Public commenting is an important opportunity to make your powerful voice heard.
Let the S.F. Board of Education and SFUSD Leadership know how parents and caregivers feel, how the district can do better for our city’s kids, our teachers, our schools!
Learn more about how to attend a meeting or make a public comment here..
Please note that as SF Parents is focused on our core issues, we only do
the summary/takes on the most pertinent agenda items related to our advocacy campaigns.
If you see that something on the BOE agenda is omitted, it is likely for this reason.
12/9/2025 Regular Meeting at 6:30pm:
- Full meeting agenda on BoardDocs here.
- Zoom Link Here – Password: 606785.
- Agenda summary from SF Parent Coalition follows below.
SF PARENT’S SUMMARY:
The Board of Education will conduct a self-evaluation of its effectiveness in governance and engaging schools, staff, and community members, and it will be asked to approve the FY 2025-26 First Interim Budget Report, reflecting an improved “qualified” budget certification but a $51 million deficit for this fiscal year 2025-26.
BOARD GOVERNANCE-RELATED AGENDA ITEMS
Item H.1 Board of Education end-of-year self-evaluation (memo link)
SFUSD’s Board of Education has set goals to implement effective governance practices and new/improved systems and routines for engaging schools, staff, and community. There are 6 short-term metrics, 3 in progress, 2 at risk, and 1 not started.
Our Take on the Board’s Self-Evaluation: Ensuring successful student outcomes and effective public engagement are core responsibilities of the Board of Education. It should provide interim updates before June 2026 on these key activities, especially in light of the district’s structural budget deficit’s impact on school sites. But/and, what more can the district do to effectively monitor students’ progress in reading, math, and college/career readiness and ensure necessary supports are being provided at all schools?
BUDGET-RELATED AGENDA ITEMS
Item I.3 Fiscal Year 2025-26 First Interim Report (SFUSD 1st Interim Report link, Fund 17 Resolution link, Fiscal Reserve Policy link, presentation link)
SFUSD’s recommended budget certification with this 1st Interim Report is “qualified” (may or may not be able to meet its financial obligations) rather than “negative” (will not be able to meet obligations). This FY 2025-26 1st Interim Report that lays out the district’s need to prioritize reductions and strategic cost management.
- Even with $10.5 million more federal revenue, $55.9 million more other state revenue, and $30.1 million more in local revenue at 1st Interim vs. Adopted Budget, SFUSD’s expenditures are exceeding revenue. This is due primarily to increases in salaries and benefits and Special Education program costs
- SFUSD’s Unrestricted General Fund deficit now stands at:
- -$51 million for FY 2025-26
- -$32 million (projected, not including new labor contracts) for FY 2026-27
- -$20 million (projected, not including new labor contracts) for FY 2027-28
- To address the budget shortfalls, the Board will need to approve an updated Fiscal Stabilization Plan (to be presented on 12/16) to implement additional expenditure reductions in order to align expenditures with revenues and reduce utilization of reserves to balance the budget.
- SFUSD is seeking Board approval to create a Special Reserve Fund 17 to separate General Fund reserve balances from the Unrestricted General Fund. This is a school district financial best practice that was not previously used. Fund 17 will contain $111 million and be used to offset budget deficits with Board approval.
Our Take on the First Interim Report: SFUSD’s First Interim Report shows a shift from a “negative” to a “qualified” certification, reflecting some initial progress toward stabilizing the District’s long-standing structural deficit. But we also need to be direct: this is a really hard moment for our school communities. The report makes clear that more budget cuts are coming, and there are no easy options left. The reductions ahead will have real and painful impacts. This is why transparency, clarity about the budget path ahead, and continued meaningful engagement with families matter more than ever.
Questions We’re Asking:
- What level of strategic analysis was done to ensure that the cuts proposed will minimize the negative impacts of these budget cuts on student learning and well-being, particularly given the cuts to social worker staff?
- After the new Fiscal Stabilization Plan is presented at the BOE’s 12/16 meeting, how can parents and school stakeholders provide feedback?
- What will SFUSD do to assure the community that our perspectives, not just enrollment projections or financial models, will shape the criteria for expansion, consolidation, and other school site changes?
As a reminder – SF Parents’ community continues to demand from SFUSD:
AN INCREASED, DEMONSTRATED FOCUS ON STUDENTS:
We want to see the district’s clear plan and commitment to a baseline of excellence and equity across every SFUSD school. Without clarity, analysis, and follow-through on how decisions impact student outcomes, it’s impossible to know if SFUSD is truly prioritizing what matters most—student learning and success. Through our Kids Can’t Wait campaign, families continue to call for urgent improvements in literacy and math outcomes for SFUSD.
GREATER TRANSPARENCY AND COMMUNITY ACCESSIBILITY:
Families deserve open, honest communication about how decisions are made and how funds are spent. SFUSD must provide clear data and impact analysis for all major initiatives, including how they support student achievement. The Board should not approve budgets or plans without confidence in their accuracy or their impact on teaching and learning.
REAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND STRONG GOVERNANCE:
SFUSD must move beyond promises to measurable action and consistent reporting. Strong governance by the Board of Education is critical—commissioners must stay focused on student outcomes, fiscal responsibility, and transparency while ensuring that district leadership delivers results. The district committed to updating the Fiscal and Operational Health Dashboard last year but has yet to deliver. We call on the Board to reinstate that commitment and require monthly updates until the budget is solvent. SF Parents will continue its focus on board accountability as part of our ongoing campaign work.