SFUSD trustees reject staffdraft fiscal plan after students, parents and unions protest cuts to electives and wellness

San Francisco Board of Education President Kim and trustees ended a tense meeting on Dec. 16 by voting down the fiscal stabilization plan staff presented for 2025–26, after students, parents, teachers and union leaders filled the boardroom with appeals to preserve electives, wellness centers and school security.

Those who spoke at the podium described personal reliance on electives and school-based wellness staff. "I'm here before you to ask you to respectfully as a district not eliminate the elective classes for students in the newcomer program," said Andrea Sofia Benitez, an eighth grader at Visitation Valley Middle School, testifying that music and other electives accelerated her English and sense of belonging.

The board heard dozens of similar statements from middle- and high-school students who warned that shifting middle schools from a seven-period to a six-period funding model could deny English-learners, newcomer students and others access to electives they rely on. Several speakers described recent crises and said wellness centers and social workers were essential to mental-health supports and campus safety.

United Educators of San Francisco, which has been critical of district budgeting, urged trustees to reject the staffing allocation as written. "United Educators of San Francisco will not sit idly by as this district management attempts to balance its budget by undermining education," a union representative told the board.

Superintendent Dr. Hsu acknowledged the strength of public concern and described the staffing model as a draft meant to show a "worst-case scenario" so the district can plan for uncertainties in the governor's budget, enrollment changes and labor contracts. Hsu told the board the district had "identified restricted sources to be able to fill the gaps" for social-worker allocations, and said staff would continue searching for targeted funding to protect critical student supports.

Board members pressed staff for more detailed evidence connecting the staffing numbers to the district's stated vision, values, goals and guardrails, including documentation of how the proposal would affect school safety, English learners and special education. Finance and budget staff said allocations remain preliminary until enrollment projections are finalized in January and that the model is intended to be iterated during one-on-one meetings with each site leader.

After extended debate that repeatedly returned to concerns about public engagement, data transparency and how the district projects revenues, trustees cast a roll-call vote on the fiscal stabilization plan. The motion to approve the staff-drafted plan failed on a 60nays tally; the motion's language was recorded on the agenda as item 2-512-16 SP1.

The meeting closed with the superintendent and budget staff pledging to continue community outreach, complete site-by-site allocations in January, and return with revised materials that more clearly tie budget choices to student-outcome priorities. The board approved other consent items, including provisional internship permits for teachers, before adjourning at 10:51 p.m.

What happens next: staff said they will provide preliminary allocations to site leaders in early January, hold 125 one-on-one budget meetings with school administrators that month, and return to the board with updated interim budget reports and a revised fiscal stabilization proposal as enrollment and state budget details become available.