Frequently Asked Questions About UESF Negotiations

On Feb. 5, SFUSD met with the United Educators of San Francisco (UESF) and presented a written proposal, as the union had requested. Our proposal includes the following to put money directly in the pockets of educators:

• Increase affordability of family healthcare offerings: SFUSD offered two options to fully fund single and single plus dependent healthcare coverage. UESF can either opt for 75% of family healthcare at the Kaiser rate or an annual health benefits allowance of $24,000 for each full time educator.
• Augmenting salaries for all paraeducators
• Addressing Special Education workload with a focused pilot program
• Providing 6% raise over 3 years (2% each year for next 3 years)
• Potential fund balance bonus for all SFUSD employees in addition to the salary increases for 2027-2028 school year. Read more about how fund balances and reserves work.

This is a win-win proposal— the district gets fiscal certainty because it only spends money it knows it has and educators get money directly in their pocket. This proposal takes into account the needs of all educators and provides the district with a runway to stabilize its finances.

Our proposal is responsive to UESF’s priorities, is authorized by the Board of Education, and is substantiated by the recent neutral fact-finding report. Unfortunately, UESF rejected our offer and declined to provide a counter-proposal.

Last updated Feb. 7

SFUSD has made significant progress in addressing risk factors that prevent the district from achieving fiscal solvency. Using limited, one-time funding to fund ongoing expenses like pay increases with no plan to fund them in the future will create a financial cliff, forcing greater future layoffs and worsening outcomes while extending fiscal distress and the time the district remains in state oversight. It also exposes the district to further cuts if no reserves are available to guard against unforeseen circumstances. The Board of Education established a reserve fund of 8% or $111 million to guard against unforeseen events and to prevent cuts to the classroom in the case of an emergency. The reserve is a set amount of funding with specific prescribed uses that have been adopted by the Board of Education. 

Last updated Feb. 7

Any actions that impact the district’s finances, including pay raises, must be approved by the state’s fiscal oversight advisors.  They have the authority to reject any expenditures that they believe threaten the long-term financial stability of the district.

Last updated Feb. 7

Only the superintendent, with authorization from the Board of Education, can close schools. Closing schools is a last resort but may be necessary if the district cannot safely operate schools during a strike. If UESF chooses to proceed with a strike on Monday, Feb. 9, families and the community should prepare for schools to be closed on Monday.

Last updated Feb. 7

We recognize how disruptive school closures are, and has a significant impact on students and daily routines. We are working closely with our city- and community-based partners to provide options for students, with special attention to students with the greatest needs and those most underserved.

Families, get resources on independent study in the event of school closures or read FAQs about independent study.

Last updated Feb. 7

SFUSD’s goal is to meet its obligation to provide 180 days of annual instruction to students. We are exploring options to make up for any lost school days.  

Last updated Feb. 7