San Francisco’s public school district has partially lifted a teacher hiring freeze, allowing educators to switch schools and schools to begin hiring substitute teachers.
The action follows an agreement between the San Francisco Unified School District and California Department of Education, which has been overseeing district spending after SFUSD projected a $113.8 million deficit as enrollment declined.
“This is a huge step forward where our community came together in our shared goal to have a qualified teacher in every classroom on the first day of school next year,” Superintendent Maria Su said in a news release Friday.
The agreement means teachers who asked to change schools can now go through the voluntary transfer process laid out in the district’s labor agreements, SFUSD said.
It also means that as of May 5, SFUSD will begin hiring eligible credentialed temporary teachers, the district said.
“With the hiring freeze partially lifted for teacher positions, SFUSD can immediately proceed with teacher hiring for the 2025-2026 school year.”
SFUSD news release
Hiring has been frozen since May 2024, when the state Department of Education increased oversight of SFUSD’s budget.
“Before any positions are approved by our fiscal advisors, SFUSD must demonstrate it has the money to pay for them,” the district said in the news release. “With the hiring freeze partially lifted for teacher positions, SFUSD can immediately proceed with teacher hiring for the 2025-2026 school year.”
SFUSD will continue to find and make $113.8 million in budget reductions in fiscal 2025-26, the district said. An additional $13 million in cuts will be needed for fiscal 2026-27.
“The Board of Education is committed to representing SFUSD’s values, which include centering student success amidst this budget crisis,” Board President Phil Kim said.
SFUSD must submit a budget, approved by its board, to the state by July 1.
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