SFUSD Moves Ahead With Contested Budget
San Francisco public school principals returned from winter break to learn that Superintendent Maria Su had reissued a budget proposal the Board of Education unanimously rejected last month. The plan included $102 million in cuts and significant layoffs of teachers and staff, particularly at schools that serve low-income and immigrant students. District officials said the proposal remains a “starting point” for staffing decisions, even though educators and board members had already raised serious concerns about its impact on school operations and student support.
This move signals a troubling disregard for equity, transparency, and community voice. A staffing model that ties resources to enrollment ignores the reality that high-need schools often require more staff, not fewer, to support students academically, socially, and emotionally. By advancing a budget the board rejected and principals overwhelmingly oppose, SFUSD risks prioritizing money over student well-being and the voice of those who know what schools need. Advocates warn that cutting assistant principals, teachers, and support staff from already under-resourced schools will deepen educational inequities and destabilize communities that depend most on public schools.
School board, principals dismayed as SFUSD resubmits rejected budget plan
By Marina Newman | January 8th, 2026 | Mission Local
