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New SFUSD Superintendent Carlos Garcia praises staff, warns district budget is ‘a serious problem’
Summary
New Superintendent Carlos Garcia used his first-month report to praise district staff and Prop A facility improvements, said he’s visited more than 40 sites and warned the district’s reserves and budget margins are thin, and pledged action plans and regular implementation updates to the board.
Carlos Garcia, who this meeting introduced as the district’s new superintendent, said he has spent his first month visiting schools and meeting staff and community members and that the district’s "most valuable asset" is its people. "They do incredible work with so little that they have to work with," Garcia said, adding he had visited more than 40 sites.
Garcia praised recent Prop A-funded improvements to school facilities and described a well-attended administrative and leadership kickoff as "phenomenal." At the same time, he warned the board that the district’s budget presents a major challenge. "I don't wanna underestimate or understate the fact that our budget is a serious problem here," he said, noting thin reserves and the need to work with bond advisors to ensure long-term fiscal stability.
He said staff have been reorganized to better implement board decisions and pledged that when the board adopts actions, the district will follow up with regular status updates so implementation does not get "buried or lost." Garcia also said he and the district continue negotiating with the teachers union and expressed hope for a near-term agreement.
Garcia noted that statewide test scores were due to be released under embargo the next day and signaled they were "doing okay," but he did not provide scores at the meeting because of the embargo. He said he had recently met with superintendents from San Diego Unified and Los Angeles Unified to coordinate responses to shared challenges such as declining enrollment.
The board said it was "excited" to work with Garcia; the chair noted upcoming retreats to align the board and superintendent on priorities. The superintendent’s message emphasized a short list of focused objectives and a return to action plans and accountability as the district enters the new school year.
The board did not take formal action on the superintendent’s remarks; the presentation served as an informational item and set the tone for budget and implementation discussions to follow.
