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San Francisco Unified School District, California
| San Francisco Unified School District |
|---|
 |
| San Francisco County, California |
| District details |
| Superintendent: Maria Su |
| # of school board members: 7 |
| Website: Link |
San Francisco Unified School District is a school district in California.
Click on the links below to learn more about the school district's...
- Superintendent
- School board
- Elections
- Budget
- Teacher salaries
- Academic performance
- Students
- Staff
- Schools
- Contact information
Superintendent
 |
This information is updated as we become aware of changes. Please contact us with any updates. |
Maria Su is the superintendent of the San Francisco Unified School District. Her experience prior to joining the school district includes leading the San Francisco Department of Children, Youth, and Their Families.[1][2]
Past superintendents
- Matt Wayne was the superintendent of the San Francisco Unified School District until his resignation on October 18, 2024.[1] He was appointed to the position on May 12, 2022, and began after former superintendent Vincent Matthews retired on June 30, 2022. Prior to joining San Francisco Unified, Wayne served as superintendent of the Hayward Unified School District. He also served as assistant superintendent for educational services in that district and as executive director of elementary schools in San Francisco Unified.[3]
- Vincent Matthews was the superintendent of the San Francisco Unified School District. Matthews was appointed superintendent on May 1, 2017, and he served until June 30, 2022. Matthews' previous career experience included working as the state-appointed administrator of the Inglewood Unified School District and the Oakland Unified School District.[3][4][5]
- Myong Leigh was the interim superintendent of the San Francisco Unified School District from 2016 to 2017. Leigh's previous career experience included working as the deputy superintendent for policy and operations for the district.[6][7]
- Richard A. Carranza was the superintendent of the San Francisco Unified School District from 2012 to 2016. Carranza's previous career experience included working as the deputy superintendent of instruction for the district.[7]
School board
The San Francisco Unified School District school board consists of seven members elected at large to four-year terms.
| Office | Name | Date assumed office |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco Unified Board of Education | Matt Alexander | January 8, 2021 |
| San Francisco Unified Board of Education | Alida Fisher | January 8, 2023 |
| San Francisco Unified Board of Education | Parag Gupta | January 8, 2025 |
| San Francisco Unified Board of Education | Jaime Huling | January 8, 2025 |
| San Francisco Unified Board of Education | Phil Kim | August 23, 2024 |
| San Francisco Unified Board of Education | Supryia Marie Ray | January 8, 2025 |
| San Francisco Unified Board of Education | Lisa Weissman-Ward | March 11, 2022 |
Elections
Members of the San Francisco Unified School District school board are elected to four-year terms. Three or four seats are up for election on a staggered basis every even-numbered year in November.
Four seats on the board were up for general election on November 5, 2024.
Ballotpedia covered school board elections in 367 school districts in 29 states in 2024. Those school districts had a total student enrollment of 12,203,404 students. Click here to read an analysis of those elections.
Join the conversation about school board politics
Public participation in board meetings
The San Francisco Unified School District school board maintains the following policy on public testimony during board meetings:[8]
| “ |
Public Participation Each person requesting to address the Board on agenda items calendared for Board action or on matters other than those calendared for Board action shall be granted such requests provided an individual completes a "Speaker Card", prior to the item being called. A person wishing to be heard by the Board shall be invited to, but not required to, provide their name before speaking. In order to conduct District business in an orderly and efficient manner, the Board requires that public presentations to the Board comply with the following procedures:
(cf. 9130 - Board Committees)
(cf. 1312.1 - Complaints Concerning District Employees) (cf. 9321 - Closed Session Purposes and Agendas)
Recording by the Public The Superintendent or designee shall designate locations from which members of the public may broadcast, photograph, or tape record open meetings without causing a distraction. If the Board finds that noise, illumination, or obstruction of view related to these activities would persistently disrupt the proceedings, these activities shall be discontinued or restricted as determined by the Board. (Government Code 54953.5, 54953.6)[9] |
” |
District map
Budget
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[10]
| SOURCE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal: | $95,252,000 | $1,839 | 8% |
| Local: | $687,382,000 | $13,272 | 56% |
| State: | $445,621,000 | $8,604 | 36% |
| Total: | $1,228,255,000 | $23,716 |
| TYPE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Expenditures: | $1,161,029,000 | $22,418 | |
| Total Current Expenditures: | $901,968,000 | $17,415 | |
| Instructional Expenditures: | $504,846,000 | $9,747 | 43% |
| Student and Staff Support: | $173,796,000 | $3,355 | 15% |
| Administration: | $123,685,000 | $2,388 | 11% |
| Operations, Food Service, Other: | $99,641,000 | $1,923 | 9% |
| Total Capital Outlay: | $188,289,000 | $3,635 | |
| Construction: | $186,085,000 | $3,593 | |
| Total Non El-Sec Education & Other: | $321,000 | $6 | |
| Interest on Debt: | $40,904,000 | $789 |
Teacher salaries
The following salary information was pulled from the district's teacher salary schedule. A salary schedule is a list of expected compensations based on variables such as position, years employed, and education level. It may not reflect actual teacher salaries in the district.
| Year | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-2025[11] | $61,139 | $131,654 |
| 2022-2023[12] | $53,916.90 | $116,794.76 |
| 2019-2020[13] | $57,679 | $85,219 |
Academic performance
Each year, state and local education agencies use tests and other standards to assess student proficiency. Although the data below was published by the U.S. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the states. As a result, proficiency levels are not comparable between different states and year-over-year proficiency levels within a district may not be comparable because states may change their proficiency measurements.[14]
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-2021 | 65-69 | 60-69 | PS | 60-79 | >=50 | ||
| 2018-2019 | 50 | 67 | 14 | 21 | 35-39 | 62 | 68 |
| 2017-2018 | 50 | 67 | 12 | 21 | 30-34 | 61 | 70 |
| 2016-2017 | 50 | 67 | 15 | 24 | 40-44 | 57 | 69 |
| 2015-2016 | 49 | 65 | 12 | 21 | 40-44 | 55 | 68 |
| 2014-2015 | 49 | 64 | 12 | 19 | 30-34 | 58 | 68 |
| 2013-2014 | 70 | 85 | 30-34 | 40 | >=50 | 65-69 | 75-79 |
| 2012-2013 | 64 | 79 | 29 | 40 | 40-44 | 75 | 79 |
| 2011-2012 | 62 | 77 | 32 | 40 | 45-49 | 73 | 75 |
| 2010-2011 | 61 | 76 | 30 | 38 | 45-49 | 45-49 | 74 |
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-2021 | 75-79 | 70-79 | >=50 | 60-79 | >=50 | ||
| 2018-2019 | 56 | 69 | 21 | 31 | 40-44 | 69 | 78 |
| 2017-2018 | 55 | 68 | 20 | 29 | 45-49 | 66 | 77 |
| 2016-2017 | 55 | 67 | 23 | 32 | 55-59 | 65 | 77 |
| 2015-2016 | 53 | 65 | 18 | 28 | 55-59 | 61 | 76 |
| 2014-2015 | 53 | 64 | 19 | 27 | 45-49 | 65 | 77 |
| 2013-2014 | 61 | 69 | 35-39 | 41 | >=50 | 55-59 | 75-79 |
| 2012-2013 | 60 | 70 | 32 | 39 | 50-54 | 72 | 81 |
| 2011-2012 | 60 | 68 | 37 | 42 | 50-54 | 74 | 81 |
| 2010-2011 | 58 | 66 | 33 | 38 | 50-54 | 50-54 | 79 |
The following table shows the graduation rate of district students each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-2020 | 87 | 95 | 80-84 | 76 | >=50 | 85-89 | 90 |
| 2018-2019 | 86 | 94 | 80-84 | 75 | 60-79 | 80-84 | 87 |
| 2017-2018 | 85 | 93 | 75-79 | 74 | >=50 | 80-84 | 84 |
| 2016-2017 | 84 | 93 | 75-79 | 70 | 60-79 | 85-89 | 84 |
| 2015-2016 | 86 | 94 | 70-74 | 75 | 60-79 | 85-89 | 84 |
| 2014-2015 | 85 | 92 | 71 | 73 | 40-59 | 80-84 | 85 |
| 2013-2014 | 84 | 91 | 64 | 69 | <50 | 85-89 | 87 |
| 2012-2013 | 82 | 88 | 66 | 69 | >=80 | 80-84 | 83 |
| 2011-2012 | 82 | 89 | 71 | 67 | >=50 | 80-84 | 82 |
| 2010-2011 | 82 | 88 | 62 | 67 | >=50 | 80-84 | 85 |
Students
| Year | Enrollment | Year-to-year change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-2023 | 48,785 | -0.9 |
| 2021-2022 | 49,204 | -5.3 |
| 2020-2021 | 51,790 | -2.0 |
| 2019-2020 | 52,811 | 0.6 |
| 2018-2019 | 52,498 | -14.8 |
| 2017-2018 | 60,263 | 0.2 |
| 2016-2017 | 60,133 | 2.1 |
| 2015-2016 | 58,865 | 0.8 |
| 2014-2015 | 58,414 | 1.4 |
| 2013-2014 | 57,620 | 1.1 |
| 2012-2013 | 56,970 | 1.2 |
| 2011-2012 | 56,310 | 1.3 |
| 2010-2011 | 55,571 | 0.8 |
| 2009-2010 | 55,140 | -0.1 |
| 2008-2009 | 55,183 | 0.2 |
| 2007-2008 | 55,069 | -2.0 |
| 2006-2007 | 56,183 | -0.1 |
| 2005-2006 | 56,236 | -1.6 |
| 2004-2005 | 57,144 | -1.2 |
| 2003-2004 | 57,805 | -0.7 |
| 2002-2003 | 58,216 | -0.6 |
| 2001-2002 | 58,566 | -2.4 |
| 2000-2001 | 59,979 | -1.5 |
| 1999-2000 | 60,896 | 0.0 |
| RACE | San Francisco Unified School District (%) | California K-12 STUDENTS (%) |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander | 36.8 | 0.0 |
| Black | 6.0 | 0.0 |
| Hispanic | 31.0 | 0.0 |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 0.7 | 0.0 |
| Two or More Races | 11.6 | 0.0 |
| White | 13.7 | 0.0 |
Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Staff
As of the 2022-2023 school year, San Francisco Unified School District had 2,316.75 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 21.06.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF TEACHERS |
|---|---|
| Prekindergarten: | 0.00 |
| Kindergarten: | 210.11 |
| Elementary: | 1,348.54 |
| Secondary: | 758.10 |
| Total: | 2,316.75 |
San Francisco Unified School District employed 51.71 district administrators and 161.10 school administrators as of the 2022-2023 school year.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS |
|---|---|
| District Administrators: | 51.71 |
| District Administrative Support: | 0.00 |
| School Administrators: | 161.10 |
| School Administrative Support: | 164.22 |
| TYPE | NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF |
|---|---|
| Instructional Aides: | 843.47 |
| Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors: | 71.17 |
| Total Guidance Counselors: | 88.95 |
| Elementary Guidance Counselors: | 29.64 |
| Secondary Guidance Counselors: | 45.73 |
| Librarians/Media Specialists: | 44.88 |
| Library/Media Support: | 0.00 |
| Student Support Services: | 218.07 |
| Other Support Services: | 525.39 |
Schools
Noteworthy events
2022: Voters approve recalls of three school board members
On February 15, 2022, a majority of voters cast ballots in favor of recalling San Francisco Unified School District Board of Education members Gabriela López, Alison Collins, and Faauuga Moliga.[15][16] Moliga left office on February 16, 2022, and López and Collins were removed from office on March 11, 2022.[17][18] That same day, San Francisco Mayor London Breed appointed the following temporary replacements for the recalled board members: Lainie Motamedi, Lisa Weissman-Ward, and Ann Hsu. The appointed members served until the winners of the board's next election were sworn in. The next election was scheduled for November 8, 2022.[19][20]
Recall supporters said they were frustrated that schools in the district remained closed for nearly a year in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic.[21] They also said they were upset that the board had spent time voting to rename 44 buildings in the district rather than focusing on opening schools.[22] López announced on February 21, 2021, that the board was putting the building renaming on hold in order to focus on re-opening schools.[23] At a board meeting on April 6, 2021, members unanimously voted to rescind the approval of the renaming process. At the same meeting, they voted to return students to full-time in-person instruction at the start of the 2021-2022 school year.[24]
2016: Proposition passed allowing non-citizens the right to vote in school board elections
On November 8, 2016, citizens of San Francisco passed Proposition N, allowing non-citizen parents or guardians of students who live in the San Francisco Unified School District to vote in school board elections. The proposition was passed with 54% of the vote.[25] It appeared on the ballot as follows:
| “ |
Shall the City allow a non-citizen resident of San Francisco who is of legal voting age and the parent, legal guardian or legally recognized caregiver of a child living in the San Francisco Unified School District to vote for members of the Board of Education?[26][9] |
” |
The city was not the first to allow non-citizens to vote in school board elections. As of 2016, the city of Chicago and six towns in Maryland also allowed for it.[27]
2016: District one of 100 to pursue socioeconomic integration
The San Francisco Unified School District was included in a list of 100 school districts pursuing socioeconomic integration. The school districts, which included 13 other California school districts and charter schools, were listed in a report published by the Century Foundation. According to its website, the foundation is a "progressive, nonpartisan think tank that seeks to foster opportunity, reduce inequality, and promote security at home and abroad." The report showed that socioeconomic integration grew from two school districts in 1996, when the foundation first started researching the issue, to 100 in October 2016, when the report was published. Richard Kahlenberg, a senior fellow at the Century Foundation, praised the U.S. Department of Education for offering incentives for school districts to voluntarily use socioeconomic integration.[28][29]
The Century Foundation's report came five months after data released by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) in May 2016 showed schools across the country had been largely resegregated. The data showed that "the number of high-poverty schools serving primarily black and brown students more than doubled between 2001 and 2014," according to The Washington Post.[30]
The data from the GAO showed that high-poverty schools did not offer students the same access to opportunities that other schools did and were also more likely to expel or suspend students for disciplinary issues. According to The Washington Post, the rise of resegregation began in the 1990s when school districts that had integrated were released from court-ordered mandates. The student population in the United States also changed, becoming less white and affluent.[30]
A 2007 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court stopped school districts from assigning students to schools based on race. Those in favor of integrating schools started using the socioeconomic status of students as an integration method.[28]
2016: Superintendent leaves for Houston
On July 27, 2016, Superintendent Richard A. Carranza announced he would be leaving the district to become superintendent of the Houston Independent School District in Texas. The school board appointed Myong Leigh, the district's deputy superintendent for policy and operations, to replace Carranza in the interim starting September 1, 2016.[31]
Carranza served the district for four years, and his tenure "has largely been free of controversy," according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Carranza said Houston ISD had many similarities to San Francisco Unified, though on a bigger scale. “The honest truth is, there is never a good time to make a transition,” said Carranza. “But SFUSD is on really solid ground. You can point in every direction and see solid structures and systems and strategies in place to ensure kids are being taken care of in the city.”[31]
“I hope to hear about Houston dramatically reducing school suspensions, introducing LGBT studies and becoming a sanctuary school district,” Board President Matt Haney said. “For us, these are our values, this is what has been important in San Francisco, and Richard has reflected that.”[31]
When he accepted the interim position, Leigh said he was not interested in pursuing the permanent position. “I don’t see myself as a candidate for the role, but I definitely see the need in the meantime. I’m stepping up because I feel this is how I can be of most value and service to the district,” said Leigh.[31]
Leigh ultimately changed his mind and applied for the permanent position, but the board did not choose him. Vincent Matthews was appointed to the role on April 4, 2017.
Contact information
San Francisco Unified School District
555 Franklin St.
San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: 415-241-6000
About school boards
Education legislation in California
Bills are monitored by BillTrack50 and sorted by action history.
See also
| California | School Board Elections | News and Analysis |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- San Francisco Unified School District
- United Educators of San Francisco
- California Department of Education
- California School Boards Association
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Bay Area Reporter, "SF campus closures, including Milk, halted by school board as new superintendent named," October 21, 2024
- ↑ ABC 7 News, "How San Francisco Unified's new superintendent plans to tackle budget deficit, save school district," October 21, 2024
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 San Francisco Unified School District, "SF Board of Education Selects Dr. Matt Wayne as SFUSD’s Finalist for Superintendent of Schools," May 12, 2022
- ↑ SF Gate, "New SF school superintendent to make $310,000 a year," April 4, 2017
- ↑ Los Angeles Wave, "Inglewood administrator to become San Francisco school chief," April 7, 2017
- ↑ San Francisco Examiner, "New SF schools superintendent to earn $310K salary," April 5, 2017
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 San Francisco Chronicle, "SF schools chief Richard Carranza leaving for Houston job," July 28, 2016
- ↑ San Francisco Unified School District, "BB 9323 Board Bylaws: Meeting Conduct," accessed April 22, 2025
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed June 17, 2024
- ↑ San Francisco Unified School District, "Contract Between San Francisco Unified School District And United Educators of San Francisco Covering Certificated Personnel July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2025," accessed April 22, 2025
- ↑ San Francisco Unified School District, "22-23 salary scheduled K-12 Fully Credentialed Teachers," accessed February 6, 2024
- ↑ San Francisco Unified School District, "19-20 salary scheduled K-12 Fully Credentialed Teachers," accessed July 13, 2021
- ↑ U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC: EDFacts, "State Assessments in Reading/Language Arts and Mathematics- School Year 2018-19 EDFacts Data Documentation," accessed February 25, 2021
- ↑ The New York Times, "In Landslide, San Francisco Forces Out 3 Board of Education Members," February 16, 2022
- ↑ San Francisco Examiner, "Voters give San Francisco school board members the boot," February 15, 2022
- ↑ CBS Local San Francisco, "UPDATE: Embattled San Francisco School Board Approves Contentious Teacher Layoff Plans," March 2, 2022
- ↑ San Francisco Examiner, "School Board Vice President Faauuga Moliga resigns in wake of recall," February 17, 2022
- ↑ The Washington Post, "The Trailer: San Francisco’s school board recalls are tearing Democrats apart," January 11, 2022
- ↑ San Francisco Office of the Mayor, "News Releases: Mayor London Breed Swears in Three New Members to the San Francisco School Board," March 11, 2022
- ↑ San Francisco CBS Local, "San Francisco School Board Recall Petitions Certified; Collins, Lopez, Moliga Face Vote In February," October 18, 2021
- ↑ San Francisco Chronicle, "San Francisco school board members are facing a recall effort. What's the chance it'll work?" February 24, 2021
- ↑ San Francisco CBS Local, "Much-Criticized San Francisco School Renaming Effort Paused; Board to Focus on Reopening," February 21, 2021
- ↑ San Francisco Examiner, "School board votes to rescind renaming resolution," April 7, 2021
- ↑ San Francisco Examiner, "Voters appear to support measure allowing non-citizen voting," November 9, 2016
- ↑ San Francisco Elections Office, "San Francisco Voter Information Pamphlet and Sample Ballot," accessed September 26, 2016
- ↑ Pasadena Star-News, "Pasadena group pushing to give voting rights to non-citizen PUSD parents," November 23, 2016
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 The Washington Post, "These are the 100 U.S. school districts that are actively pursuing socioeconomic integration," October 13, 2016
- ↑ The Century Foundation, "About the Century Foundation," accessed October 18, 2016
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 The Washington Post, "On the anniversary of Brown v. Board, new evidence that U.S. schools are resegregating," May 17, 2016
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 31.3 San Francisco Chronicle, "SF schools chief Richard Carranza leaving for Houston job," July 27, 2016
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