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Supervisors press SFUSD on rainy‑day allocations as district warns of steep cuts
Summary
Budget & Finance Committee reviewed SF Unified School District’s spending plans and use of city rainy‑day funds and Prop H/parcel tax revenues; supervisors sought detailed explanations of weighted student formula allocations and were told most allocations fund staffing. The committee tabled release of a reserve pending follow‑up.
The committee took up Item 11 to examine how the San Francisco Unified School District plans to use city rainy‑day funds and Prop H and parcel tax revenues.
Superintendent Garcia and a deputy superintendent presented a high‑level summary of district funds and explained the weighted student formula that allocates direct school‑site funding. The deputy described the school site council process—local teams of principals, faculty, parents and community members—that develops spending plans for site allocations, with district offices conducting quality review and compliance checks before funds are spent.
Supervisors pressed the district on distinctions between restricted and unrestricted funds and on how rainy‑day allocations fit into the budget. The deputy said the $24.6 million rainy‑day allocation, if appropriated, would be included in the $354 million of unrestricted revenue reported in the district materials, while Prop H and parcel‑tax proceeds were treated as restricted for reporting and charter compliance reasons. The deputy noted that two‑thirds of the Prop H third are reflected in the district budget and that one third goes to First 5 per the measure’s design.
Superintendent Garcia warned of steep near‑term reductions: the district must cut roughly $30 million by the start of the next school year, and longtime funding shortfalls will likely force higher class sizes if state support does not change. “Our plans are, we have to cut 30,000,000 by the beginning of next school year,” Garcia said, summarizing the district’s fiscal constraints.
Committee members also discussed the comptroller’s role under the charter. Leo Levinson explained the comptroller has placed half of the rainy‑day amount on reserve pending final district calculations to verify the required reductions in per‑pupil revenues; the other half was held on reserve by the committee pending this hearing. Chair Avalos said the committee would calendar a separate item for the formal release of the second portion of the reserve.
Given outstanding questions and the need for follow‑up on reserve release mechanics and documentation, the committee tabled further action without objection; staff said they will return with a calendared request in September to consider releasing the held reserve.
