In a major shift for San Francisco’s public schools, newly appointed Superintendent Maria Su has announced a halt to San Francisco Unified School District’s (SFUSD) plans to close multiple schools amid a growing financial crisis.
The SFUSD faced mounting community pressure following an Oct. 6 announcement listing 13 elementary and two high schools for closure. The announcement, which has since been taken down from district-run platforms, indicated that these closures were necessary to balance the budget for the upcoming school year and avoid a takeover by the California Department of Education.
The rescinded announcement stated that these schools were deemed eligible for closure because they have fewer than 260 students and a low “composite score” determined by factors such as facility conditions, student achievement, location, and potential effects on disadvantaged students.
“It is undoubtedly difficult for our school communities to face these potential changes,” said former Superintendent Matt Wayne in an email announcing future school closures to SFUSD families. “With severe budget cuts imminent, continuing with the status quo in SFUSD is unacceptable and not sustainable. We must keep the best interests of all of those we represent at heart, particularly our students.”
Wayne’s email sparked criticism and protests from local community members opposed to the potential termination of their schools, prompting a quick response from San Francisco Mayor London Breed.
“Whatever this current proposed school closure process was meant to accomplish, or could have accomplished, is lost,” Breed said in a statement on X that same day. “It is time to immediately stop.”
Three days later, Wayne announced his resignation from SFUSD after nearly two and a half years of service, citing the need for new leadership during the ongoing fiscal challenges.
Following an emergency school board meeting, during which Wayne’s resignation was approved by a 6-1 vote, the district formally released a statement regarding the leadership transition.
“Su will stop the current school closure process and focus on addressing the district’s looming structural deficit to avoid state takeover,” the district’s statement said. “Moving forward, SFUSD still must consider school mergers or closures as a potential strategy to mitigate the impacts of declining enrollment.”
According to SFUSD School Board President Matt Alexander, SFUSD’s student body has decreased by over 4,000 students since 2022. He further said in an Aug. 29 discussion with SFUSD staff that the district will lose 4,600 additional students by 2032.
“The declining enrollment in SFUSD public schools is especially alarming from an economic standpoint. Most California public schools, including our district, receive funding based on how many students are at school, so fewer students on campus means less money for our schools,” said Ginger Trumpbour, a San Francisco teacher.
The drop in SFUSD students is linked to declining birth rates, increased out-migration, and a COVID-19 pandemic-driven shift toward private education, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.
“For my family, SFUSD’s prolonged reopening after the COVID-19 pandemic was one of the reasons we were inclined to switch to private education,” said Lee Rawitscher, a former SFUSD parent. “It not only inconvenienced us, but it also had a profound impact on my daughter’s education.”
Facing a $400 million budget deficit over three years due to this declining enrollment, SFUSD initially projected $1 million saved annually per school closure. Now, with a Dec. 15 deadline to submit a balanced budget, Su and her team are tasked to devise a new financial plan.
“SFUSD needs to rebuild relationships with our families, with our teachers, with our educators, with our staff,” Su said in her introductory discussion with State Superintendent Tony Thurmond. “While our budget is a priority, we first need to bring back trust and optimism to our schools.”
