Assistant Superintendent of the Student and Family Services Division

Tony Payne is a proud product of San Francisco public schools and has dedicated nearly three decades to the students, families, and communities of SFUSD.

Tony began his career in the classroom, spending 15 years as a middle school teacher, where he developed a belief that strong relationships, student agency, a growth mindset, and a focus on rigor are the foundations of every young person's success. He went on to serve as Assistant Principal at Aptos and Galileo, and Principal at Presidio Middle School before joining SFUSD's LEAD site administrator network, where he spent a decade developing school leaders at all grades across the district. 

He was appointed Assistant Superintendent of the Student and Family Services Division in December 2025.
In his current role, Tony oversees a broad portfolio of programs and services grounded in SFUSD's Guardrail 2 — Serving the Whole Child. His work is focused on ensuring every student has the academic, social, emotional, and family support they need to thrive. He is committed to building systems that are equitable, responsive, and centered on student outcomes.
Tony reports directly to Deputy Superintendent of Educational Services John Davis and is a member of SFUSD's Superintendent's Leadership Team.

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