Schools Receive 2023-24 Capacities

Setting capacities centrally is a way for SFUSD to be more financially efficient. It is also a way for us to operate holistically to serve each and every student. By setting capacities as a system, rather than school-by-school, we can ensure that each school has sufficient resources to function at a high level with enough full-time, certificated teachers to support our learners. SFUSD began setting capacities centrally for the 2022-23 school year, while facing a significant budget deficit following years of declining enrollment. The Fiscal Expert who was appointed by the State of California to advise the District during that time made the recommendation that we should fund schools based on their actual enrollment; setting capacities centrally is a way to make sure we’re following that guidance.

The centralized capacity setting process last year was very successful at making capacities and actual enrollment more aligned: in elementary schools, enrolled students are filling 89% of available seats this year, up significantly from 82% in 2021-22. Classrooms being more full means we are using our resources much more efficiently.

Further, in a year where school districts across the country faced teacher shortages, some of the hard decisions to reduce classrooms meant there were fewer classroom vacancies in SFUSD than there otherwise would have been.

There was not an overall negative impact on families, as a consistent proportion of families still received one of their requested schools as in previous years.

This year, we are making fewer capacity changes for SY 2023-24. We are emphasizing school stability and instructional excellence since our financial position has improved. We are still using the same centralized capacity setting process for SY 2023-24 that we introduced last  year to identify where changes are necessary. Based on learnings from last year and feedback from site leaders and families, central office staff have communicated more regularly and farther in advance about the process and timeline for capacity-setting this year. Central office staff are creating more opportunities for site leaders to ask questions, give feedback, and request changes after they see their school’s capacities.

This year, there are fewer capacity changes than last year, because we are prioritizing stability for school communities and keeping a focus on instructional quality, rather than aggressively pursuing additional budgetary efficiencies.

• In elementary schools, we plan to make changes that will reduce the overall number of seats in TK-5th by about 550. Currently, those classrooms are 89% full, overall; after the change, we project them to be 92% full next year.
• In middle schools, we plan to increase the number of seats in 6th-8th by about 140 students, which would keep those classrooms at 93% full.
• In high schools, we plan to hold capacities constant overall, keeping classrooms at 92% full.

Changes to enrollment capacities are linked to school budgets and staffing decisions but are not the same. Enrollment capacities are directly used in February to specify the number of seats available for next year’s student assignment runs, so that families applying for the Fall 2023 can receive their offers in March. School budget development happens around the same time, but uses enrollment projections based on current enrollment, enrollment trends, and a consideration of capacity changes. Where we are just reducing empty seats that exceed projected enrollment, capacity changes don’t actually impact budgets. Once each school receives their budget allocations, school communities will have opportunities during School Site Council meetings to make decisions about how to use their resources.

The Principal at your family’s school will communicate any capacity changes, and any projected impacts on staffing, to the school community. Be on the lookout for updates from the Principal and school meetings related to Budget development.

At this point, the district is still not in a position to start adding back classes that were reduced last year; we will not be able to do that until overall enrollment is at a higher level overall.