SFUSD WHERE THE BILLIONAIRES PLAY AND TEACHERS PRAY
San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) is in the news again, and this time it's not for their high-ranking Asian students or their big budget. No, this time it's for their financial mismanagement, teacher shortages, and potential school closures. But don't worry, folks, it's all part of the billionaires' plan to destroy public education in California.
According to the San Francisco teachers' union, the district has borrowed irresponsibly, failed to capitalize on vacant properties, and overspent on top administrative salaries. And let's not forget about the faulty payroll system that cost the district over $30 million. But hey, at least they're consistent in their mismanagement.
The union is asking for a two-year, across-the-board raise for all credentialed teachers and a minimum salary of $30 an hour for teacher's aides. The district responded with a $5,500 across-the-board raise proposal for a one-year contract. The union says that the district received $80 million from the state last year and has millions of dollars in savings. So why not spread the wealth, right?
But the real issue here is the portfolio model that SFUSD is using, which is straight out of the billionaires' privatization playbook. This model emphasizes testing and data over actual learning and creativity. It's all about the bottom line, folks, and if that means closing schools and laying off teachers, so be it.
And let's not forget about the scandals that have plagued SFUSD over the years. From Alison Collins' frivolous lawsuit to the school board's decision to rename 44 schools without consulting historians or educators, it's clear that SFUSD has a knack for making headlines for all the wrong reasons.
But perhaps the biggest scandal of all is the persistent achievement gap between white and Asian students and their Black and Latino peers. Despite various attempts to desegregate schools, increase funding, and implement reforms, the district has failed to close the gap or improve outcomes for its most disadvantaged students. It's as if SFUSD is stuck in a time loop, repeating the same mistakes over and over again.
So what's the solution? Well, for starters, how about we stop letting billionaires buy our school board elections? How about we prioritize actual learning and creativity over testing and data? And how about we actually listen to teachers and parents instead of just paying lip service to their concerns?
In conclusion, SFUSD may have a big budget and high-ranking Asian students, but it's clear that something is seriously wrong with this district. It's time to stop the billionaires' privatization agenda and start prioritizing public education for all students. Because if we don't, we'll be stuck in this comedy of errors for years to come.
Teachers Accuse San Francisco School Leaders of Fiscal Mismanagement https://sfstandard.com/2023/08/28/teachers-accuse-san-francisco-public-school-leaders-of-fiscal-mismanagement/
THE DEFT DIVE
FROM BING AI
SFUSD compares to other school districts in California in the following ways:
- - SFUSD is one of the most diverse school districts in California and in the nation, ranking fifth and 67th respectively¹.
- - SFUSD has the second highest Academic Performance Index among the seven largest California school districts, which measures student achievement and growth based on standardized tests³.
- - SFUSD has seven high schools that were named among the top five percent in the country by Newsweek in 2007³.
- - SFUSD spends more and has more staff allocated to central administration functions than most of its peer districts, especially on instructional supervision and administration².
- - SFUSD has 75% more schools and 28% less students per school than the median number in its peer districts, which may affect its efficiency and economies of scale².
- - SFUSD faces a budget deficit of $100.2 million and a possible state takeover if it cannot balance its books without relying on one-time funds².
Bing, 8/29/2023
- (1) 2022 San Francisco Unified School District Rankings - Niche. https://www.niche.com/k12/d/san-francisco-unified-school-district-ca/rankings/.
- (2) San Francisco Unified School District - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_Unified_School_District.
- (3) SF Schools Spent Nearly Double on Central Admin vs. Peers. https://sfstandard.com/education/san-francisco-schools-sfusd-spending-central-administration-audit/.
San Francisco Public Schools fiscal mismanagement.
- - The San Francisco teachers' union released a report on August 28, 2023, accusing the school district of fiscal mismanagement amid ongoing contract negotiations¹²⁶. The report claims that the district has borrowed irresponsibly, failed to capitalize on vacant properties, hired expensive consultants, and overspent on top administrative salaries¹²⁶. The union says that the district's behavior has led to teacher shortages, a payroll disaster, and talk of merging and closing campuses¹²⁶.
- - The union is asking for a two-year, across-the-board raise for all credentialed teachers and a minimum salary of $30 an hour for teacher's aides, which would cost the district roughly $90 million over the course of the contract¹²⁶. The district responded with a $5,500 across-the-board raise proposal for a one-year contract¹²⁶. The union says that the district received $80 million from the state last year and has millions of dollars in savings¹²⁶.
- - The school board approved a $1.16 billion total operating budget for the 2021-22 school year on June 23, 2021⁹ [^10^]. The budget includes the $75.8 million 2021-22 Public Education Enrichment Fund (PEEF) Expenditure Plan, which supports programs such as sports, libraries, arts, and music in the public schools⁹ [^10^]. The budget also includes $93.5 million parcel taxes from the Quality Teacher and Education Act (QTEA) and the Fair Wages for Educators Act (FWEA), which help make San Francisco teacher salaries competitive and provide financial incentives for teachers to work at high-needs schools and subjects⁹ [^10^].
- - The district expects to receive $140 million in federal stimulus funding that will help welcome students back with increased academic and wellness support in the fall and will help address a budget deficit of $100.2 million⁹. The district also expects to receive $551.3 million from the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), California's primary source of state education dollars⁹. However, school district officials caution that these new state and federal funds may only be short-term relief for an ongoing structural deficit facing SFUSD and many other California school districts⁹.
- - The district faces possible takeover by the state due to its budget problems¹¹. According to state law, if a school district cannot meet its financial obligations for the current or two subsequent fiscal years, it must request an emergency loan from the state, which would trigger state intervention and loss of local control¹¹. The district has until October 8, 2021, to submit a revised budget to the county office of education that shows how it will balance its books without relying on one-time funds¹¹. If the county office rejects the revised budget, it could appoint a fiscal advisor to oversee the district's finances and make recommendations to avoid insolvency¹¹.
Bing, 8/29/2023
- (1) Teachers Accuse SF School Leaders of Fiscal Mismanagement. https://sfstandard.com/2023/08/28/teachers-accuse-san-francisco-public-school-leaders-of-fiscal-mismanagement/.
- (2) ‘Math isn’t mathing’: Teachers’ union alleges SF school district of .... https://localnewsmatters.org/2023/08/28/math-isnt-mathing-teachers-union-alleges-sf-school-district-of-fiscal-mismanagement/.
- (3) Teachers' Union Releases Report Accusing School District Of Fiscal .... https://www.sfgate.com/news/bayarea/article/teachers-union-releases-report-accusing-school-18335086.php.
- (4) SF Board of Education Approves Budget for 2021-22 School Year. https://www.sfusd.edu/about-sfusd/sfusd-news/press-releases/2021-06-23-sf-board-education-approves-budget-2021-22-school-year.
- (5) Budget and LCAP | SFUSD - San Francisco Public Schools. https://www.sfusd.edu/about-sfusd/budget-and-lcap.
- (6) San Francisco school district faces possible takeover due to budget .... https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/san-francisco-school-district-faces-possible-takeover-due-to-budget-problems/.
- (7) San Francisco teachers' union accuses school district of fiscal .... https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/san-francisco/san-francisco-unified-school-district-fiscal-mismanagement/3305731/.
- (8) SF teachers, parents claim San Francisco Unified School District .... https://abc7news.com/san-francisco-teachers-sfusd-board-of-education-district-stabilization-plan/13712985/.
- (9) undefined. https://t.co/w7B5HpkX8n.
- (10) . https://bing.com/search?q=San+Francisco+Unified+School+District+budget.
- (11) San Francisco Unified School District. https://www.sfusd.edu/.
- (12) SFUSD Board approves short-term budget for 2021-22. https://sfbayview.com/2021/07/sfusd-board-approves-short-term-budget-for-2021-22/.
SFUSD scandals:
- - One of the most recent scandals involves Alison Collins, a school board member who filed a $87 million lawsuit against the district and five of her colleagues for stripping her of her vice-president title and committee assignments over her 2016 tweets that disparaged Asian Americans¹. The lawsuit claims that Collins was a victim of a "cancel culture" campaign orchestrated by the mayor, the city attorney, and wealthy donors who wanted to silence her voice on racial justice issues¹. The lawsuit also alleges that Collins was unfairly targeted for her criticism of the district's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and its failure to reopen schools¹. The lawsuit has been widely criticized as frivolous, baseless, and self-serving by legal experts, community leaders, and parents¹.
- - Another scandal that drew national attention was the school board's decision to rename 44 schools that were named after historical figures who were deemed to have ties to slavery, oppression, racism, or genocide². The decision was made without consulting historians, educators, or the public, and relied on faulty research from a volunteer committee that used Wikipedia and other questionable sources². Some of the names that were slated to be changed included Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Paul Revere, and Dianne Feinstein². The decision sparked outrage and ridicule from across the political spectrum, and was challenged in court by a group of parents and alumni who argued that the board violated state law by not holding public hearings or considering the educational impact of the name changes². The board eventually suspended the renaming process and admitted that it had made mistakes².
- - A third scandal that has plagued the district for decades is the persistent achievement gap between white and Asian students and their Black and Latino peers³. Despite various attempts to desegregate schools, increase funding, and implement reforms, the district has failed to close the gap or improve the outcomes for its most disadvantaged students³. According to the 2019 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP), only 19% of Black students and 23% of Latino students met or exceeded standards in English language arts, compared to 79% of Asian students and 72% of white students³. In math, only 12% of Black students and 16% of Latino students met or exceeded standards, compared to 77% of Asian students and 66% of white students³. The district also has one of the highest suspension rates for Black students in the state, and one of the lowest graduation rates for Black males in the nation³.
Bing, 8/29/2023
- (1) Alison Collins' strange and terrible $87M lawsuit - Mission Local. https://missionlocal.org/2021/04/alison-collins-strange-and-terrible-87m-lawsuit/.
- (2) Why San Francisco’s city government is so dysfunctional - The Economist. https://www.economist.com/united-states/2021/08/28/why-san-franciscos-city-government-is-so-dysfunctional.
- (3) Facing Our Past, Changing Our Future, Part II: Five ... - SFUSD: Home. https://www.sfusd.edu/facing-our-past-changing-our-future-part-ii-five-decades-desegregation-sfusd-1971-today.
