Plan approved to offer supplemental early retirement to older eligible San Francisco teachers
San Francisco Public Schools Board of Education has approved a plan to offer supplemental early retirement to older eligible teachers at the end of this school year.
The move is a part of the district's strategy to cut costs and balance its budget.
"We are trying our best to get to a 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 public comment to voice their concerns with the policy.
"More older, experienced teachers leaving our schools replaced by new younger, less experienced teachers will result in poorer learning outcomes for our students," said one person.
"It is absurd to talk about cuts while our schools are still crippled by vacancies. At Bessie, we have been short by two full-time classroom teachers which is hugely destabilizing. Having day-to-day subs in a classroom for four months is a crisis and should be treated as such," said another.
Teachers eligible for the early retirement plan will have until Feb. 21 to opt in.
If they do, they must retire on or before June 30, 2025.
