Newsletter – January 20, 2026

January 20, 2026

The Latest at SFUSD:

• 8th Grade Algebra: Late on Friday it was confirmed that while SFUSD has not made a final decision on the Algebra rollout, staff have begun presenting a preferred option to some middle school principals. Of the three piloted options, it sounds like the option SFUSD could be leaning towards is offering Algebra I as an additional elective alongside 8th grade math (the “doubling up” model). This means students who opt in would take both courses concurrently. We heard in our Facebook forum that many families were unhappy about this path as it limits students ability to take another elective, like a second language, art, or band. We expect this topic at a Board of Education meeting in February, alongside Stanford’s forthcoming evaluation report (which we understand is complete but not yet public).
  
  

• Potential strike in February: The district and teachers’ union, UESF, are currently negotiating a new contract (a process that occurs every two years) and have reached the “fact-finding” stage, which is one of the steps that occurs before a potential strike. The district has been providing updates here and the union here. We’re hearing that–regardless of local negotiations–a teacher strike could be inevitable in mid-February, driven by a statewide California Teachers Association effort encouraging local unions to strike. (Read more about this in EdSource here.) If there is a strike, schools will likely close because there won’t be enough staff to safely run schools. We hope SFUSD and the union can reach a settlement that is both fair to teachers and fiscally responsible for the district without a strike. We’ll keep you updated as negotiations progress, and we’ll work with the City to support parents and students should a strike occur.  

• District revenue remains flat despite rising costs: At last week’s Board of Education meeting, senior district staff reported that SFUSD will receive essentially the same funding as last year. While the state provides an annual cost-of-living increase, it doesn’t reflect San Francisco’s higher cost of living than most CA cities. One-time state funds will help offset the gap but this is still concerning.
  
  

• Budget unknowns due to labor contract negotiations: Budget planning includes several remaining unknowns due to continued contract negotiations with the teachers’ union. Until an agreement is reached, there remains uncertainty around staffing costs which comprise 80%+ of the district’s largest expenses.
  
  

• Community pushback on staffing plan rollout: Commissioners, teachers, principals, and families criticized the district regarding the similarity between the draft Fiscal Stabilization Plan the board rejected in December, and the January Staffing Plan shared with schools. Superintendent Su defended it, arguing notable differences between them, including social workers at all elementary schools. She also said that this is early in a 6 month budget process, and that the district is meeting individually with site leaders over the next two weeks.
  
  

• SFUSD closing some language immersion programs?: Last week, SFUSD emailed principals of elementary schools with language programs (some, not all) that they will stop enrollment at those programs starting this fall. Families planning to enroll younger siblings at those schools now have little time to find alternatives before the January enrollment deadline. We are just learning of this and will begin to demand answers. SF Parents has repeatedly urged SFUSD to improve transparency and communications around program changes; this last-minute notice is concerning. We want to hear from affected families and schools—please email us at hello@sfparents.org.
  
  

• Communication challenges continue at SFUSD: At the most recent Board of Education meeting, Vice President Huling emphasized that the district needs to clearly communicate this budget plan is the start of a 6-month process with nothing finalized. Clarity regarding the budget timeline and process is something SF Parents has and will continue to push for.
  
  

• Election of 2026 Board of Education officers: At the January 13th Board of Education meeting, commissioners voted to elect officers for 2026. They voted to keep Commissioner Phil Kim in place as president and Commissioner Jaime Huling to continue as Vice President, focusing on leadership stability and continuity for the upcoming year.