San Francisco can afford great public schools. We are demanding that the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors vote to increase San Francisco’s General Fund allocation to SFUSD so the District can cover its deficit and avoid any additional cuts to public schools.

San Francisco Unified School District is facing another round of devastating budget cuts — on top of the deeply harmful cuts made last year that schools are still struggling to survive.

These cuts are stripping schools of assistant principals, counselors, librarians, special education support, and electives, while forcing larger class sizes and combined classrooms as early as 2nd and 3rd grade. PTAs are being pushed to cover what should be core services — including basic library access — or else children simply go without.

This is unacceptable.

At the same time, SFUSD educators are nearing a strike because contract negotiations have stalled. Teachers are not asking for luxuries. They are asking for affordable family healthcare, manageable workloads — especially for special education staff, and wages that reflect San Francisco’s extreme cost of living. These are the minimum conditions needed to retain qualified educators in our schools.

Meanwhile, families are leaving San Francisco in droves. SFUSD then punishes remaining schools for under-enrollment — creating a vicious cycle:
Cuts → worse schools → more families leave → more cuts.

That is not fiscal responsibility. That is institutional failure.

What’s at stake:

• Larger class sizes hurt learning, especially in early grades, where research consistently shows smaller classes improve student outcomes and equity.
• Cutting assistant principals makes schools unmanageable, particularly because federal law requires administrators to attend IEP meetings — shifting all responsibility to principals alone.
• Middle and high school students are losing counselors and a 7th period, eliminating electives, intervention time, tutoring, and language support — all in the name of saving money.
• Teacher burnout and attrition are accelerating, making it nearly impossible to retain talent in a high-cost city.

This Is an Equity Crisis — and a Betrayal of San Francisco’s Values

San Francisco has long defined itself as a city of equity, inclusion, and refuge — a place that welcomes families of every race, income level, immigration status, ability, language, and identity.

It is a sanctuary city, a national leader in LGBTQ+ protections, disability rights, language access, and immigrant inclusion. The city repeatedly affirms — in policy and rhetoric — that equity is not optional, and that public institutions must work hardest for those with the greatest needs.

Public education is the most important of those institutions.

Yet the current direction of SFUSD budget cuts does the opposite of equity:

• Schools serving higher-need students are losing counselors, social workers, and special education supports
• Larger class sizes disproportionately harm students who need individualized attention
• Cutting electives, intervention periods, and language supports hurts multilingual learners, students with disabilities, and students experiencing trauma
• Forcing PTAs to fundraise for core services deepens inequality, because not all school communities have the same resources

Furthermore, allowing deep cuts to Title I funding while claiming a commitment to equity is incompatible with San Francisco’s values.

A city cannot claim to value equity while allowing access to quality education to depend on a family’s ability to pay for private school.

Excellent public education is not a luxury — it is the foundation of an equitable city.

San Francisco’s values mean that:

A child’s future should not depend on whether their school can privately fund a librarian
Students with IEPs should not lose services because administrators were cut
Teen mental health should not be sacrificed to balance a spreadsheet
Families should not be pushed out of the city because public schools are intentionally weakened
If San Francisco truly believes in equity, then fully funding public education must be non-negotiable.

Anything less is a betrayal of the city’s stated values — and of the families who believed in them.

The city recently introduced free and subsidized childcare to retain families — but families will still leave if public schools continue to deteriorate. Private school costs roughly $40,000 per year, an option out of reach for most families. Public schools must be strong, stable, and fully funded.

By signing this petition, we call on the City of San Francisco and SFUSD leadership to act in alignment with the city’s long-standing commitment to equity, inclusion, and opportunity for all families. 

We call on the Mayor, the Board of Supervisors, and the SFUSD Board of Education to:

Cover the SFUSD budget deficit immediately using city funds or reserves so there are NO further cuts to school staffing or programs.

Protect class sizes and stop forced combined classrooms that undermine effective teaching and learning.

Fully staff schools with assistant principals, counselors, librarians, special education professionals, and support staff.

Support the real demands of SFUSD educators, including:
Affordable dependent healthcare comparable to other city employees
Sustainable workloads, especially for special education and RSP teachers
Competitive wages that reflect San Francisco’s cost of living

Preserve electives, counseling, and intervention supports, particularly for middle and high school students.

San Francisco’s children should not be punished for administrative failures or enrollment fluctuations. Strong public schools are essential infrastructure — not optional expenses.

Sign this petition to demand full funding, fair contracts, and a future where San Francisco’s public schools are places families want to stay.