San Francisco tries to fix its schools through magical thinking
Maria Su has been tapped to run the school district, with one overarching goal: stave off state control. But doing that will require feats of illusion.
Editor-at-large
San Francisco Standard
Published Oct. 21, 2024 • 1:11pm
Over the weekend, I spoke with Maria Su, the presumptive incoming superintendent of the San Francisco Unified School District. I say “presumptive” because her appointment doesn’t become final until the Board of Education votes Tuesday night. And with this district and this board, it’s foolish to assume anything will happen just because they say it will.
I asked Su, a seasoned City Hall insider, about her priorities in this formidable job. “My first priority is to retain and maintain local control,” she said.
That makes sense. If the school district can’t get its finances in order — its fiscal gap exceeds $100 million, about a tenth of its annual budget — the California Department of Education will take over and might not relinquish control for years.
Su is the beleaguered district’s best hope at the moment. Continue here.