The San Francisco Public School Board of Education has approved a plan to offer additional early retirement benefits to eligible older teachers at the end of this school year.
The move is part of the district’s strategy to cut costs and balance its budget.
“We are committed to achieving responsible fiscal health in a way that also prioritizes the experience and dedication of our employees,” said Superintendent Dr. Maria Su.
But not everyone agrees that buying out teachers is the best way to save money.
Dozens of people took to the microphone during the public comments to express their concerns about the policy.
“More older, experienced teachers leaving our schools and being replaced by new, younger, less experienced teachers will result in poorer learning outcomes for our students,” one said.
“It is absurd to talk about cuts when our schools are still plagued by vacancies. At Bessie we are short two full-time teachers, which is extremely destabilizing. Having daily subs in a classroom for four months is a crisis and should be treated as such,” said another.
Teachers who qualify for the early retirement plan have until February 21 to apply.
If they do, they must retire on or before June 30, 2025.
