SFUSD: payroll ticket backlog down from 10,000; ERP planning underway

Superintendent Brent Wayne reported progress on the district's payroll state of emergency during the Nov. 14 meeting, saying the district has remediated many systemic issues and reduced the number of payroll help tickets from over 10,000 to under 2,000.

Wayne said most staff are now being paid on the regular payroll schedule and that the district has built systems to address special cases more quickly. He credited collaboration with labor partners and city support for improvements and said a weekly dashboard has increased transparency about progress. Wayne reiterated that while the district is in a better place than a year ago, it has not yet reached full stabilization and is not on track to meet an earlier target for full stabilization by the end of 2023–24.

Looking ahead, Wayne said SFUSD is conducting due diligence for an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system that would integrate payroll, human resources, finance and purchasing to reduce recurring problems. Staff said they have met with vendors and are finalizing vendor selection steps; procurement and implementation will require additional time and resources and may extend beyond the current school year.

Several public commenters during the meeting stressed continuing payroll harms: employees and union representatives described delayed back pay for some staff and urged the board to ratify pending agreements and restore trust. Staff said some complex historical cases remain under active workstreams and that remediation and ERP timelines will be communicated at future board updates.

Board members asked for continued transparency, more frequent data tracking and assurance that settlement or remediation plans include former employees and those with long‑standing unpaid issues. Wayne committed to returning with ongoing updates and reaffirmed the district's commitment to resolving outstanding payroll harms.