Responsible Cuts Require Transparency & Analysis of Impacts
SFUSD Superintendent, S.F. Board of Education, and Mayor Daniel Lurie
SFUSD is proposing major budget cuts without sharing enough information about how these cuts will affect students or whether better alternatives exist. The public school community—parents, teachers, principals, and staff—understands that the district must fix its budget deficit to maintain local control of our schools. However, the district must also:
- Minimize harm to students as cuts are made
- Be transparent about what alternatives were considered and what analysis was done to determine these are the best options
- Listen to the community about what we want to prioritize in our schools as these difficult decisions are made
The district must partner with families, not keep us in the dark, before making drastic decisions that will harm our students' learning and well-being.
Sponsored by
To:
SFUSD Superintendent, S.F. Board of Education, and Mayor Daniel Lurie
From:
[Your Name]
We—parents, teachers, staff, and community members—are writing to express our deep concerns about the proposed budget reductions and staffing model changes for the 2026-27 school year, particularly without transparency about analysis on the impact of these cuts and tradeoffs considered.
We understand the district must address its budget deficit to maintain local control of our schools. However, we cannot support drastic cuts without sufficient transparency, analysis, and community input. The proposed reductions will directly harm our students' education and well-being. They will reduce educational opportunities, eliminate support services, and make it harder for students to access school.
Before adopting these budget cuts, we call on the district to:
1) Provide comprehensive analysis of how each proposed cut will impact students, including effects on class sizes, course access, student support services, and equity
2) Share all alternatives considered and explain why the proposed cuts are better than other options
3) Hold meaningful community meetings where families, teachers, and staff can ask questions and provide input that genuinely influences decisions
4) Reconsider the rainy day fund timeline—use available reserves to minimize harm to students during this crisis rather than setting aside $111 million while cutting vital services
We are committed to working with district, city, and state leaders to solve this budget crisis. Parents want to be partners in finding solutions that protect our students while addressing the deficit. But partnership requires transparency and honest dialogue.
We urge you to slow down, share information, listen to the community, and work with us to find solutions that put our students first.
Sincerely,
[Signatures]