Reflections and Updates as the School Year Comes to a Close

Originally posted on May 13, 2025. 

Dear SFUSD Community:

It’s hard to believe there are just over three weeks left in the 2024-25 school year. The end of the year is a time to celebrate our students’ achievements and growth, along with the dedication of our teachers and staff. It’s also a time of transition—when families prepare for summer and schools begin planning for the year ahead. As we reflect on all we've accomplished this past year, we are also laying the groundwork for a strong, stable start next fall.

Since stepping into the role of superintendent last October, I have been focused on stabilizing the district’s operations and balancing the budget while continuing to serve our students with the care and commitment they deserve. 

We must ensure that we have a steady foundation to allow the district to grow and thrive into the future. While I am confident that as a district we are moving forward to a better place, I also want to acknowledge some of the uncertainty and concern you may be feeling. 

As a district, we are still faced with the reality of making almost $114 million in reductions for the next school year. Today, I will deliver our third Interim Budget Report for the current year to the Board of Education, along with our updated plan to stabilize our budget in the coming years. In June, I will submit a budget to the Board of Education that reflects our spending plans for the 2025-26 school year.

In drafting the budget, I was guided by one core principal: to best ensure the quality education of our students. In the coming school year, families and staff will experience some changes and shifts across schools, and other changes won’t be as visible because they focus on our administrative offices. 

Eliminating or pausing programs and reducing staffing is never easy. I am grateful for the service and contributions of our staff, and I know that these changes have a real impact on our communities. That’s why I am committed to transparency and an open dialogue.  

This spring, I have held eight town halls and engaged with 12 parent advisory groups both virtually and in person across the city. I am grateful to the more than 1,100 people who attended these sessions to engage in dialogue with me. I know that there are serious concerns about the impact of budget decisions, particularly the impacts on classroom conditions and the support systems that our students receive.

Let me be clear: with every decision, we are prioritizing teaching and learning in our classrooms, and directing resources where we can to support students. Keeping the quality education of our students front and center means that we must ensure that every student has a qualified teacher in their classroom and access to the care and support they need every single day. 

To that end, we achieved a significant milestone this month when the state agreed to lift the hiring freeze that was in place for over 160 of our teachers. This was the direct result of the hard work of many, including Board of Education members, families and staff. We still have more work to do to further lift the hiring freeze, but when we advocate with a shared voice, we can make good progress. 

We are moving in the right direction, but we are not out of the woods yet. Balancing the budget responsibly now is essential so we don’t face even more painful cuts down the road. We must bring our school district into a place of predictability and consistency, while staying true to our core values and keeping steady on our goals for student outcomes. These are necessary steps toward long-term sustainability.

While many of you will be turning your attention to summer camps and other plans, know that here in SFUSD we will be working hard to present and submit a balanced budget by July 1. I will continue to provide updates throughout the summer on our progress, the choices we are making, and how we are working to welcome your children back to their schools this fall. 

I am committed to working through this together, with honesty and compassion. Thank you for standing with us through these challenges and for continuing to support our students, educators, and schools.

In community,

Dr. Maria Su

Superintendent of Schools