SFUSD Making Significant Progress Implementing Fiscal Stabilization Plan

Posted Date

San Francisco (April 21, 2025) - San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) Superintendent Dr. Maria Su today announced significant progress in the ongoing efforts to implement the district’s Fiscal Stabilization Plan. 

In alignment with the district’s commitment to supporting student learning and ensuring quality teaching and education environments, Superintendent Su has overseen recent key actions that are directly contributing to the financial stability of the district, while maintaining a focus on student success. SFUSD continues to prioritize safe, inclusive, and nurturing environments where all students can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. 

Key accomplishments include:

  • The prevention of teacher layoffs due to the successful execution of an early retirement plan for existing teachers. The number of District teaching staff accepting the Supplemental Employee Retirement Plan (SERP) has allowed SFUSD to turn to focusing on strategic personnel reductions in other areas to minimize impact on student learning.
  • Ensuring there is a qualified teacher in every classroom so that classrooms are full with engaged students. New staffing policies have enabled SFUSD to allocate resources strategically to address trends of declining student enrollment and the nationwide teacher shortage. This effort reflects SFUSD’s commitment to providing every student with a high-quality education, led by well-prepared and committed educators.
  • Meeting targets for central office reorganization and budget savings. Targeted measures have streamlined administrative operations, further reducing costs and ensuring resources are redirected to support classroom instruction and student services.

These efforts are part of a multi-pronged strategy by SFUSD to balance its budget while minimizing impacts of budget reductions on students and staff. 

SFUSD must submit a board-approved budget to the state of California by June 30, 2025. Currently, 80% of the district’s $1.3 billion budget is spent on staffing. The District is implementing a multi-year fiscal stabilization plan which includes $113.8 million in reductions for the 2025-26 school year. To that end, Superintendent Su has stated that it will be necessary to reduce some of the district’s existing workforce in central office and across schools. The district is on track to meet this deadline, but the process will require difficult decisions.

“We are making meaningful progress toward stabilizing both our district and its budget, keeping student outcomes as our North Star in this process,” Superintendent Dr. Maria Su said. “These are not easy decisions, but they are necessary ones. Throughout this process, I remain deeply committed to honoring the hard work and dedication of our staff, and I’m truly grateful for the thoughtful input we’ve received from students and families.”

At the Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, Superintendent Su will provide an update on two key initiatives: 

  • Central Office Reorganization and Reduction: SFUSD’s central office was 25% of the District’s budget a few years ago. After Dr. Su’s strategic realignment and streamlining strategies, the central office will represent only 16% of the proposed budget, meaning 84% of SFUSD’s budget will go toward schools.
  • Payroll and Budget Update: Frontline, a system built specifically for California K–12 districts, is used by over 60% of school districts and county offices across the state. Frontline will consolidate key business functions into one centralized platform, covering budget development, procurement, payroll processing, benefits, credentialing, and retirement reporting.

The SF Board of Education has recently approved two interim budget reports and a comprehensive budget audit, which highlight the district’s continued fiscal discipline and strategic management. These reports reflect careful monitoring of finances and a clear path toward long-term stability.

“The Board of Education has approved a Fiscal Stabilization Plan, and we are well on our way to putting that plan into action,” Board President Phil Kim said. “We brought in Dr. Su to lead SFUSD during a time of challenge and change — to bring focus, stability, and follow-through — and she is doing exactly that. By implementing new evaluation metrics to monitor the Superintendent’s progress, the Board will ensure that SFUSD continues to fulfill its ambitious goals for student outcomes. We appreciate Dr. Su’s leadership and the steady progress being made.”

Frontline and Red Rover Updates

SFUSD is also making steady progress toward modernizing its business operations with the implementation of two major systems: Frontline and Red Rover. These platforms will serve as the foundation for all budget, payroll, and human resources functions across the district.

Frontline, a system built specifically for California K–12 districts, is used by over 60% of school districts and county offices across the state. Its wide adoption gives SFUSD access to a strong peer network and a track record of proven success. Frontline will consolidate key business functions into one centralized platform, covering budget development, procurement, payroll processing, benefits, credentialing, and retirement reporting.

The system also includes a user-friendly Employee Portal, where staff can view paystubs, update personal information, and access important district communications—all in one place.

To complement Frontline, SFUSD has selected Red Rover to manage the full scope of Human Capital Management needs. Red Rover will handle critical functions such as recruiting, onboarding, absence tracking, and time management.

As of April 10, 2025, 74% of the project’s implementation tasks are complete. Several key modules—including Vendors, Add-ons, Pay Cycles, and Position Management—have already been fully built and tested. Other components, such as Payroll/HR, Leaves, and the Employee Portal, remain in development and are receiving dedicated attention. Some lower-priority areas are currently on hold as the team focuses on the highest-impact items to stay on track for a July go-live.

While the district has made strong progress, a few areas still require additional support:

  • Budget setup has faced delays due to system performance issues and the timing of key data delivery.
     
  • Customizations were temporarily paused, but that work is now back on track with documentation, development, and testing underway.
     
  • Payroll progress has been affected by dual entry challenges that created data mismatches. A detailed plan is in place to clean up data and improve testing and long-term data integrity.
     

In addition to technical progress, SFUSD is emphasizing change management and staff readiness. Recognizing the concerns stemming from the previous SAP rollout, the district is taking a more transparent, responsive, and phased approach this time. This includes:

  • Building a dedicated project team focused on data accuracy and functionality
  • Providing ongoing staff training and hands-on support
  • Enhancing internal communication strategies to guide employees through the transition
     

The project has also been impacted by recent leadership turnover in key roles such as Chief Financial Officer and project leads, which has posed some challenges to decision-making and continuity. Despite this, the district remains firmly committed to delivering a successful launch and building trust with employees through a thoughtful and collaborative process.

To watch a recording of the press conference Dr. Su held on Monday, April 21 about these updates click here.

To view the presentations for Tuesday’s Board meeting, please go here:

 

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