Head of Special Education

Jennifer Jimenez-Payne is the Head of Special Education and SELPA Director for the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD). With over 14 years in SFUSD and nine years in strategic leadership, she has served as Supervisor, Director, and Executive Director of Special Education Services.

A steadfast advocate for equity and inclusion, Jennifer specializes in implementing inclusive practices and managing a $230M+ budget to align resources with student needs. She is dedicated to fostering community alliances with groups like the Special Education CAC and AAPAC to build trust and ensure student success. Jennifer’s background includes a decade as an urban special education teacher and three years as a Content Specialist. Her leadership has been instrumental in developing district-wide structures for access to the core curriculum and policies on dyslexia.

She holds a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Concordia University, an MBA from the Asian Institute of Management, and a BS in Statistics from the University of the Philippines. Jennifer also maintains Education Specialist Professional Clear Credentials from the University of San Francisco.

Contact: jimenezpaynej@sfusd.edu