Over 500 San Francisco Unified School District staff members could receive preliminary layoff notices in the coming weeks, Superintendent Dr. Maria Su said on Tuesday.

The move to potentially lay off hundreds of school staff members comes as the district continues to try and close a $113 million budget deficit for the 2025-26 school year.

Su said the district's workforce is 80% of the budget, and there needs to be a reduction in the central office and across the schools. At a Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, there will be a discussion for approval to issue preliminary notices to 395 certificated positions and 164 classified positions.

Who will be receiving the notices will not be decided at the meeting. Su said they will first be processing resignations, retirements and leave requests.

Once those are processed, their human resources department will use a seniority list and other methods to decide which employees will be given preliminary layoff notices.

"These are not easy decisions. I acknowledge that what we're doing here is impacting peoples' livelihoods. These are people who live here with us, who care for our children," Su said. "But I am also committed to making sure that our students get the stability and the long-term solvency of this district that they deserve,"

Su said the district will also be seeking approval for preliminary notices for central office classified administrators and classified civil service positions at a later date.

By state law, the preliminary notices to those who may be affected must be issued by March 15. But because the district's financial outlook is still unclear, more people may receive a layoff notice than will be given a final layoff notice.

Su listed the district's supplemental early retirement program, the state budget and federal budget as variables that could affect their final decision.

The SFUSD early retirement program could have a great effect on the number of final layoff notices issued. Su said they needed at least 314 people to seek early retirement for there to be a financial benefit and that more than that applied. The deadline was Feb. 21.

As for how many people enrolled, the number and how it affects their financial outlook will be given later.

The district expects to have a final number for layoffs by May 15, which is when final notices must be given, Su said.

Frank Lara, executive vice president of the United Educators of San Francisco, said the budget problem is a management issue being passed on to staff members.

"We want to make it clear who's at fault here. They have to balance the budget. But none of this is the fault of educators. None of this is the fault of families," Lara said.

He along with several educators and staff members came to a school board meeting Tuesday to voice their opinions.

Michelle Rait, a school nurse, is frustrated with the recent development.

"Personally, I'm feeling really distressed. I'm concerned for my community. I'm concerned for the students I work with," Rait said.       

As to how the reduction in staff will affect students, Su said they expect to have a qualified teacher in each full classroom.

"Based on our staffing model, we believe that we will be able to meet the needs of students with this new restricted, decreased number of staff," Su said.

The district is also searching for ways to leverage restricted funding to supplement crucial staffing needs and stressed the importance of maintaining local control.

"It's extremely important for us to maintain local control, so that we can have the autonomy to oversee the work, and the initiative, and the creativity that we in San Francisco know that our children and families deserve and need," Su said.

One plan floated by the previous superintendent would have seen multiple schools closing or merging. He abruptly resigned in October, and the plan was put on hold. Su was then appointed, and it was decided no schools would be closed for the '25-'26 school year.  

Kara St. Cyr contributed to this report.