Pay and Training

The San Francisco Board of Education voted to place the San Francisco Quality Teacher and Education Act of 2008 on the ballot, approving amended language that would levy $198 per parcel annually (adjusted for the San Francisco All Items CPI-U) for 20 years and establish mandatory citizen oversight. The measure's stated goals are to increase starting salaries, provide retention incentives, expand teacher training, and target additional compensation to hard-to-staff schools and hard-to-fill subject areas.

Mr. Lee, presenting the revised 75-word statement to the Board, said: "To enhance quality educational programs for children, attract and retain quality teachers and staff by increasing salaries, provide teachers with additional compensation for extra work at hard to staff schools and in hard to fill subject areas, and increase teacher training resources in classroom support, technology innovation, and accountability, shall the San Francisco Unified School District be authorized to levy $198 per parcel annually adjusted for inflation with mandatory citizen oversight." The Board read and discussed a set of markups that shortened the term to 20 years, changed the escalator to a local CPI-U and added an appropriations limit provision.

If passed by voters, the measure would raise the district's starting pay for most new teachers with a BA+30 credential from $45,700 to $50,000 and would create defined retention bonuses and targeted incentives. Board members and staff said parcel-tax revenues would fund pay increases across the salary schedule, a Master Teacher program to support teacher leadership, retention incentives at specified career points, extra compensation for teachers in high-turnover schools, and investment in training and paraprofessional development. Details on the distribution were described as part of a series of MOUs the district will negotiate with bargaining units.

Public comment at the hearing included parents, community members and union leaders. Paul Stein, a school bus driver and parent, said he supported the measure because it prioritizes teacher compensation; UESF President Dennis Kelly described the proposal as the result of sustained community and union work. A small number of speakers raised questions about renters not being assessed directly because the parcel tax is levied per parcel rather than per rental unit; staff clarified that each unique assessor parcel receives a single assessment regardless of number of units within that parcel.

The Board approved the amended measure by roll call, recorded as six ayes. The measure will appear on the ballot as amended and campaign and outreach work will follow. The Board and staff emphasized that, even with local revenue proposals, the district remains concerned about state budget uncertainty and indicated the parcel tax is one element of a broader local funding strategy.

The next step: staff said the district will publish the full ballot materials, fact sheet and exhibit language and continue outreach to community partners, unions and voters ahead of the election.