Announcement Details
Announcement Message
Dear Colleagues,
I am writing to you today to let you know about some budget-related staffing changes that will happen this spring. I see how hard you are working and it is painful to share this news. As if a pandemic wasn’t bad enough, we are now entering that time of year when, based on state law, we need to notify certificated and paraeducator staff of potential layoffs.
I am including here some information I hope you will find helpful. This short screencast provides a summary of the current situation and pending staffing processes. Also below for your reference is an FAQ regarding the budget deficit and staffing.
While a shared understanding of our budget realities and how the education code works is valuable, at the end of the day, I know from personal experience (having received several layoff notices over the course of my career) that this whole process leaves us weary and deflated. A layoff notice is not the same as an actual layoff and hopefully most employees who receive a March 15 notice will not be given a final notice. Nonetheless, I recognize that this time can be stressful and feel uncertain.
Positions across all unions as well as unrepresented staff may be impacted by layoffs though the notification deadlines vary. If you are one of the employees who will be receiving a preliminary notice, HR will be reaching out to you later today. Please reach out to your site leader or UESF leadership who will be able to answer questions and guide you. You may also submit questions to the Staffing Process Inquiry Form or to staffingquestions@sfusd.edu.
Additionally, we will be hosting two information sessions:
Let’s keep taking good care of each other.
Warm regards,
Dr. Vincent Matthews
FAQs: SFUSD Budgets and Staffing
Q: What is a structural deficit? How did SFUSD get here?
SFUSD is experiencing a structural deficit –– even before the pandemic the district’s expenditures exceeded its revenue. Along with decreased student enrollment, which deepens the deficit due to revenue loss, rising costs associated with teacher/staff pensions, expanded services,and special education services, among other expenses, are contributing factors.
While SFUSD has sought to address the budget forecast to soften the impact on schools, including making reductions to Central administration in the last few years and exploring additional funding sources, current projections show estimated deficits of at least $125M for the districts’ next fiscal year, 2022-23.
Q: How will the proposed budget balancing plan submitted to the California Department of Education affect school site budgets?
Funding for schools is based on the number and characteristics of students served. In other words, schools receive an allocation for each enrolled student and what types of services those students need; i.e. English Learners, students with special needs, etc. For the past 3 years, school site budgets have not decreased proportionally to the decrease in the number of students they serve.
The proposed Budget Balancing Plan revises the District’s funding allocation for Weighted Student Formula (WSF) and the Multi Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) based on the decline in student enrollment.
The impacts of these changes will vary site to site. However, not all sites will necessarily lose funding, particularly if they have experienced enrollment growth in recent years. School sites can also have even more flexibility when developing site budgets that can be responsive to the unique needs of students within the school community.
Q: Will there be layoffs?
There may be staff positions filled that the district will no longer be able to afford under the budget-balancing plan. While every effort will be made to sustain our existing workforce, in some cases there may not be an appropriate placement for every employee whose job is impacted. Positions across all unions as well as unrepresented staff may be impacted by layoffs.
Q: What are we doing to minimize certificated layoffs?
SFUSD is offering a retirement and resignation early notification incentive in hopes of early identification of where vacancies will be next fiscal year. If certificated employees submit their retirement paperwork by February 4th, 2022, they will receive a $1000 bonus, and if they submit by March 1, 2022, they will receive a $500 bonus!
Central support service budgets have and will continue to absorb a greater percentage of the cuts than school site budgets. It’s important to note though that there are still many certificated staff who are centrally funded who may be impacted and who may in turn choose to move to a site position that is currently filled by someone with lower seniority.
Q: Isn’t there a staffing shortage?
Yes, when it comes to some credential areas and specific roles, SFUSD, like many other districts, is impacted by the staffing shortage. However, it is not always possible to fill a vacant position with someone who is in a position that may need to be eliminated as it depends on their credentials/qualifications and other factors.
Q: How are layoffs determined (who is on the layoff list and why)?
For UESF represented positions and classified positions, layoffs are strictly based on seniority within program and service areas that are being cut. Hard to fill subject areas are exempted.
Q: What is the March 15 deadline?
Under California law March 15 is the deadline to send out layoff notices to certificated staff.
- March 15th is the statutory deadline per sections 44949 & 44955 of the Education Code for issuing preliminary notification of layoffs to certificated staff.
- It is also the date by which administrators must be notified under section 44951 that they will be released from their administrative contract for the upcoming school year.
- Per Education Code section 44929.21, March 15 is the date the district must notify second year certificated probationary employees that they will not be reelected for the next school year.
- Final notice of teacher layoffs or administrative reassignments must be given by May 15 for teachers and June 3O for administrative reassignments.
Q: When will classified, non-UESF and non-UASF staff layoffs be announced?
Other layoffs may occur based on site or department reductions. If there are reductions, in most cases the employee must be notified at least 45 days prior to the last day their services will be needed. Usually, the notice period is counted as 45 days from the end of the school year if they are a school term employee or at least 30 days prior to June 30th.